June 5, 2015 | Categories Donor Management, Nonprofit Technology, Partners

3 Questions to Ask Before Sending Your Next Email

This email was written by broadcast email partner, Constant Contact

Your supporters, donors, and volunteers have a lot of choices when they open their inbox — how can you make sure they choose to open your emails?

The simplest way to stand out in the inbox is to make sure people recognize that it’s coming from you.

Your subscribers joined your email list because they are interested in learning more about your organization.  They’ll be more likely to open when they can recognize your name in the inbox.

But beyond making your emails recognizable in the inbox, there are a few last-minute checks you’ll need to do before sending your email campaign.

By asking these three questions, you’ll be able to turn a good campaign into an exceptional one and improve the chances of getting people to open and act on the messages you send out.

When you send out an email newsletter, you’re fighting for attention. That’s why you want to make sure you have the right stuff in your email.

I’m going to give you three questions to ask yourself before you hit send.

1. Is your subject line compelling?

Your subject line is the first thing people see, and you want to make sure you’re giving them a reason to open your email. Don’t just say something generic like — March Newsletter. Give them a reason to open. For example — 4 Volunteers Needed for My Next Event.

2. Do you have interesting images?

You really want to grab attention and images are a great way to do it. It could be an image of one of your volunteers or one of your programs in action.

People want to relate to you and that’s what is going to make them read more. Be sure to include the right images.

3. Is your email content interesting to your readers?

You want to make sure you grab their attention and give them what they’re looking for.

Start with your subject line and make sure that it reflects the content in your email.

Think about your audience. Who are they and what would they want to learn more about? Include that information in your email.

You absolutely should talk about yourself and what you have going on but make sure you’re giving them something they can enjoy

I hope these questions come in handy next time you’re about to hit send on your next email.


If you're not currently using Constant Contact, you can receive a free customized email template if you sign up for  their 60 day free trial via DonorPerfect's sign-up page.  This template, with your logo and colors, will be added to your trial account within 7 -10 business days. Then use it to send donors to your customized online donation page for a unified and professional experience.

Written by Sam Goldenberg
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