Sending an email that gets noticed takes more effort than it did for Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan, who starred in the 90s release of You’ve Got Mail. Likewise, creating an effective fundraising email takes more effort as well.

Back then, you were lucky to get a few emails in your inbox. The challenge today is how to stand out and break through the hundreds of messages people receive each day.

The Arena fundraising team is built on 30+ years of traditional fundraising experience. We’re fundraisers first and we know how to raise dollars from all mediums. This means we knew we had to go back to our roots and change the email game after the 2020 election cycle.

We build effective fundraising emails with purpose and intent—not by using canned messages that aren’t personal or engaging.

Here are 7 tips for writing effective fundraising emails:

1. Purpose: Maybe it seems like a no-brainer, but before we start an email, we stop and think…“What is the intention of this email and what will inspire someone to donate to this candidate or cause?”
2. Subject Lines: This is where it can get tricky. It’s your first line of attack for engagement. Does it have to relate to the email? Not always. What subject line would make you open an email?
3. The Design: Good-looking emails matter…but not every email needs a fancy graphic. Header and footer graphics help establish your brand, but maybe having no graphics helps with engagement. Next, think about how your copy is presented. Long, blocky paragraphs are a big turn-off. Short and direct sentences are more pleasing to the eye and easier to read. What design is best for engagement?
4. Call to Action (CTA): The most important part of any fundraising email is a strong, simple, and effective CTA. What are they contributing towards and how much are you asking for?
5. Brevity: You have seven seconds to grab the attention of the reader before they hit “delete,” so make sure you have a hook sentence to pique their interest. Can you make your case in 300 words or less?
6. Proofing: Your words, design, and message need to be polished and professional. We’re asking people to give their hard-earned money to a candidate they believe in. With 100 ways to make an error, do you trust your final product is error-free?
7. Deliverability: Your domain reputation, your IP address health, and your content will determine your place in subscriber inboxes. Anyone can send a fundraising email, but can you ensure it stays out of junk mail?

Arena has the answer to all of these questions because we have the experience needed to craft the perfect digital fundraising plan. We never stop asking, “What’s the goal of the email fundraising program, and how do we accomplish it for you?”

Contact us now, if you would like to learn more about Arena’s expert digital fundraising service.