Email is one of the best channels you can use to communicate with supporters, partners and clients. As a nonprofit, email gives you the ability to share important messages and engage with your stakeholders.
But what if I told you that plenty of nonprofits aren’t using email marketing effectively?
Nobody ‘teaches us’ how to effectively send an email campaign - we just send the email and hope our audience reads it. In today’s overcrowded inbox, that doesn’t work anymore. You need to be smarter about how you use email marketing to ensure your messages get to your audience. Let me show you three tips you can use to improve your email marketing.
1. Segment your audience
Every email you send needs to be targeted at a specific profile. You can no longer get away with sending one generic monthly email newsletter to all your supporters, partners and clients.
Each of these stakeholders has different needs and interests. You need to be tailoring your emails to their needs, thereby becoming more useful.
Next time you send a bulk email, segment your list into three groups. Tailor each email to each specific group so that it is more relevant, useful and personalised.
2. Avoid getting caught in spam
The dreaded spam folder is something we all want to avoid. Although you might think spam is a hidden mystery, I can tell you right now it’s not. Here are two tips to ensure you don’t get caught in spam:
- Avoid spam words and phrases like “free,” “bargain,” “affordable,” “best price” or “as seen on TV.”
- Pick the right service provider. Your email service provider affects your deliverability. If your emails are constantly getting dropped in spam - and you’re not using spam words - you should consider changing providers.
3. Encourage engagement and clicks
To increase engagement, you need to make sure your emails add value, are personalised and have a good subject line. We’ve already touched on understanding an audience, so let me explain how to send emails that add value and are personalised.
Add value: People get enough emails each and every day. Why should they read yours? What’s so important about your message? Ask yourself these questions before you send an email. Make sure all your emails are useful and relevant to your audience.
Personalise: A quick way to increase engagement is to use personalisation. If you are emailing a client, supporter or partner, you should have their name so make sure you use it.
Subject lines: A subject line can make or break your email. Ensure your email is concise and quick but also interesting. You need to grab your audience’s attention -try to appeal to their needs and interests.