Email marketing is often overlooked or otherwise ends up at the end of the marketing food chain when it comes to digital marketing.
Common responses include “do people still read emailers?” or “I’m not sure if I want impose our cause (or brand) on people like that.”
Well, all you need do is open your own email client software and witness the number of emailers/newsletters you receive weekly to realise something must be working for them to continue flowing.
Email marketing does work, however as with most marketing tools, it is all about the execution.
Email marketing tips
While many (not all) of our clients are NGOs, NPOs or cause marketing-related, several of these tips are applicable to any successful email marketing campaign.
1. Mobile Friendly
Between 60 and 70 percent of all emails are opened on mobile devices, usually Smartphones today.
Funnily enough most clients preview and check their emailers on desktop before they are approved, but it is the mobile view that is actually more important.
Modern design trends actually comply with both mobile and desktop so there is no need to design multiple versions or anything complicated. So, done properly, a modern design should be good to go.
2. Personalise your email campaigns if possible
This is often easier said than done.
We come across many websites that only ask for the email address. The thinking behind this is that a potential subscriber is more likely to submit their details if it is less personal and quick to do.
Sadly, most of those subscribers will also never open your emailer.
Campaign Monitor tells us that the average open rate for nonprofit emails is 20.39%.
Personalising your emailers could see you punching above the average.
3. Send emails more often
Did you know that large non-profit organisations send an average of 59 emails per year to their subscribers each year?
That is an average of 4,9 per month!
The 2019 Global Trends in Giving Report tells us that 77% of small and medium-sized nonprofits worldwide only send email campaigns either quarterly, monthly, or not at all.
We would suggest a small-to-medium size organisation send at least monthly if not twice per month.
One emailer should be content related and informative and the second can be a direct call-to-action for donations (NPOs) or otherwise.
4. Do not just send emailer once
This feature is often overlooked but any decent email client service will have advanced targeting features which include re-sending an email marketing campaign to people who did not open the first send.
The same emailer could effectively be sent several times using this targeting would then gradually chip away at those un-opens.
5. Remember your call-to-action buttons
Remember your call-to-action buttons but do not overdo it.
An e-newsletter is an email campaign primarily for news stories and updates.
So, most of your links should take people to your website where they can read the full story and become inspired to take action (donate, sign an online petition, follow on social media, etc.)
However, if you are a nonprofit or running a cause campaign a strong call-to-action (donate) button is important.
Your emailer, much like your website, should prominently feature a “Donate” button, an e-newsletter opt-in, and social media icons.
The stories you direct your subscribers to on your website should, of course, all make use of strong call-to-actions.
Good Reads:
- Five website design tips for social campaigners and NPOs
- A Cause marketing case study: The Limitless Potential In Self
- Using WhatsApp Business for Social Impact Campaigns & Business
- Why Content Strategy is critical to social impact campaigns
- Influencer Marketing Statistics to make you think
