In today’s podcast, Roland Pokornik from Chamaileon.io and Stephen Halasnik from Financing Solutions, a leading provider of unsecured business lines of credit, discuss how nonprofits can use email marketing and design best practices to strengthen their competitive edge. Email marketing offers many benefits to nonprofit organizations, such as allowing for highly personalized marketing with higher reach and conversion rates, among other things. Despite email being one of the oldest digital communication platforms, it is still at the cutting edge of digital marketing. However, nonprofits must have the best design practices and strategies to get the most out of this inexpensive but effective platform
Summary
Email Marketing and Design Best Practices for Nonprofits
Putting in place an effective email marketing campaign tailored to your nonprofit’s goals and objectives can greatly impact your organization’s mission. Despite being one of the oldest forms of digital communication, email still plays a vital role in organization brand building and lead generation. No wonder email marketing still ranks as the most effective marketing channel, beating out social media, SEO, and affiliate marketing.
Building a successful email campaign for your nonprofit is more important than ever. Research shows that most U.S. citizens use email- and the number keeps increasing daily. In addition, with email marketing, you own the connections and don’t have to worry about algorithm changes that might affect your campaign strategy.
Nonprofits that build out responsive and optimized email campaign strategies can easily reach out to more potential donors and maximize their ROI.
What Is Email Marketing for Nonprofits?
Email Marketing is the practice of sending out promotional emails to a large audience with the purpose of generating leads and closing deals. Nonprofits utilize this marketing campaign strategy to reach their target donors.
Undoubtedly, email messaging currently generates 19% of all online revenue. According to the Global Trends in Giving Report, 26% of online donors say that email is the tool that most inspires them to give (social media, 25%, 17% website, 13% print). In fact, email marketing campaign strategy is growing daily and can serve as an effective tool for nonprofits’ fundraising campaigns. A well-designed email marketing strategy not only drives donations but helps build a community around your nonprofits.
Why Is Email Important Marketing to Nonprofits?
Email offers numerous benefits to nonprofits despite not being a new technology. It was among the earliest forms of digital communication to arrive in 1971. But even at 50 years old, email marketing remains relevant more than ever before.
As a nonprofit owner, you may be thinking about whether people still use email or if social media is not a perfect substitute for email marketing since people tend to hang out more on digital social platforms. However, the truth remains that email marketing is as effective as other digital marketing and offers many benefits.
For instance, an email marketing campaign can be more highly personalized than other digital marketing media. In addition, it is pretty inexpensive relative to other channels, and it has a higher reach and conversion rate, making it an ideal marketing strategy for nonprofits. 
Further, email marketing allows you direct access to your audiences’ inboxes.
How Nonprofits Can Create Successful Email Marketing Campaigns
It’s essential you have a strategy in place in order to create an effective email campaign strategy. A working strategy will help you maintain a successful email campaign that is consistent and resonates with the target audience. Below are tips to help create an engaging and result-oriented email marketing campaign for your nonprofit.
Build Email Contact List
Add a subscription button on your website to enable people viewing your website and are interested in supporting your mission to subscribe to your mailing list. Ensure the subscription method is as easy as possible by having a signup form on your homepage. You can even consider creating a pop-up for when a user has been on your website for a few minutes.
Use Storytelling to Create Engaging Content
Storytelling can be a powerful means to drive your email marketing campaign. Stories engage and attract donors as they develop meaningful connections with your audience and inspire them to action. Ensure that your story has concrete structure and data and is coherent. When crafting your nonprofit story, endeavor to make your audience learn about your cause, see the problem, and see how you are making an impact. In addition, you need to make sure your content looks good and compelling.
Use Design to Optimize Your Message and Create a Lasting Impression
The appearance of your email can say a lot about your nonprofit. Generally, designs, imagery, and style convey specific feelings of sort and values. Donors give out of emotional response; as a result, you should factor feelings and emotions into your email design by creating an aesthetically pleasing email marketing strategy that resonates with them.
Use an email design with a sleek and uncluttered layout. This will present your content in a reader-friendly manner. In addition, create a compelling header and consider organizing your content with subheads and bulleted lists. Further, ensure your email has a call to action button as it makes it easily recognizable to subscribers.
Reach Out to Past Donors
People that have donated to your organization in the past can be a fit for joining your email list. Consider reaching out to them to ask them if they would like to subscribe to your mailing list. Let them know the kind of email they can expect to receive.
Post It on Social Media Handles and Also Ask in Person
Share it on social media platforms and encourage your followers to subscribe. In addition, Ask for signups while at in-person events.
Track and Measure Your Result
It’s essential you carry out a periodic review to know what actually works to double down on it and what isn’t in order to improve. Periodic assessment helps know whether you’re hitting the target.
Final Thought
Email marketing can be a great tool for nonprofits when it’s well-optimized. Email marketing can help nonprofits reach their target donors more effectively and generate more money. In addition, email offers plenty of capabilities to nonprofits. It can be harnessed to announce events, ask for participation, and create a healthy relationship for the overall success of nonprofits.
Learn More About Our Guest
Roland is the CEO & Co-founder of Chamaileon.io – an email creation platform that has been working with a lot of nonprofits to make sure that their email messaging is effective. He’s a seasoned email marketer specializing in email design and email accessibility. He regularly shares his views on the Chamaileon blog, in communities, and online/offline email-related events.
Learn About Stephen Halasnik
Stephen Halasnik is the host of the popular Nonprofit MBA Podcast. The Nonprofit MBA podcast’s purpose is to help nonprofit leaders and their teams. Stephen is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Financing Solutions, a leading provider of loans for nonprofits in the form of a Line of Credit. Stephen is a best-selling Amazon author and is considered a leading authority on building great, purpose-driven businesses.
Stephen lives in New Jersey and his top life mission is to raise his two sons, Michael and Maxwell, to be good men.
