email nurture sequence guide - fundraisingwriting.com · your nonprofit makes, people will want to...

E M A I L N U R T U R ES E Q U E N C E

T u r n a n e w s u b s c r i b e r i n t o a h a p p y d o n o r

@ 2019 JULIE COOPER [email protected] fundraisingwriting.com

W e l c o m e Y o u r N e w S u b s c r i b e r s

w i t h a n A u t o m a t e d E m a i l N u r t u r e S e q u e n c e

A Guide & Template

for NonprofitsA n a u t o p i l o t s y s t e m f o r n u r t u r i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h p r o s p e c t s

http://fundraisingwriting.com/

What is an email nurture sequence? A nurture sequence is an automated seriesof emails people receive after taking an initial action on a website. Typically, theaction is subscribing to an email list. The purpose of the sequence is to welcome, build trust, and encourage thesubscriber to take the natural next steps with your nonprofit. This is the getting-to-know-you phase of the relationship. It should end with a small, first donation. The new subscriber thinks she might possibly - sort of, maybe, perhaps - likeyou. But she is not sure. She took the first step in the relationship by opting-in toyour email list. Now, you need to woo her. Think of a nurture sequence like a first date. On a first date, you would never think of asking your date to marry you. That action would be out of order (and creepy!). No, the marriage proposal comes much later. During the date, though, you might tell a story from your childhood or describe what you do in your job. You know... get to know each other... see if you share the same values. The same is true with an email nurture sequence. Asking a new subscriber todonate — or do anything significant right away — is like asking her to marry youon the first date. That's why each email in the sequence serves to nurture therelationship between the new subscriber and you... one step at a time.

Email Nurture Sequence

I know we just met, but will you

marry me?

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Welcome Your New SubscribersWith An Automated Email Nurture Sequence

Turn a new email subscriber into a happy donor



How many emails should be in the sequence and what's the frequency?Write between 3 to 7 emails in the sequence. The total number of emailsdepends on how much information you need to convey. Think about howmuch content it will take to introduce someone to your organization. Either schedule one email to send every day or space them to send everyother day. If you space them out more than that, you run the risk of losingmomentum. The subscriber's interest may wane. Afraid of unsubscribers? Are you concerned that a new subscriber will notenjoy receiving a series of emails? Don't be. She gave you her email address tolearn more. Now's the time to deliver. She's expecting to hear from you. Let's face it: Unsubscribers are a fact of life in email marketing. Happily letpeople go who are not interested in your cause. Like a bad date, be glad tofree yourself from people who don't share your values. Automate the email sequence. You can set up automation through you emailmarketing provider. Once someone fills out the opt-in form, the system istriggered to begin the sequence. The welcome email is the first correspondence in the nurture sequence.The welcome email is the most important email in your nurture sequence. It sets the stage for all future emails and has the greatest open rate. What's next? Page 4 shows my 10-step welcome email template. Pages 5 - 7 have a sample welcome email. Pages 7 tells you how to use a lead magnet to attract prospective supporters. Page 8 and 9 teaches you how to format subsequent emails in your nurture sequence. And page 10 sums it up.

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______________________________________________@ 2019 JULIE COOPER [email protected] fundraisingwriting.com


The 10-Step Welcome Email TemplateThe first email in the nurture sequence

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Open with a warm welcome

Thank the person for subscribing

Tease the lead magnet (if one is used)

Set expectations for the upcoming emails

Preview the content for the upcoming emails

Acknowledge your shared values and the person's role

Set expectations for after the email nurture sequence

Call to action (a small favor)

Deliver the lead magnet (if one is used)

Close with gratitude and a reminder of what's coming next

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The following email is an example of a welcome email from a community resource center. Names and details are made up. Any resemblance to organizations you may know is coincidental.______________________________________________



Email Sample: The Welcome Email

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Subject: Welcome to the family!From: Charlie JacksonTo: Evelyn WeilDate: August 10, 2019 Hi Evelyn, Charlie Jackson here, and I am the Executive Director at FairviewResource Center. I want to welcome you to the FRC family! Thank you for joining as a new subscriber. I am so grateful you wantto stay connected with us. When you signed up, I promised to send you 10 Surprising Ways FRCSupporters Change Lives Every Day. I will provide you the link in just aminute, but first I want to go over a few things. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be sending you emails every dayor two. Here’s a taste of what you will learn… • How FRC neighbors -- and a local celebrity -- helped feed hundreds of families during the annual Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive. You’ll especially love Gabe and Anna’s story! • What our annual Share the Spirit project means to more than 300 families. Not to mention how it nourishes the spirit of volunteers and donors!

• Why literacy volunteers say tutoring GED students is life-changing... not only for the students earning the credentials but for themselves. Volunteers share their heart-warming stories!

The welcome email is the first in an email nurture sequence.


2. THANK THEPERSON FORSUBSCRIBING

3. TEASE THE LEADMAGNET (IFONE IS USED)

I. OPEN WITH AWARMWELCOME

4. SETEXPECTATIONSFOR THEUPCOMING EMAILS

5. PREVIEW THECONTENT FOR THEUPCOMING EMAILS]

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• How our new Clothes Closet builds confidence in job- seekers. Hear how business attire from the Clothes Closet helped Maya feel great and land a well-paying full-time job! • What donors need to know about the hope they give to hundreds of families each year. You’ll need some tissue for this email! I’m honored to share this exciting content with you. As you can see,the FRC’s work is so important. The people served are our inspiration.And you -- one of our loyal supporters -- are with us every step of theway. You change people's lives with your generosity and steadfastness. Here’s what you can expect from being a member of the FRC family: My wonderful staff and I publish valuable info on our blog a couple oftimes a month. Sometimes we will write a post and sometimes we willrecord a video for you. Once it’s published, I will send you an email to let you know it’s live. From time to time, I will let you know about an opportunity for you tomake a big impact on the lives of your FRC neighbors. I’m thrilled you decided to journey with us! Now, I have one small favor to ask. Could you please hit “reply” and let me know the #1 reason you havean interest in Fairview Resource Center? It could be a few words or along story. I promise I’ll read your answer. First, your answer helps me understand you better so that I can sendyou relevant information. And second, sending me a reply helps withemail deliverability... so you’ll never miss our best content!

EMAIL SAMPLE: THE WELCOME EMAIL


5. PREVIEW THECONTENT FOR THEUPCOMING EMAILS

6. ACKNOWLEDGEYOUR SHAREDVALUES THE& PERSON'S ROLE

7. SETEXPECTATIONSFOR AFTER THEEMAIL NURTURESEQUENCE

8. CALL TO ACTION(A SMALL FAVOR)

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Now -- as promised -- click here for 10 Surprising Ways FRCSupporters Change Lives Every Day. You will find this article bothinformative and heartwarming. Thanks again for staying in touch with us. See you soon,Charlie P.S. In the coming days, I’m going to be sharing inspirational storiesof neighbors helping neighbors. I can’t wait to share success storiesand opportunities with you.


EMAIL SAMPLE: THE WELCOME EMAIL

It's not easy getting people to sign up to receive your organization's email. But you know if you can get some time to explain the impact your nonprofit makes, people will want to lend their support. So, how do you get the attention of your ideal supporter? A lead magnet is an irresistible piece of free content you give to prospects in exchange fortheir name and email address. Lead magnets usually offer a downloadable PDF guide,checklist, cheat sheet, report, white paper, or video. The lead magnet you offer depends on your specific nonprofit. Think about whatinformation you have that will help people be better community members and add value totheir lives. The content should be relevant, easily consumed, and action-driven. The lead magnet should be delivered immediately after someone signs up on your emailform. You can set up automated delivery through your email marketing provider. Need help?Contact your provider or let me know.

9. DELIVER THELEAD MAGNET (IFONE IS USED)

10. CLOSE WITHGRATITUDE AND AREMINDER OFWHAT'S COMINGNEXT

]

]ATTRACT NEW SUPPORTERS WITH A LEAD MAGNET

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EXTRA INSIGHTS



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How to Format the Subsequent

Emails in the Nurture Sequence

Your welcome email is complete! Now, the rest of the emails in your nurturesequence must deliver on the promises you made in your welcome email. In your welcome email, you prepared the new subscriber for what to expectin the sequence. For example, in the sample email on pages 4 and 5, I includedfive bullet points that tease the forthcoming content. Each bullet pointrepresents one email. Each email in the sequence should focus on a single idea. It's like you takethe new subscriber by the hand and give her a tour of your nonprofit...introducing her to your organization one big idea at a time. Each email should gently lead her to taking one small action. Here's a simpleformula for each email in your sequence that follows the welcome email:

Why invite your new subscriber to take one small action in each email?Every time a new subscriber takes an action, she is giving you a little "yes." Each time she engages and gives you her "yes," you are building trust and affinity. What should you link to in each of these emails? You'll want to provide links that allow your new subscriber to get closer to you and your cause. Be sureto connect the single idea of the message to an appropriate link. See the following page for examples.

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FOR EACH SUBSEQUENT EMAIL IN THE NURTURE SEQUENCE:1 SINGLE IDEA + 1 SMALL ACTION



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EXAMPLES

For each email 1 Single Idea + 1 Small Action

EMAIL #2• How FRC neighbors -- and a local celebrity -- helped feed hundreds of families during the annual Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive. You’ll especially love Gabe and Anna’s story! EMAIL #3 • What our annual Share the Spirit project means to more than 300 families. Not to mention how it nourishes the spirit of volunteers and donors!

EMAIL #4• Why literacy volunteers say tutoring GED students is life-changing... not only for the students earning the credentials but for themselves. Volunteers share their heart-warming stories! EMAIL #5• How our new Clothes Closet builds confidence in job- seekers. Hear how business attire from the Clothes Closet helped Maya feel great and land a well-paying full-time job!

EMAIL #6 • What donors need to know about the hope they give to hundreds of families each year. You’ll need some tissue for this email!

______________________________________________

The email tells some of the success story of themost recent Stuff-A-Truck food drive. Then thesubscriber is encouraged to click the link to reada blog post with more of the story. The email contains a feel-good story of theannual Share the Spirit giving project. Then thesubscriber is encourage to join the Facebookgroup to be in the inner circle of supporters tolearn of future opportunities and hear stories. The email relays one volunteer's heart-warmingstory of tutoring a GED student. Then thesubscriber is encouraged to visit the website toread more first-hand stories of impact. The email describes Maya's life prior to using theFRC's Clothes Closet. Then the subscriber isencouraged to click the link to watch a video ofMaya telling her story of getting a good jobthanks to the Clothes Closet program. This is the point in the email sequence whenyou ask for a small donation. The email first tellsthe subscriber about the meaningful differenceshe can make in the life of a person served. Thenshe is encouraged to make a small gift.

1 SINGLE IDEA 1 SMALL ACTION

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___________________________________________________EMAIL #1 is the Welcome Email

B u i l d R e l a t i o n s h sip



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Need a professional nonprofit copywriter or editor? Julie is readyto compose the marketing messages and tell the stories that… • Build trust • Persuade people to take action • Create raving fans for your organization Connect with Julie to see how she can work with you to realizeyour revenue, charitable, and social impact goals.


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Key Takeaways

An email nurture sequence is an automated series of emailspeople receive after subscribing to your email list. Its purposeis to welcome, build trust, and encourage the subscriber to takethe natural next steps with your nonprofit. This is the getting-to-know-you phase of the relationship. Ideally, the sequenceshould end with the subscriber making a small, first donation.

The welcome email is the first correspondence in the nurturesequence. The welcome email is the most important email inyour nurture sequence. It sets the stage for all future emails andhas the greatest open rate. The 10-Step Welcome EmailTemplate gives you a format to craft an impactful first email andsets the stage for the rest of the emails in the sequence.

A lead magnet is an irresistible piece of free content you giveto prospects in exchange for their name and email address.Lead magnets usually offer a downloadable PDF guide, checklist,cheat sheet, report, white paper, or video.

The promises you make in your welcome email must bedelivered in rest of the emails in the sequence. Each of theseemails should focus on a single idea and gently lead your newsubscriber to taking one small action. Remember the equation:1 SINGLE IDEA + 1 SMALL ACTION. Examples were given to showhow to accomplish both.



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email nurture sequence guide - fundraisingwriting.com · your nonprofit makes, people will want to...

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