More than just a donate button: The anatomy of successful email fundraising campaigns
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Holly Wagg, CFRE Philanthropic Counsel @hollywagg blog.goodworksco.ca More than just a donate button: The anatomy of successful email fundraising campaigns
More than just a donate button: The anatomy of successful email fundraising campaigns
What do donate buttons, click-thru rates, banners and list churn have in common? You need to know what these terms mean, and why they matter, if you’re implementing or managing email fundraising for your charity. This speedy session will provide an overview of the ins and outs, both back end and front end, of how to set up and manage an email fundraising program. Starting with the anatomy of an email, we’ll review different types of emails (focusing on fundraising, advocacy and newsletters), how they can function and complement your existing fundraising/communications program, and share an overview of benchmarks and best practices. Then, we’ll hone in on a series of fundraising email case studies to show how email can function effectively in a variety of organizations at all different stages of program sophistication and maturity.
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1. Holly Wagg, CFREPhilanthropic
[email protected] than just adonate
button:The anatomy of successfulemail fundraising campaigns
3. If I can just add abutton Imconfident that donationswill
pour in!www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
4. 1. Back end and front end of how to set up andmanage an
email fundraising campaign2. Anatomy of an email3. Analytics and
success benchmarks4. Emails in actionwww.goodworksco.ca |
@hollywagg | [email protected]
5. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
Matters10-25% annual revenue online65% of people made an online
gift in 201233% online gifts sourced to email
14. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected]% -> 13%1.7% ->
0.42%*benchmarks from 2013 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study from M+R and
NTEN0.21%
15. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] That Matter* benchmarks from 2013
eNonprofit Benchmarks Study from M+R and NTEN1. List size2. Growth
rate3. List churn4. Response/conversion rate5. Amount raised per
email/annually6. ROI15%16%0.07% 0.16%
16. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] Metrics That Will Matter1. Inbox
placement rate2. Open by device3. Read rate
19. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
is this Email From?
20. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
Should I send my email?Tues Wed - Thurs*Old school, but sorta safe,
ifmost of your list uses a desktop
21. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
Should I send my
email?*http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225266*http://visual.ly/best-and-worst-time-send-emailsA
slightly moremodern perspective,but really, you shouldtest
this
22. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
OftenOn average, charities send roughly 4 emailsper month* Image
from 2013 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study from M+R and NTEN
23. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
My email, pretty please!Best subject lines - No longer than 50
characters No spammy words Describe what your email is about
24. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected] U
of Subject Lines* Brian Clark, Copyblogger1. Be USEFUL to the
reader2. Provide a sense of URGENCY3. Convey the idea that the main
benefit issomehow UNIQUE4. Do all of the above in an
ULTRA-SPECIFICway
25. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] Line Examples*35 Email Subject Lines,
Philanthropy for All What an ipad means for Autism How to end
poverty What the future holds for U of T grads How can save a
platypus today What dogs and sunshine have in common
26. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] Mattersfoldbanner 600px widefontbody
copy11pt+ sans serifHeader copy12pt+ sans serifor serif
27. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] Crimes Dont underline unless its a
hyperlink Too many different fonts Too many colours CAPS, italics,
Bold, Reverse out
28. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]!
Alt Tags are AwesomeTip courtesy of Marc Pitman, Fundraising
Coach.com
29. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
WritingDonor is hero= youOne to oneconversationMore on storytelling
atblog.goodworksco.ca
30. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]
Writing1. The more you type, the less people read2. Keep it
conversational3. One email = one message/action4. Call to action
above the fold and standalone
32. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] you hit Send1. Do all your links work?2.
Do you have a plain text version (and is it thesame as your html
version)?3. Do you have alt tags on images?4. Do your pictures have
links and are they goingto the right place?5. If your email is
personalized, have youchecked your merge fields?6. Have you tested
in multiple inbox clients?
34. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg | [email protected]/b
Testing50/50 split or 10/10/80Design elementsPage layoutMulti-step
formsVideoCTA positioningImagesOffer elementsPrice pointsAsk
stringDefault askPremiumsCall to actionCommunications
strategiesTimingFrequencyContentCross-channelPersuasion
assetsAchievementsSubject linesCopyTestimonialsBenefitsHugh Dwyer,
Jacob Colie and Tom Williamson, A/B Testing can you afford not to?
#13NTCab
35. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] Mobile template ordecrease width 500px
Shorten subject line Use preheader copy Shorten copy and
splitparagraphs
36. www.goodworksco.ca | @hollywagg |
[email protected] Increase text size Give links room
tobreathe Include better photos Keep emails under102KBMike Snusz,
NPengage.com