I wanted to grab your attention this week of December for some very important and timely info that will help you smash your fundraising goals right here in the fourth quarter of 2023.
And, guess what. It’s not a new TikTok dance 😅. Thank God.
Here’s the deal. Your time and energy is limited. As a fundraiser, you have your spoon in about a hundred different pots, and you’re constantly stirring to see if any donors rise to the top.
But, you may be spreading yourself too thin and wasting precious resources on outreach that doesn’t convert.
Want to know a secret? Tearing it up on social media may not be doing you any good during this end-of-year push. Donors are overwhelmed and overstimulated. They’re not on a social media mission to find the perfect NPO to invest in. They’re mindlessly scrolling as they kick up their heels at the end of a long day.
But that doesn’t mean they’re done donating for the year. It just means they’re keeping business and pleasure separate. They’re not clicking “donate” on TikTok, but they are reading and digesting emails—especially from organizations who’ve been warming them up all year long with donor-centric, value-based email marketing campaigns.
(And the key here is to send content that your audience values rather than tooting your own horn or telling them about the new coffee bar you were able to set up on the third floor.)
So, I know what you’re thinking… Rhea, my email game isn’t that strong. Is there really time to salvage the relationship with just a few weeks to go in 2023?
And to that, I would say, “It doesn’t hurt to try.”
So as you craft your end-of-year campaigns, keep these 3 simple guidelines in mind:
- Don’t be vanilla. Be raspberry sherbet. Your subscribers read your emails because they know, like, and trust you. Don’t be afraid to offend. If anything, you’ll lose subscribers who are a poor fit and gain die-hard fans.
- KISS. Keep it simple, Stanley. Just because they clicked doesn’t mean they want to know anything and everything all at once. Turn the firehose to a trickle. One story. One call to action.
- Play the long game. If it’s too late to bank on your neglected email list now, it’s not too late to start warming them up for next year. The key is value, value, value. When you provide them with value, they aren’t offended by the occasional, targeted fundraising campaign. They’ll root you on, even.
I just hit record on an interview with my podcast bestie, Jess Campbell, founder and principal at Out in the Boons Consulting, and she had some eye-opening things to say about end-of-year email marketing for your nonprofit… as well as some goodies and treats that are going to make writing those emails a literal breeze.
Check out the highlights below or jump to the full episode right now 🎧: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-end-your-year-strong-with-email-with-jess-campbell/id1436858854?i=1000637807668
🎤🎤🎤
Are visions of year-end dollar signs turning into lumps of coal? 💸 We’ll help you turn your fundraising frown upside down with an email marketing strategy that converts before 2023 comes to a close!
Here’s how to salvage your campaign in the final weeks of 2023.
Email marketing whiz Jess Campbell of Out in the Boons returns to share late-game fundraising tactics. The season isn’t over even if Giving Tuesday bombed – there’s still lots of money left to raise before January 1st!
We dive into setting achievable goals, writing compelling subject lines, using emoji and personalization to boost engagement, following up with lapsed donors, and more. Jess also explains why you should add text messaging to your outreach mix.
The bottom line? Keep emailing consistently through December. Using a strategic cadence of valuable content leading to clear calls to action is key to converting supporters into philanthropists. And never miss a chance to steward and recognize donor generosity!
If you’re feeling frantic about finishing your campaign strong, don’t miss Jess’s affordable new monthly fundraising email template membership. It’s packed with plug-and-play solutions to save you time while growing donations.
Ready for an email makeover to raise year-end revenue? Take notes – Jess is bringing the expertise!
Listen to the full episode here 🎧 : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-end-your-year-strong-with-email-with-jess-campbell/id1436858854?i=1000637807668
