I’m sure you’ve noticed that lots of non-profits are still using a strangely out-of-date email strategy – it’s hard to miss! Heavily branded templates, only sending formal newsletters and nothing else, opening emails with ‘Dear Supporter’, and other clunkers…
I’ve been thinking about putting together something about best practice for non-profit email marketing for a while, and a conversation on the always wonderful ECF list* nudged me into doing it. So there’s now a new resource on the Charity Lab site, which gives a very quick and easy-to-understand run down of email best practice, including:
- how often to contact your mailing list
- the tone and approach for your email copy
- the importance of personalisation
- why simple email templates are best
- mailshots vs newsletters
- the value of automated welcome journeys
- adding a sign up page to your website
- why you should keep interests and permissions as broad as possible
- split testing to improve your email tactics
There’s a video that covers it all in (just!) under 4 minutes, there’s an article with the info that you need, and resources if you need evidence or further support.
I hope it’s useful to you in convincing those colleagues or clients who use email as a tool for dull monthly / quarterly reporting, rather than what it is: a consistently effective communication tool that can build engagement and generate support.
I’d really appreciate your thoughts about email best practice: is there anything else you would include? Comment below…
*The ECF list is my favourite online community for digital charity people, if you’re not already a member I really recommend signing up.