Email Isn't Dead Yet Webinar

1. Email Isn’t Sexy,
But It Isn’t Dead
Either.
Christine Schaefer, Salsa
cschaefer@salsalabs.com
@salsalabs
Marcy Rye, Wire Media
marcy@wiremedia.net
@wiremedia

2. Email is Alive & Well
• List size growth 14%
• Small group list growth 26%
• Email ~ 1/3 of online fundraising revenue
• Email Audience > Social Media by ~5x
• More messages ≠ Supporter Fatigue
“As Archimedes might have said: ‘Give me an
email list long enough and a [online
engagement system] from which to send
messages, and I shall move the world.’”
All of the above from M+R 2014 eNonprofit Benchmark report

3. The Audience Perspective

4. At work

5. Out and about

6. Out to eat

7. Chillin’ at home

8. Understanding Device Context
•scale / proportion
•font size
•amount of text
•subject line length
•mobile vs. stationary

9. Your Relationship
•how well do they know you?
•why are they on your email list?
•what do they want from your emails?
•what do you want from them?

10. Stay Out of Spamalot
• For Pete’s Sake, clean
your list and keep it
that way
– Hard and soft
bounces
– No activity >6
months
– Automate cleanliness

11. Segmentation = Greater Response Rates
Examples of Possible Year-End Segments:
• Given within last 3 months
• Donated at Year-End Last Year
• Top 20%, Middle 40%
• No activity >6 months
• Specific Program Givers

12. Don’t Personalize, Individualize
244%
e-mail opens
161%
click through
330%
revenue per
mailing
E-mail segmentation by demographics and interests

13. Growing Your Lists the Right Way
• Organic is Best
– Petitions: yes, even
for 501(c)3s
– Sign-up forms, etc.
• List Growth Services
– Paid Acquisition
– Rented Lists

14. A Few List Acquisition Services
• Change.org
• Care2.org
• Left Action
Trusted Friends Make All The Difference for Success

15. NEVER, EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Add to list without
consent
• Purchase Lists
• Swap Lists

16. You’ll catch something

17. Getting Them to Read It
AND
Take Action

18. Get their attention

19. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 1
“Describe the candy, not the wrapper.”
-Kivi Leroux Miller
“Kids After School Monthly Newsletter, April 1, 2014”
vs.
“Super Hero Summer Camp Registration is Open”
“Learn About Our Workshops for Parents”
vs.
“Parents Stress Management Workshop This Friday”

20. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 2
“What’s in it for me?”
-Anyone whoever received an email
“SB123 Passes! A win for the arts.”
vs.
“Art programs are back in elementary schools”
“Participate in our summer photo challenge”
vs.
“Inspire others with your photos this summer”

21. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 3
“Tell it, don’t sell it.”
-Mailchimp
“Special Offer from the Big Foundation: Food Event 2014”
vs.
“Invitation: XY Magazine’s 9th Annual Cook Out”
“What you can to do to help state parks this year”
vs.
“park cleanup; letter from President; photo contest ”

22. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 4
Don’t be bossy.
“Donate today to save endangered whales”
vs.
“Only 412 whales left in newly discovered species”
“Read our CEO’s Huffington Post Blog on Healthcare”
vs.
“What 3 Year Olds Can Teach Us About Quality Healthcare”

23. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 5
Get local.
“Art programs are back in elementary schools”
vs.
“Art programs are back in Los Angeles elementary schools”
“Super Hero Summer Camp Registration is Open”
vs.
“Compton Super Hero Summer Camp Registration is Open”

24. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 6
Be concise.
“Our Bees. Gone.”
vs.
“EPA poised to enact laws approving production of
more bee killing pesticides”
“Celebrate with the Center”
vs.
“Join corporate, government and nonprofit leaders for
the Center’s 35th Annual Celebration”

25. Mastering the Subject Line: Tip 7
Get personal.
“Super Hero Summer Camp Registration is Open”
vs.
“Beth, Super Hero Summer Camp Registration is Open”
“Celebrate with the Center”
vs.
“Marianna Sanchez, come celebrate with the center”

26. Name of Sender
From John Cleese
vs.
From Monty Python’s Flying Circus

27. Decide on Best Length / Format

28. WHO GOAL
TYPE OF EMAIL / FORMAT

29. A/B Testing to Optimize Your Results

30. Choose a Goal, Decide What Success Looks Like
•Email open rate
•Donation conversions
•Blog post views
•Sharing

31. What to Test
•Subject line
•From
•Date/time/day-of-week
•Design choices
•Number of emails sent in a timeframe

32. Walk this Way: How to Run an A/B Test
•The 10/10/80 split
•Importance of randomness
•Timing
•Sample size
•Testing multiple factors
•Software

33. With email - just like comedy - timing is everything

34. Timing for Audience Reaction
• Rhythm
– Marketing Sherpa: Avoid
drastic changes
– Test before it matters
– M+R: more advocacy emails =
higher response
• Follow-up

35. New Tools to Consider
• QuickFill
Repeat Donations Made
Easy
• Online Engagement
Platforms
Go beyond email and CRM
to multi-channel, high
response campaigns with
little effort

36. One More Tool
for Success:
QuickFill

37. Online Engagement Platforms
Match your “headlines” across channels.
And, do a lot of the other
things I mentioned already –
smart groups, nurture/follow-
up, etc.

38. Christine Schaefer, Salsa
cschaefer@salsalabs.com
@salsalabs
Marcy Rye, Wire Media
marcy@wiremedia.net
@wiremedia
Questions?