If you are like most folks, no one has had to tell you that one of the greatest challenges to getting the word out about the great work that your nonprofit is doing in your community is simply getting others to open and read your emails. After all, most of us are guilty of allowing our inboxes to fill up with dozens, if not hundreds of unread emails.

Even those who seemingly have an empty inbox are not without guilt. Many simply delete the bulk of their emails without so much as a sidelong glance to see who they are from, and what the subject of the email might happen to be, much less taking the time to actually open and read them.

Data Proves Email Fundraising is Critical to NFPs Success!

According to an article by Nonprofit Tech for Good, statistics show that over 30% of online revenue raised by nonprofits comes from email! So, it’s critical that you find a successful way to get potential donors to open and read your nonprofit’s emails and newsletters.

The following 5 tips can help you get your ” foot in the door” for your nonprofit, by helping you craft compelling emails that others want to open and read.

Put Valuable Real Estate to Good Use – Focus on Subject and Headlines!

Convincing someone that your email is important enough to open and read is a bit like trying to sell a house; you never get a second chance to make a great first impression! The first thing that prospective buyers see when they drive up is the entrance. Unless your home scores high marks for “curbside appeal,” buyers won’t even slow down, much less park and come inside! Take a page out of the realtor’s book and don’t waste your email’s most valuable real estate!

Your subject line shouldn’t just summarise the content of the email, it should contain words and phrases that hook your prospect’s attention and make them want to learn more. Rather than making your subject line a simple statement, consider asking a question, such as, “Can We Count on You?”

 If your email is for fundraising, or, contains a call to action, consider using words that show your reader just how easy, or inexpensive, it is to help out. A good example: “With Just One Click of a Button, You Can Help Save Our Forests!” 

Once your reader has opened your email, you don’t want to lose them! Whether they continue reading or not depends in large part on just how interested and excited they are in your headline. Make certain that your headline is just as captivating as your subject line, and that it makes the reader want to learn more.

Connect Bond and Empathise with Images

Whether you’re trying to stir up support for your nonprofit’s mission so that you can recruit more volunteers, or, if you just need to increase your reach to increase your donations, images are a great way to show your readers just exactly what is at stake and how important their individual contribution is to your community. Choose images that show the impact of your nonprofit’s good work, and that stir the feelings and help readers connect with your cause.

Tell Stories

Hold your readers interest by creating interesting stories that help your supporters sympathise with the needs and goals of your nonprofit. Good storytelling makes a human connection, and reinforces the thoughts and emotions that are stirred by the images that you used earlier in your email.

The stories that you tell about your NFP should illustrate your nonprofit’s needs, while emphasising just how easy it is for anyone to take action and pitch in and help.

Aim for Clarity

Of course, when telling your nonprofit’s stories, you do have to be careful to not get carried away. Just as storytelling will have a greater influence on your reader’s motivations versus a bland list of facts and benefits, you must be careful to not create emails that are too long or too complicated.

Allow your personality, and the human touch, to come through as the voice of your emails, but, aim for clarity and brevity as well. The length of your email should be long enough to convey your message, but short enough that it doesn’t wear your supporters out when they try to read it.

Use headings and subheadings in your email to make it easier for supporters to scan and read. Avoid overly long paragraphs and write in clear, direct language.

Test Your Message

Most of us invest a lot of time and effort into the fundraising emails that we create. All of this work, however, means very little, if it doesn’t translate into the results that we need and want. When creating fundraising emails for your nonprofit, don’t forget to use testing and metrics to make certain that you are striking just the right note with your emails.

Edit and tweak the content in your emails over time to improve overall performance. Use segmentation to make certain that you are targeting our email messages to the correct segment of your supporters.

What are your metrics telling you about your nonprofit’s email campaigns? Why not share your story in the comments section and let other readers know what has, and has not, worked for your nonprofit?