Wanna raise money online? Don’t forget about email.
Earlier this year, Blackbaud invited me to contribute an article to npEXPERTS: Fundraising Ideas & Marketing Insights for Nonprofits. This ebook features insights from 19 nonprofit staff members and consultants sharing their smarts in the areas of email marketing, online fundraising, social media, mobile engagement, peer-to-peer fundraising, and multichannel campaigns. If you haven’t already given it a read, take some time this summer to scroll through it, especially with year-end fundraising season right around the corner. And fear not, my old-school friends, you can also download and print it.
My article in the ebook focused on the cornerstone of any good online fundraising or multichannel campaign: email. Easily dismissed by some due to declining open rates or the appeal of newer channels such as Instagram or Tumblr, email is still the biggest source of dollars raised online. To help nonprofiteers better use email to build relationships with supporters, I shared some tips in a webinar this week, which you can watch in the video here:
In this webinar (and the article in the ebook), I suggest a four-step approach to improving donor communications through email:
- Collect emails and build your list.
- Connect with supporters through a welcome series.
- Coordinate communication across the organization and diversify
asks/calls to action. - Report back on results and say thank you.
I included some specific examples from nonprofits as well as helpful data to back up the important role email can play in engaging and keeping donors. During the discussion, I also addressed some questions regarding email deliverability, frequency, and the interplay between advocacy, social media, and fundraising. Watch it and let me know what you think or other questions you have.
How do you use email to raise money? What new approaches will you try this year? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
