Last week we covered our the fundamentals of fundraising and the best emails to send to get your donors to take action. This week we’ll examine the right emails to send to maintain and engage your donor base.

In this four-part guide you’ll find do’s and don’ts for every step of the email marketing process:

• Three tips for successful emails. (Part 1)
• Three emails you should send to new donors before asking for money. (Part 2)
• Three emails you should send to ask for donations. (Part 3)
• Three emails you should send to maintain your donor list. (Part 4)

Do: Make existing donors feel like part of a team.
Don’t: Bombard them with unnecessary information.

To keep donors engaged with your nonprofit, send emails that will maintain your relationship. Here are some ways you can keep in touch without going overboard:

1. Newsletter

There’s no better way to let your donors know what’s going on than with a newsletter. This gives you a chance to catch them up and make them feel like they’re part of something special.

Newsletters can include all types of content, including a letter from the director, information about upcoming projects, updates on initiatives, volunteer profiles, a success story, industry-specific news, and event recaps.

2. Useful news emails

From time to time, send emails that contain interesting news related to your nonprofit. For example, an animal shelter could send an email warning about keeping pets inside during dangerously cold temperatures. And don’t forget to capture the reader’s attention with the subject line. These types of emails keep your nonprofit top of mind.

3. Donor preference email

Several times a year, ask your donors what they want. Let them know their input matters. One of the easiest ways to do this is by sending an email survey. You can easily create one with VerticalResponse and include a link in your email.

Ask donors about their preferences, such as what types of campaigns they prefer or if they have suggestions for making improvements to your organization. What were their thoughts on the last fundraising events? Your donors can provide valuable feedback that will help make your organization better in the long run while improving donor loyalty.

Just remember to keep the survey short and ask specific questions that provide useful information.

Use this guide to engage and connect with your subscribers and you’ll be growing your donor base in no time. Try out these tips to see where they take you and check out the VerticalResponse free program for nonprofits.

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