Email Tips from One
Non-Profit to Another
Andrea Wood
Manager of New Media & Engagement

Reality Check:
> Most people have 3.1 email accounts
> Average open rate: 22%
(Ranges 20-35%)
> Average click-thru rate: 4%
(Ranges 2-6%)

Q: How do people read email?
A: They don’t.

People scan email.
> Scanners spend less
than one minute reading
an email newsletter
> Only 19% read an
entire newsletter
> 67% skip the intro

Q: How do we get people to read,
or at least scan, our email?
A: It’s about improving the odds.

1. Priority one: subject line
Make the reader think they’re missing out if
they don’t read your email
DON’T MISS THIS TIP! Superlatives and
exclamation points get you nowhere
Subject line and “from” line should work
together
You’ve got 50 characters - say the
important stuff first
Have a stranger write it
Borrow, steal, flatter

2. Write for how people read; er, scan
Short blocks of text
Meaningful headings & sub-headings
Edit, edit, edit
Put an index at the top of long emails
Highlight key phrases, bold headlines and
hotlink embedded content (donation links,
event registration; etc)
Those fancy HTML newsletters…

3. Hold their attention: good content
What is your unique expertise?
 Highlight your organization’s people
Tell stories
Play off big news stories
Follow up - complete circles of information

examples

4. List building ideas that work
Create a fun quiz, ask for email and zip
Create a pledge

4. List building ideas that work (cont.)
Signup links EVERYWHERE
Partner with co-sponsors on list building
Permission and opt-in

The Power of Blogs
• A frequent, chronological publication of
personal thoughts and Web links.
• A blog is often a mixture of what is
happening in a person's life and what is
happening on the Web, a kind of hybrid
diary/guide site, although there are as
many unique types of blogs as there

What Should be on
a Non-Profit Blog?
• Non-Profits - tell a story.
• Follow a member of the center
• A family that has received information
or aid
• Activities of your non profit
• Have someone on the staff or board
write a “how to” entry for the blog

Include a real story in your blogs – not
only for interest factor but to reach out
to the people visiting your site.
• Create Personal Connection with your donors and
the people you serve
• Blog about what is important to those you serve
• Provide updates on what your organization is doing
• Evoke a response – a call to action
• become a volunteer or donate to a fundraising
event
• if fundraising do not be afraid to ask for a
donation – it is expected

• Blogs add a personal touch to your site
or as a stand alone feature of your
group.
• Don’t be afraid to start one.
It can
become a direct communication with
your constituents.
• Keep in mind that a blog needs new
stories or information that will build
readership to your site.
• Stick with it and enjoy the experience.

How do I Create a
Blog?

Hosted vs. Self-
Hosted Blogs
• Hosted Blogs are stored on another companies
server and use their system for posting. It is the
vendors responsibility to host and update the
software.
• Can typically be setup by most tech savvy people.
• Self-Hosted Blogs are a software program that you
store on your web server. It is your responsibility to
host and update the software.
• Usually requires the support of a web profession.

Open Source vs.
Commercial Blog Software
• Open Source Software is created by a
community of developers and typically
available for free or a donation. No one to
call for support. Must ask the community
for help.
• Commercial Software is created by a
company and supported by that company.
Support is available through email or
telephone. Service or software costs
money.

Top Vendors
• Hosted Blogs
• Typepad (Commercial Hosted Software -
Monthly Fee)
• Wordpress.com (Based on Open Source,
Hosted Software with additional charges
for more disk space and customized
domain)
• Blogger (Free Hosted Software from
Google)

Top Vendors
• Self-Hosted Blogs
• Movable Type (Commercial Software)
• Wordpress.org (Open Source)
• Blogger also offers a version where the
files are hosted on your server, but still
requires the Blogger Hosting to fully work.

What is Group
Fundraising?
• The process of gathering money and
other gifts in kind over the internet:
• By empowering individuals to convey
the value of a program or project to
persepective donors of their own
choosing
• through the use of blogs, widgets,
images, video and social networking
sites (MySpace, Facebook)

Group Fundraising Vendors
Anyone with a Paypal account
501c3 Organizations Only
Teachers in the U.S.
Individuals in Need
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

What kind of Companies are the
Vendors?
Nonprofit
Commercial
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Benchmark figures for group fundraising
campaigns
High Low Benchmark
Average donation amount $55 $30 $43
Average amount raised per campaign $3,230 $119 $692
Average number of contributors 40 4 16
Benchmark figures for “successful” group
fundraising campaigns
High Low Benchmark
$149 $36 $57
Average donation amount
$11,393 $5,158 $9,018
Average amount raised per campaign
269 48 157
Average number of contributors
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Compared to Other Online Fundraising Benchmarks
Convio eNonprofit
Group Fundraising
E-Benchmarking Benchmark Study
Open rate --- 22% 25%
Click-through rate --- 3% 1.5%
Response rate Possibly 35% 0.28% 0.3%
Average Amount $43 $56 $70
NetworkforGood reports that 76% of donors say they are influenced by friends and
family when choosing an organization to donate to.
Getting people to start campaigns is the hard part. Once they’re started, the results
will exceed what you could have accomplished on your own.
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Path 1 of 3
Sympathy for the
campaign organizer
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Path 2 of 3
A clear picture of
where the money is
going
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Path 3 of 3
Matching funds
combined with a
deadline
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Tips for Campaign Organizers
Adopted from What Kevin Bacon Knows about Web
2.0: Six Degrees of Person-to-Person Fundraising
1. Build a great campaign
2. Donate to your own campaign
3. Post your campaign on your web site and / or blog
4. Add the campaign to your email signature
5. Send the link to people in your email address book
6. Ask bloggers to join your cause
7. Bookmark your campaign on aggregation web sites
8. Take your cause (and laptop) everywhere
9. Thank people and report back on progress made
Source: NTEN Webinar, Group Fundraising 101: From Benchmarks to Success Stories, 7/17/07

Podcasting
What is Podcasting?
The delivery of audio or video content online or
to digital devices for later listening.
Video Podcasting is becoming increasingly more
popular than Audio Podcasting

Why should I use Podcasting
at my Non-Profit?
• Your donors and the people you serve
can see and get to know those at your
organization. Creates a personal
connection.
• Sometimes it is easier and takes less
time to just talk instead of writing.
• Adapting to our TV and Radio Culture

What do I need to Audio Podcast?
• Microphone
• Computer
• Conference Line that can be Digitally Recorded for
interviews
• Audio Editing Software and MP3 Encoder
• Audacity for Mac or PC (Free, Open Source)
• Garage Band for Mac
• Quiet Place

What do I need to Video Podcast?
• Webcam or Camera that can be hooked up to
Computer
• Microphone
• Computer
• Video Editing Software
• Camtasia Studio for PC
• iMovie for PC
• Windows Movie Maker for PC
• Quiet Place with Pleasing Backdrop

Tips for Podcasting
• Don't take more than 10 minutes
• Keep things interesting and
entertaining
• Keep it geared towards your audience

Cool Stuff You
Should Check Out
• MySpace • Collective X
• Facebook • 30boxes
• Squidoo • Upcoming.org
• SurveyMonkey • Flickr
• Ning • Volunteer Match

Handouts included
in Your Folders
• Andrea’s Email • Resource Links
Tips and Non-Profit
Website Examples
• Email Permission
Rules • Succeeding Steps
Non-Profit
• 10 Ways to Use
Storytelling in your MasterMind
Group Information
Blog

Q&A

Have any additional
questions?
Alana Haberman
ahaberman@succeedingsteps.com
John Herman
jherman@succeedingsteps.com
Andrea Wood
andrea@equalityohio.org

Thanks for
coming!