email campaigns & enewsletters
More and more, savvy nonprofits are turning to online tools for marketing, fundraising, and communications work. To keep your readership engaged and interested, consider the benefits of email campaigns and newsletters, and tips to make them successful tools for Michigan Land Conservancies.
Tips for successful Email Campaigns and E Newsletters
Know your audience
Know who you are reaching out to, and focus your content on their needs and desires. Use a voice that they will respond to well, and include actions and information they will care about.
Begin with a clear subject line
The subject line should describe what is inside the email. Rather than filling your limited space with info like an arbitrary title and volume or issue number, appeal to the reader and their desire to know “what’s in it for me?” (we recommend no more than 60 characters)
Keep content timely and relevant
Focus on writing relevant and timely content. The goal is to make your reader want to read more within the campaign as well as want to read it next month when it shows up in their inbox.
Send frequently… but not too frequently
There is a balance between staying present in your readers' minds and driving them crazy with too many emails. A good balance exists by sending out email campaigns no more often than once a week, and no less than once every six.
Make next steps easy
Know what you want your readers to do with the information they are given. Offer links back to your website or out to other relevant articles for more information, provide the link to take action, or to signup for an event.
Appeal to skimmers
Use headlines and subheads and write text in chunks so it isn’t daunting or overwhelming for users to read. Utilize photos and links for visual interest.
Use an email service
There are many free and useful email services that provide conservancies with everything they need to get started with email campaigns. Design templates, easy to update contact lists, and analytics make email campaigns helpful and relevant, with or without a web expert on staff.
Know your audience
Know who you are reaching out to, and focus your content on their needs and desires. Use a voice that they will respond to well, and include actions and information they will care about.
Begin with a clear subject line
The subject line should describe what is inside the email. Rather than filling your limited space with info like an arbitrary title and volume or issue number, appeal to the reader and their desire to know “what’s in it for me?” (we recommend no more than 60 characters)
Keep content timely and relevant
Focus on writing relevant and timely content. The goal is to make your reader want to read more within the campaign as well as want to read it next month when it shows up in their inbox.
Send frequently… but not too frequently
There is a balance between staying present in your readers' minds and driving them crazy with too many emails. A good balance exists by sending out email campaigns no more often than once a week, and no less than once every six.
Make next steps easy
Know what you want your readers to do with the information they are given. Offer links back to your website or out to other relevant articles for more information, provide the link to take action, or to signup for an event.
Appeal to skimmers
Use headlines and subheads and write text in chunks so it isn’t daunting or overwhelming for users to read. Utilize photos and links for visual interest.
Use an email service
There are many free and useful email services that provide conservancies with everything they need to get started with email campaigns. Design templates, easy to update contact lists, and analytics make email campaigns helpful and relevant, with or without a web expert on staff.