In our last post, we suggested polling your volunteers to find out how they want you to communicate with them.  For many non profits, email is the best ways to communicate with both volunteers and donors. Here are some marketing tips for more effective email communication:

Reverse the order of your usual email writing process. Hit “attach” first instead of last, and you’ll avoid sending out emails without the intended attachments.

Ask for action. There is a school of thought that says no email should be sent without a request for action. Keep this in mind as you begin to compose your email: if you’re not asking for a review of a document or to confirm a meeting, or to pass on an important piece of information, is the email really necessary? And remember: ask, don’t tell. Don’t tell people what to do; ask them for their help.

Turn the “Subject” into keywords. For clarity and time savings, let your recipients know exactly what the email is about by choosing 3-5 key words for the subject line. 

How much email is too much? Amnesty International used to send 19 – 25 messages per month to their email list. That’s too many for any nonprofit email strategy, even if your supporters love and support your cause. Research from M+R Strategic Services shows that reduced email volume actually improves response rates.  Focus your email strategy on a regular schedule for fundraising, event invites, and general awareness campaigns.

Effective email communication can be reduced to three topics: a crisis, an opportunity, and how taking action will resolve the crisis. People want to know what they can do to help.

Keep it short. No matter what you have to say, say it briefly or your recipients will not bother to read your email. Respect your recipients’ time and they will be more responsive.