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You might wonder how relevant personal emails are in today’s social media world. With the upsurge of networking sites, you would sooner see a message like “@JWow, the bachelorette party was great!” via Twitter than you’d receive an email about it. And while some of us grow nostalgic for the days when you might get a surprise postcard from a friend or a long, juicy story in your Inbox, old and new generations of fundraisers alike are beginning to understand the effectiveness of email when it comes to hitting fundraising goals.
 
Personal emails are a very effective solution for fundraising. For example, imagine skimming through your personal Inbox with groggy morning eyes: every single email you see is an automated response, from a shipping confirmations. Then you see it: an email that begins with “Dear…” a smartly, purposefully written letter which stands out from the crowd. And the element of novelty — when coupled with creativity, efficiency, and enthusiasm — can work wonders for engaging an audience with your cause.
 

 

Here are some tips to best take advantage of emails for fundraising. First, make sure to keep your fundraising email personalized to capture your audience; doing so will prevent people from discarding your message as a generic public service announcement. Instead of sending one message to all of your contacts, have a few versions whose first lines are modified to address specific groups of people in your life, and send your emails to one group at a time. One version that addresses close friends may begin, “Dear friends, I hope you are all doing well. Amy and I want to thank you for coming out to our event last month” before continuing to describe your cause. Another may be addressed to your work friends, and another to family only.

 

Of course, your message doesn’t have to be about money. Emails are equally as effective for spreading awareness. At the same time as your infectious enthusiasm takes hold of your readers, make sure to recruit them to help you spread awareness as well! Harness the power of Facebook and Twitter by setting “Awareness Goals” each week email supporters with a simple goal here is an exmple: the first week, your goal might be to collect 100 Twitter posts about your cause. Week 2 might ask for 200 Facebook “Likes” for your fundraising event. Week 3 might encourage readers to post 50 comments on your blog, and week 4 might ask them to create their own fundraising Facebook events. From here supporters will be engaged with your cause and donations will happen naturally.

Email is an extremely useful method for fundraising and spreading awareness for your cause.  Take advantage of consistently sending emails weekly or bi weekly with helpful updates and simple tasks relevant to your cause (this will infect others)! For all of you who are 100% behind your cause email is proven to be very effective with a well implemented strategy. Give it a shot with the examples provided above!

 

Looking for additional tips? Here are more email strategy tips: