Soapbox Engage Blog

This guest post was written by the giving experts at GiveCentral.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immense impact on nonprofit organizations. Adapting to the change has become the need of the hour.

Emphasizing the power of giving has become all the more important, and thankfully, this can be achieved through well-strategized communication alone. There are multiple success stories of charities and organizations raising funds in such difficult times, with social media playing a large role in getting the word across. Fundraising on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, among others, is on the rise and working well for organizations doing it correctly.

But how can you tap into these trends while proactively looking for ways to keep strengthening your approach for the year to come? Digital communication and engagement is a bigger priority than ever before, but a stagnant strategy won’t serve you well in a fast-changing 2021.

 

Our recommendation: doubling down on e-newsletters. This tried-and-true tactic is a great way to stay connected and keep supporters updated about your projects, giving tools, reminders, and appeals. Plus, they’re very easily adapted to support any changing strategies or goals your organization rolls out.

The biggest tip to keep in mind is to never stop emailing. Staying front of mind for donors and supporters is essential for maintaining (and growing) their engagement in a crowded digital space. These evergreen email templates will give you a solid foundation for writing the kind of emails you wish to send. Once you’re ready to dig deeper into your email strategies, here are a few best practices that you will find useful in 2021 and beyond.

Storytelling begins from the subject line.

The subject line is where it all begins. Your emails’ open rates will be heavily affected by the subject lines you choose. There are certain points that your organization must remember as you come up with the subject line:

• Avoid using friction words such as submit, give, apply, etc.
• Make use of doing words (verbs) - change, join, help, etc.
  Make an emotional connection using words such as empathy, generous, helpful, honest, etc.
• Keep the subject line short and sweet.

Personalization is a top priority.

Whenever you’re sending a newsletter to your supporters via email, always address the person by the first name. This is an action that can create an immediate bonding and an instant feeling of connection.

When you write to a person using his/her first name, the content that follows becomes more like a conversation on a personal level. There are donor management systems that provide you with dashboards that enable personalized communication, you can read about the importance of donor management software in times of Covid-19 and adopt one if you haven’t already.

Use the right “from” name.

When you receive emails in your inbox, you might have noticed that the “from” name is one of the most prominent displays among other elements. This is exactly why the recipients of your email should see a name that is known to them.

On most mobile devices and laptops, this name is displayed in a heavier and darker font than the rest; this is so that it is easy for the viewer to notice and decide if it’s an important email. The fact that 68% of Americans say they base their decision to open an email on the “from” name clearly indicates that the name of the sender should mostly be that of your organization or any other familiar name.

Prioritize mobile-friendly design.

Making use of a mobile-friendly template will help you include all subscribers since most emails are now being opened on mobile devices.

• Make sure that the image size is also perfect for display on a mobile device.
• Run tests and make sure that all elements are in place and load properly on screens of all sizes.

Pick your content wisely.

Content doesn’t necessarily mean “text” alone. You can go for a blend of texts and images to ensure you’re not overwhelming readers with too much copy.

The main priority right now for your nonprofit should be to let your supporters know that your organization is continuing with the good work and how much their help means to your nonprofit. It is not a digital newspaper that you want to deliver but rather an insightful update. Anchor this strategy with a less-is-more approach to text, and include impactful graphics and calls-to-action.

Include data.

Data in the nonprofit industry is important information that defines the next course of action. In short, data and its significance is crucial to the growth of your organization.

In order to promote transparency, show relevant giving data on your e-newsletter and inform your donors about the usage and spend of the money that they’ve so kindly donated. This will set a firmer base for further appeals and projects. You don’t have to include data on each e-newsletter, but you can schedule it on a weekly basis, or even monthly.

Add elements to your e-newsletter.

As a nonprofit organization, your eventual goal is to drive more donations. Therefore, do not forget to add a “donate” button to your communications.

Additionally, put a display of social networking icons and link them to the respective handles to build visibility and online engagement for your nonprofit. Make sure that you have an active and organized social media presence. You can share screenshots of videos from your Youtube channel or blog and provide direct links, as well.

Conclusion

As you gear up to increase your impact and provide more aid to those in need, it’s important to remember that nothing beats consistency and dedication in your communication. Spreading the word and growing your impact starts from within your organization. The way you make your donors feel and showing them the difference they make are ultimately what will make them stay, see to it that you make it worth their while!

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Author: Patrick J. Coleman of GiveCentral

Patrick J. Coleman is the President of GiveCentral and Coleman Group Consulting. As a CEO to two enterprises, he is on a mission to help reduce costs and increase fundraising for all charities through ways such as mobile giving. With a diverse educational background and over 25 years of experience in operations leadership and strategic planning, he has developed a proprietary methodology that focuses on the art and science of negotiation to deliver measurable, implementable, and sustainable results. Mr. Coleman has served as Board President for Elk Grove United Way of Suburban Chicago, and as a board member of both Talkline/Kidsline and Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS).