Quick Tips for Writing Year-End Fundraising Emails

The Donor Attraction Letter

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

It’s an exciting time: Your final year-end fundraising emails will be sent off soon!

There’s so much anticipation, knowing that online giving continues to go up and up every year (I just read about how one donor made a $100,000 gift online!).

Before your emails land in your donors’ in-boxes, use these quick tips to maximize their effectiveness, tug on hearts, and increase giving:

• First and foremost: Tell emotional stories that donors care about, ones that paint a vivid picture of how their gifts are helping others. These are bar none the BEST way to make your case for giving and create strong emotional connections that inspire donations.
• Grab attention with a subject line that’s short, direct, and uses emotional trigger words (like the recipient’s name and the word “You”).
• Write in a personal, conversational, informal style. Your aim is to write more like you talk, using colloquial words and expressions. This will help you create a more friend-to-friend feel that has stronger emotional impact. Your donors are your friends, after all!
• Avoid long emails and make them scannable. Stick to one key story/point/theme, use short paragraphs (1-2 sentences), include 3-4 links to your donation landing page, use bullets/graphic inserts, and draw attention to key phrases with bolding/italics. 
• Use compelling photos/images that create strong feelings and stir emotions. Photos where the subject is close-up and making direct eye contact with an engaging expression are best.
• Reference your monetary goal, share progress, and emphasize the deadline to help reach that goal.
• Make the call-to-action specific. For instance, something along the lines of “Your support will make a difference” is vague, weak, and overused. Something like “Your gift will help cold and neglected dogs get comfort this winter” is much better.
• Stress the urgency of how funds from donors can help speed important progress on specific projects.
• Mention that the donation is tax-deductible.
• Always include a PS that reinforces your message and includes a link to your donation page.
• Include a link or donate button above the fold. For those that are ready to donate right away, you’ll make it super easy for them to click over to your donate page.
• Be sure you’ve got contact information inside the email or a link to your contact page. Some people may have questions that require assistance before they give.
• Mobile-friendly design is a must. More and more people are using their smartphones and other mobile devices for online donations. So, design your emails and website with mobile giving in mind. If you’re not set up yet, here’s a handy resource for help.

The big takeaway is this:

Email continues to be a very effective channel for giving, especially in the month of December when online donors abound. To make stronger emotional connections with your supporters and raise more money, use the tips above to get your year-end emails in tip-top shape before you hit “send.”

Dedicated to helping you attract and keep your donors,

Jen Viano
Nonprofit Writer/Consultant
Editor, The Donor Attraction Letter

PS: In your everyday email signature block, be sure you’ve got a call-to-action to make a year-end gift.  Add it today for more exposure and more donations.
 

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