Email fundraising allows non-profits to effectively communicate with donors and raise money without raising overhead. While it isn’t as common as direct mail fundraising, emails allow you to inexpensively provide incentives to donate. The following are 6 easy ways to gather more donations via email.
1. Definitive Goals
Take the time to formulate a well thought-out strategy with the target audience in mind. Try to find a perspective that will appeal to them and define your fundraising goals in a compelling way.
Consider an appropriate length for your email campaign and determine when the final push will be. Generally, every fundraiser uses the momentum generated by the campaign to spur supporters to donate. While the length of every campaign varies, it is crucial that it be determined more with the donors in mind, rather than the fundraiser’s interests.
2. Email Lists
Start to build an email list by recruiting your current supporters. You can do this by simply sending a postcard out to everyone on the direct email list and asking for them to subscribe.
Then, use your online resources to encourage people to sign up or pledge but keep in mind that bigger is not always better. Make certain that the people on your email list want to receive information from your organization. Emailing people who did not willingly sign up only alienates potential donors.
3. Develop a Compelling Message
Develop a compelling message to inspire people to donate. Put names and faces to the children of the campaign or tell a supporter’s story of what inspired them to donate.
Choose a strong advocate for your cause. Use name recognition to help drive email open rates. One compelling example can be more effective than a lot of facts and figures. Your emails should read like you’re writing to a friend.
Don’t just focus on the importance of your organization. Emphasize specifically what their donations will support. Supporters of non-profits are most likely to donate when the intentions are clear and the process is transparent.
4. Choose a Broadcast Email Tool
Broadcast email packages make it easy to email hundreds and thousands of people at once. These tools help format attractive emails, including graphics and images, and manage your list of email addresses. They also let recipients subscribe and unsubscribe by themselves.
5. Create a Button
Donors who receive fundraising requests by email will expect a button or link to a donation form. A number of tools make accepting online payments easy by verifying charges and securing them to ensure that the donor’s money reaches your organization.
Simply by applying a little forethought and applying these techniques, your organization will gain the potential to bring in large numbers of supporters and take donations online.
6.Benchmark’s Non-Profit Programs
If you are a non-profit that wants to explore email marketing, Benchmark has a Non-Profit Pricing Plan to get you started. Any account you need is automatically discounted by 25%.
For local non-profits, Benchmark Email is currently offering a free monthly 10K Email Marketing Plan (a $60 value) to all Long Beach-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations.
For non-profits that specifically focus on benefiting children, whether through community building, education or enrichment, Benchmark has recently rolled out its We Care About Kids program. Click the links to find out how you can start email marketing for free today!
