enewsletters and the path to donor happiness
DESCRIPTION
From a webinar on donor email newsletters, presented for Artez Interactive in October 2012.TRANSCRIPT
eNewsletters and the Path to Donor HappinessOctober 25, 2012
www.luttrellcommunications.com
Presenter
Karen Luttrell has been leading digital marketing initiatives for 13 years. She has launched and managed email newsletters for local, national and international charities and not-for-profits. Karen is a member of AFP and IABC and she volunteers as VP Communications for the Professional Writers Association of Canada Toronto Chapter. You can tweet to her at @karenluttrell or visit her at www.luttrellcomunications.com.
Urgent Problem: Donor Retention
Only 1/3 of charities surveyed inspired a second gift from at least 4 out of 10 new donors.
The Agitator Donor Retention Survey Results (2011)
http://www.theagitator.net/communications/donor-retention-survey-results/
eNews & Donor Retention
Relationship building is the key to retaining donors. An effective eNewsletter can be an important part of your donor retention plan.
immediate frequent (and affordable) personalized easily integrated with other channels and
rich media (audio, video)
4 Steps to Take with Your eNews
1 Get opened2 Get read3 Build relationships4 Refine and Repeat
1. Get Opened
Only around 20% of nonprofit e-mails are actually opened.
From Reason Digital article written in 2010, citing mail chimp international as source for the stat
http://www.reasondigital.com/better-charity-emails/
Step 1: Get opened
1. From line- make it from a real person- never from info@ or no-reply@
2. Subject line - make it topic-specific, not just “newsletter”- clever is good, but clear is better- tell what readers will get out of opening & reading it- Aim for 50 characters or less so it doesn’t get cut off
Step 2: Get read
6. Design for legibility5. Use photos and captions4. Use language that is simple and easy to
read3. Use great headlines and subheads to
capture & keep attention2. Personalize it (name, type of support)
Get Read cont’d
The #1 way to get read is…Provide quality content that donors
WANT to read.
Quality content: Provides value Informs & inspires Creates a personal connection Builds relationships****
Step 3: Build Relationships
Great content provides “donor love”
Tom Ahern in presentation for past AFP Congress, gives one of the best explanations I’ve heard of how to speak to donors to create connection and good will
Donor love is his term in the presentation – Great way to think of it!
Build Relationships cont’d
Say thank you early and often Speak directly to a single donor Give the donor credit Use “you” and “your” (not “us” “our” “we”) Tell stories that show how your donor made
a difference Use numbers – with care, and perhaps not
in the way you would think Use two-way communication (engage)
Build Relationships cont’d
Sample phrases for “creating donor love” Thank you Because you helped Your gift made the difference You helped prevent… You helped build… Your investment, your support, your generosity You made it possible You helped so many people
See also:How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, by Mal Warwick (Appendix C, 90
Ways to Use the Word “You”)Showcase of fundraising innovation and inspiration (soffi.org), particularlty the
Women’s Royal Voluntary Service face-to-face postcard at http://www.sofii.org/showcase-item?hall=274&id=39&pos=1
Email by Canadian Women’s Foundation, used with permission.
Building Relationships con’td
Telling Great Stories How, and where, to find your
organization’s stories Point of View Questions to ask Caveats
Building Relationships cont’d2-way communication and encouraging
action Ask for input Provide a series of actions that require
increasing involvement Recognize action Integrate with other channels
Back to our sample email
Step 4: Refine and Repeat
• Listen• Test and track• Revise and continue
frequent, consistent communication
Split testing info: www.marketingprofs.com
Tracking & measuring online marketing: Search the TechSoup Canada blog
Summary
Make Your Donor eNewsletter: Brief Frequent Easy to read Personal Informative Emotional Overflowing with gratitude to the
donor***
Resources and Reading
Sofii.org The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration: http://www.sofii.org/
Association of Fundraising Professionals Member Resources (presentations from Congress)
The best times to send email for opens and click-through (MarketingProfs)
How to get your email newsletter opened and read (blog post)
Using your newsletter to create an ambassador corps (blog post)
The Non-Designer’s Design Book, by Robin Williams (book on graphic design concepts)
Picture Perfect Communications (article at charityvillage.ca)
Questions?
Questions welcome. And please keep in touch.
@karenluttrell [email protected] www.luttrellcommunications.com www.facebook.com/LuttrellCommunication
s Tel. +1 647-287-4344
Thank You
Thank you for being great participants today.
Thanks Kiran and Claire and Artez for inviting me and for hosting and giving us all the chance to be here and share together today.