As a non-profit organisation, regular contact with supporters, donors and volunteers is essential. And one of the easiest, quickest ways to do this is through a mailing list.
MailChimp is a great platform for building and managing your email list, as you probably already know. But when the people you are targeting are receiving hundreds of emails per day, how do you make them stand out from the crowd?
Be concise
This is rule #1 for any type of communication, but it works particularly well with emails. We’re all super busy and our attention spans are short, so it’s no surprise that when we open an email message that looks like the complete works of Shakespeare, we hit delete.
One of the great things about MailChimp is that you can organise your mailing list into different groups, so you can target each group (i.e. donors or volunteers) with messages that are appropriate to them, rather than trying to cram all the information into one email.
Create a strong look
There’s so much around us that is vying for our attention that dull emails very rarely stand out from the crowd.
With Mailchimp, you can create templates that can be used again and again. So it’s a good idea to start with a strong ‘base’ design that can be tweaked depending on the content of your email.
If you’re not the creative type, you can still make eye-catching messages by utilising their ready-made templates that can be customised to include your logo and other branding.
Avoid the junk box
If you are consistently sending out email campaigns it is inevitable that at some point your well-crafted emails will be flagged as spam and relegated to the junk box. Mailchimp goes some way to helping you avoid the sin bin, for example, their standard signup forms for mailing lists use the double opt in message to double check permission from recipient.
One of the keys to staying relevant is to use your mailing list regularly and stay consistent in what you are saying. Not only will that keep you out of the junk folder, but it will also make your nonprofit emails more recognisable. Over time, those who receive your email will tune into your messages if the content has resonated with them before. So make sure you stay relevant.
Automate your messages
There are a plethora of ways you can automate your emails with Mailchimp for maximum effect. And the more you are reaching out to your list with compelling and engaging content, the more likely they are to respond.
This can include a ‘Thank You’ email after someone makes a donation, or signs up to the mailing list, or even little messages on birthdays or important days for your non-profit. You can also share your latest posts with an RSS-to-email option that means your subscribers will always be in the loop.
While Mailchimp cannot go as far as to create the content for your emails, what it can do is support you in engaging with your list. From pre-designed templates to automation, all the way through to A/B testing to find out what works and what doesn’t, there’s a whole world of ways it can help your non-profit stand out in a world of noise.
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