You’ve already overcome what many consider an major obstacle in nonprofit email marketing: getting someone to subscribe to your email list. But now the pressure is on to keep them engaged with your welcome email.
Just as you would if you met someone at a party or a fundraiser, think of the first email you send to a new subscriber as your chance to wow them, and share who you are, how your work impacts the world, and why they should care.
Here are five things to consider when crafting a welcome email to nurture your new subscribers.
How you create and send your email will depend on the technology platform you use, but you should send your welcome email within 24 hours, or you risk losing the relationship you’re just starting to build.
Many email management systems allow you to set up an automated response for new subscribers. Take advantage of this feature and craft a short “thank you” that can be followed within a day or so by a more in-depth email targeted to recent subscribers.
If this is your strategy, it’s important to set aside time for this, and make it part of your daily or weekly communications routine so you don’t lose track of your new subscribers.
You may also be able to build and automate your entire welcome email that can be sent immediately. Just remember to update automated message regularly, so your welcome stays fresh and relevant.
This is the first time your new subscriber will be hearing from you via email, so be crystal clear when writing your subject line (save clever wording for future communications) and choosing which email address you will send from.
Remind them they signed up to receive emails from your organization, and be sure to thank them for doing so.
This welcome email is your best shot to not only take care of the formalities, but also to show your new subscriber who you are, and set the tone for future interactions.
Within the body of the email, be warm, welcoming and positive. Have a little fun where appropriate, and consider attributing the email to a single, real person within your organization to make it feel more personal, such as your director or a member of the board.
Of course, don’t forget to also set some expectations for what types of emails you plan to send, how often you’ll send them, and how to unsubscribe.
After the “hello, how are you?” and the “thank you for subscribing,” what else should you share?
You’ve got a lot of choices for your next email:
You may also want to include a few housekeeping items. Consider explaining whitelisting and instructions to help your subscriber add you to their “safe sender” list to ensure the message arrives in their inbox, instead of ending up trapped in their spam filter.
Many companies create a quick tech guide on their website explaining how to do this for each of the major email providers, and link to it from all email campaigns.
You must also have a link to unsubscribe, in case they’ve changed their mind (though hopefully, all the great content you’ll include above will convince them to stick around). Most email management systems automatically supply this option, but you should verify it is available to your readers. This has been the law for over a decade now, and you must honor opt-out requests within 10 days.
The welcome email is a great place to suggest other ways your new subscriber can connect with you, especially on your social media accounts. You could also invite them to upcoming events or share a link to your web content.
This is not, however, the time to start asking for major gifts. Be subtle. The time for direct action will come later.
Now that you’ve properly welcomed (and thanked) your new subscriber, it’s important to keep them in-the-know by looping them in on future email campaigns.
Don’t forget the four things you need to include in every email you send — to a first-time subscriber, or a long-time supporter:
Check out our free ebook, The Complete Guide To Email Marketing For Nonprofits for ideas on planning your next email communications strategy.
Ever wished your donations could go even further? Enter automated matching—an indispensable tool that transforms…
Chances are, you know what Giving Tuesday is by now. However, it's important to recognize…
Here at CauseVox, we love a good success story. And we couldn’t think of a…
Do you ever go grocery shopping and see a product that feels like it was…
Hosting your own giving day is a powerful way to amplify your mission. At CauseVox,…
From Giving Tuesday to World Diabetes Day, giving days stand out as events that bring…