Email Marketing for Online Fundraising

Simple email strategies that can boost your sales online.

Since the mid-2000s, technology blogs have proclaimed the death of email marketing. But because it’s an effective way to connect with audiences, marketers couldn’t give it up. And today, email marketing is as viable as ever. And a core marketing channel you should use for your online fundraising.

Hey, hey, email is here to stay!

Email is widely used across the globe. A study by The Radicati Group research firm showed that 3.9 billion people (over half of the world’s population) used email in 2019. By the end of 2023, that number will grow to over 4.3 billion.

It’s an integral part of the whole internet experience, too. Think about it. Most websites today­, from social networking to online shopping, require you to provide an email address to sign up or create an account. It’s clear that email isn’t going anywhere and that it’s one of the most effective digital marketing activities you can use.

Think mobile first

With 81% of emails opened on a mobile device, you’ll want to ensure the emails you create are mobile-ready. So, if you’re using an email template, keep it in one column.

And, if you use pictures, make sure they’re small. It helps to think about what you experience on your mobile device, then create your emails accordingly.

Pay attention to your subject line

Your subject line is essential. It’s the first thing your audience sees and will determine whether they even open your email. What you write could undermine your efforts or help them shine. Get creative and try to keep it brief.

If your subject line is too long, email clients will cut it off. So, keep your subject line short. A good rule of thumb is to shoot for 40 characters or less (that includes spaces and punctuation). If you must go over, ensure the most important information is shown within those 40 characters.

Email clients like Gmail and Outlook display subject lines differently. And the mobile versions often differ from the desktop version. So it’s a good idea to look at how your email appears on different clients. Litmus and Email on Acid are great tools for seeing how your subject lines look. There is a cost associated, but they offer free trial versions you can check out.

Keep your content useful

Of course, you want content that gets clicked. The golden rule here is to make it useful. For example, you know your audience loves to hear about how your group is thriving. Share your most recent activity. Then, include a call to action (CTA) about how your audience can help keep these activities going by shopping online at your e-commerce site, like those we offer.

There is a lot to consider when using email marketing in fundraising. But with a little work and thoughtful strategy, email marketing can be your fundraising best friend.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.