Email is an incredibly effective way to communicate with your constituents. With the right tools, you can reach hundreds– or even thousands!–of your members, donors, volunteers, supporters, board members, with just a few clicks . Once you have the meat of your message hammered out, go through this list and add anything you’ve left off.
- Who you are – At a minimum, include the name of your organization. This might sound obvious, but you’d be amazed at how often this gets left out of messages. We get caught up design and deadlines and forget that our message may be forwarded.
- Why you exist – This too often gets overlooked. Be sure to include a brief explanation of your mission in each email. It can be discreet and in small font, or big and bold, just don’t forget to include it. Nothing could be worse than your email being forwarded to someone who has no idea what you do or why you exist!
- What you’re doing – What’s the purpose of the email? Is it a newsletter? Is it an invitation to an event? Is it a solicitation for a donation? Tell your subscriber the purpose of the email. Don’t be afraid to be direct.
- How to help – Tell your subscribers how they can help. Can they help by donating money? Coming to an event? Telling a friend about your big golf tournament? Or just spreading the word about the good things you’re doing in your community. Tell them what you want them to do….
- Call to Action – Which brings me to the “Call to Action.” I use quotes here because this is the “Just Do It” of your email. Based on how your subscribers can help, make it easy for them. For example, you can include a button that leads directly to a donation page. Or you can ask them to forward your message to a friend. Or they could “Like” your Facebook page with the click of their mouse.
By doing these 5 things, you’ll find that engagement with your mass email will increase and your constituents will have a clearer vision of your mission.
