Many of the emails you will send for your NFP are likely to be of the automated variety. This means that you will send a nearly identical email at various times to everyone on your list.

Of course, most of us can recognise these “canned” responses once they hit our inboxes, without even opening them. That’s why most messages tend to languish there, unopened, in a sort of perpetual email purgatory. If you want readers to open and peruse your messages, you must use a little savvy when creating and sending them.

The following tips will increase the odds that your recipients will want to open and read your NFP’s emails.

Personalise It!

Most of us don’t fully read, we skim, especially when we check our emails. If you want to encourage someone to open an email from your organisation, personalise it with the sender’s name, rather than just the name of your organisation.

For example, if the director of your organisation wants to send a welcome email to new members, personalise the sender’s line with her first name and then the name of your organisation to increase the chances that your recipient will view the email as coming from an actual person and want to open it.

The need to personalise your emails doesn’t stop at the subject line. It extends to your email’s greeting as well. When you call someone by name, it is very powerful. After all, we only address people by name when we know them and have a relationship with them.

Addressing someone by name in your greeting reaffirms their connection with your nonprofit and its work. Use software to personalise the greeting with your recipient’s name.

A third place to use personal names is when you close your email. Sign it with the sender’s personal name as well.

Prove You’re Not a Robot – Show Your Personality!

In the body of your email, be sure to thank your recipient for their support, and be specific. For example, if you are thanking a supporter for a recent cash gift, include the amount in your expression of gratitude. Give specific examples of the work that your nonprofit can accomplish thanks to donors like them. If you are welcoming a new member to your organisation, thank them for becoming part of your group and offer details about your organisation, its work, and the benefits of membership.

When providing specific details about your nonprofit, you want to focus on providing features without sounding dry, boring and robotic. Share your NFP’s story and let your personality shine through. Don’t be afraid to add in some humour, or provide some interesting, little-known details within a human interest story, that will generate interest in your organisation’s work and help to set it apart from others.

Encourage Engagement

In addition to sharing details about your nonprofit, its work, and how donations help your NFP advance its mission forward, invite your recipient to support your nonprofit in additional ways. Include links to your site on how the recipient can get involved through advocacy and volunteering or participating in your organisation’s special events. Invite them to connect with your NFP’s social media channels and ask them to share your NFP’s stories with their family and friends.

Seek to Continue the Conversation

When you sign the sender’s name to the email, don’t forget to invite your recipient to continue the conversation. Be warm and welcoming in your closing and thank them again for supporting your nonprofit.

Let them know if it’s okay that they directly reply to your email if they have any questions, or if it would be better for them to chat with you online. If you are available by phone, invite donors and other supporters to call to stay in touch and find out more about your nonprofit’s work and how they can help.