Raising money online can be an incredible deal breaker for your fundraising campaign. Most charities use their websites, emails, or some social networking properties to both ‘reach out to’ and ‘stay in touch’ with their donors. But one of the biggest overarching problems with these campaigns is that they are not raising any significant revenue that they would like to with these online platforms. To go even further, many organizations feel that they are investing a large amount of time, money, and effort for only a small financial return.
To prevent this from happening, I have listed FIVE huge tips to help aid your online fundraising efforts through email. While it many not be easy, it will give you the opportunity to optimize your chances in developing that impact that you would like to have as if you were talking to them face to face.
1. Create an Impactful Story
In your email, the first thing you need to address is your story. Whether it is through a short five-minute video, a small slideshow presentation, or a quick and detailed paragraph, your story will be the cornerstone and foundation for launching an efficient and effective fundraiser email. In your story, you want to make sure you are highlighting the problems and your potential solution. Remember, the most impactful stories are those that pull at the heartstrings of their readers/viewers. Try sympathizing your story enough to get them to listen. Once you have them listening, you will be that much closer in reaching your fundraising goal.
2. Talk About Them
Once you have discussed the overarching story, start making the email about them. Use the second-person narrative of ‘you’ such as ‘you can’ or ‘you will make,’ as the sayings of your email. This will allow them to understand how much of an impact they can have with just a simple donation. For this to be effective, continue to pull on the heartstrings about how transformative of a change they can have by donating to your cause.
3. Talk about the Logistics
When it comes down to it, many people appreciate a quick and easy service. This should be duly noted in your email. Here, be sure to iron out the overall logistics. Whether it is the amount you are looking for or how they can donate, all of this information should be noted for people to follow. If there is at any point in the email where you think people can get lost in the detail, continue to simplify it. Remember, you do not want to make it hard on them. Do whatever it takes to make it a pleasant experience as possible.
4. Discuss What the Money will be used for
When it comes down to it, you want to note what a donor’s donation will be used for. Whether it is for production or for research, make sure you note that! Many people want to know that their money is going to something impactful and life changing. By discussing what each donation will do, you will be able to reassure them that their decision to donate is the right one.
5. Ask Throughout the Email
As a marketing aspect, you want to make sure you the concept of ‘donating’ is in their minds. To do this effectively, make sure you ask three times in your fundraising email. Do not do this by just repeating the same phrase over and over again. Instead, give them options such as visiting your site to donate or learn more about donating. In addition, spread it out throughout the email where the person can see ‘donate’ at least once in the beginning of the email, middle of the email, and end of the email.