Is it time to take your nonprofit’s communication to the next level? Learn why your organization needs to focus on email marketing and which email types to send to supporters. I’ll also share a list of the best email marketing platforms for nonprofits like yours.
Join the fundraising movement! Join the fundraising movement!48% of donors prefer to receive nonprofit updates and appeals via email. With a solid email marketing strategy in place, your organization can build donor trust, increase engagement, and raise more for your cause.
Below, I’ll share everything you need to know about email marketing for your nonprofit, including which emails to send and the top platforms designed to support your email marketing efforts.
As a nonprofit leader, you’re used to juggling extremely tight budgets and limited resources.
Many solid email marketing platforms are designed to save you time and money by automating repetitive tasks, like sending welcome sequences to new donors, while enabling you to reach massive donor lists instantly.
Paying a monthly or annual fee for a good email marketing tool also comes with a high return on investment. Studies show that frequent, consistent communication with online donors results in a 41.5% increase in revenue.
Email marketing enables your nonprofit to build personal connections with your supporters in one click. Plus, there are so many creative ways to personalize your emails.
Personalized calls to action convert 202% better than default calls to action, and emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened.
Pro tip: Use variables to set up campaigns that address your supporters by name. Segment your donors to tailor your communication based on the topics, programs, and news that genuinely interest and appeal to them.
Email marketing reaches donors where they’re most accessible – their inboxes – and provides them with an easy and efficient way to support your cause.
33% of donors cite email as the tool that most inspires them to give. Sending an email appeal with a direct link to your donation page removes friction and makes giving more convenient for supporters.
This can significantly increase engagement and donations.
Now that I’ve explained the benefits of email marketing, let’s look at the four types of emails for nonprofit organizations:
Remember, relationship-building should be at the heart of every email you send. When supporters feel genuinely connected to your mission, they’ll be naturally inclined to keep engaging with and supporting your cause.
Bonus resource: Tune in to episode 160 of the Nonprofit Podcast as Jena Lynch and Chris Barlow share how smart email automation and personalized donor journeys can increase donations and improve retention.
Having a solid mailing list before creating campaigns helps maximize your return on the time you put into your email marketing strategy.
Use lead magnets to incentivize new supporters to subscribe to your mailing list. This is essentially a gated “free” gift or resource that your target audience can only access once they’ve signed up.
Additionally, build your list by encouraging email subscriptions as often as possible. Take an email sign-up list to every event, add a “subscribe to mailing list” checkbox to your donation form, and include a link on your social media platforms.
The first touchpoint a new subscriber has with your organization shouldn’t be a donation request. Design a personalized welcome email series to introduce them to your mission first.
Include valuable content, like your mission and values statements, introductions to programs and staff members, and impact stories.
Pro tip: Space out your emails so that new supporters don’t feel overwhelmed by communications and end up unsubscribing.
Contacting people who may not be invested in your cause will lead to low engagement rates and could breach data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation.
Supporters who don’t want to receive your emails might also mark them as spam, harming the deliverability of your email marketing campaigns.
Maintain compliance by checking the language used on your website and opt-in forms, and always include an “unsubscribe” option in all campaigns you send.
Segment your mailing list and send out communication tailored to your donor’s interests, location, giving history, or programs they’ve previously supported.
Most email platforms allow you to segment your lists, making it easy to create and send targeted emails to multiple audiences.
Pro tip: Gather your donors’ preferences by designing an opt-in page that asks leading questions. Share a survey with existing subscribers asking for their feedback on your emails and which topics have resonated with them the most.
Most email marketing platforms offer ready-to-use templates and “drag-and-drop” features that make it easy to create attractive emails for increasing engagement rates.
Ensure your subject lines are concise and catchy, so that as many characters as possible can be seen from desktop and mobile devices.
Your messaging should be eye-catching and include enough spacing, breaks in text, visuals, and buttons with links.
Leverage email marketing metrics and data-driven insights to create an effective email marketing strategy that enables higher engagement rates.
Many email marketing platforms provide metrics on open rates, click rates, the length of time a supporter spends looking at your email, and the most common days and times your supporters are opening emails.
With the right data on hand, you can segment your mailing list and connect with different groups at different times.
Donorbox Email Marketing is a solid email marketing tool built directly into Donorbox CRM, which enables you to send highly targeted, mass email communications to strengthen your outreach and impact.
Donorbox CRM, where Email Marketing is located, is entering an exciting new phase of enhancement. Join the CRM waitlist and stay tuned as it moves closer to the full, enhanced release.
Join the Donorbox CRM Waitlist
Mailchimp is a well-known email marketing platform used across multiple sectors. They offer powerful automation features, targeting tools that enable you to focus on donor behavior and preferences, and the ability to schedule email campaigns according to different time zones.
Nonprofits receive a 15% discount. Their Free plan includes a maximum of 250 contacts that can be added to your CRM system and up to 500 monthly email sends.
Essentials, Standard, and Premium plans depend on the number of email contacts you have, starting from $11.43 to $330.96 per month.
Donorbox integrates with Mailchimp, making communicating and sending personalized emails to your donors seamless.
Constant Contact provides a full digital marketing suite, including email marketing to support your nonprofit’s donor engagement and fundraising efforts.
Eligible nonprofits can qualify for a 20-30% discount on their plans. Light, Standard, and Premium packages range from $12 to $80 per month.
Email Octopus offers a simple yet powerful platform to help nonprofits like yours grow your mission.
The Starter plan is $0 for 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month. The Pro plan is priced from $9 per month, and increases based on your number of subscribers and monthly email sends. Email Octopus also offers a 20% lifetime discount to registered nonprofits.
The energy and costs associated with investing in a great email marketing strategy are more than worth it. And, when paired with a strong email marketing platform, you’ll be able to increase engagement and donations to your cause.
Donorbox is a leading fundraising platform that offers helpful fundraising features and tools, including the integrated Donorbox CRM and Email Marketing tool to maximize your engagement, outreach, and impact.
For more fundraising tips and ideas, visit the Nonprofit Blog. Subscribe to the monthly newsletter for a curated selection of expert resources sent to your inbox.
Raviraj heads the sales and marketing team at Donorbox. His growth-hacking abilities have helped Donorbox boost fundraising efforts for thousands of nonprofit organizations.
Join the fundraising movement! Join the fundraising movement!
