Episode #315
Have you written your year end appeal emails?
If not, then here’s a proven formula for you to copy.
Watch the video below as Steven Screen from Work Less Raise More walks you through the three emails you should be sending at year end. He makes it very simple for you to write the emails. You’ll learn what they should say, and when to send them out.
NOTE: We recorded this video at the end of 2018. So the dates he mentions for sending them out in 2018 do not apply. Here are the dates Steven recommends for 2022.
- Email #1 – Send on Dec. 29th at 10am
- Email #2 – Send on Dec. 30th at 10am
- Email #3 – Send on Dec. 31st at 10am
Steven and I just released the Complete Year End Fundraising Package that will help you craft a powerful year-end campaign (including emails, a donor reporting letter and the ‘perfect thank you letter’) in less than one day. Check it out here: https://worklessraisemore.com/best-year-end-ever
Do you have any tips around using emails at year end to raise more money? If so, please share them in a comment box below the video. Thanks.
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Do you have any tips around using emails at year end to raise more money? If so, please share them. Thanks.
Love it! One question–do you have any advice for what to put into the Email Subject field and any preview text? (I use mailchimp and I am setting up my emails asap)
I went with “3 Days Left to …” “2 Days Left to…” and “Last Chance to …”
Sounds like good choice, Diane! 🙂
Thank you! DONE!
Same question as above – what should we put in the subject line? And should we include a picture. If so – at the end?
Hi Dorrie, see my answers in a comment at the bottom of the thread.
Dorrie: hopefully you can see Diane’s response above and Steven’s responses below on subject lines.
Pictures can be helpful in tracking open rates. But these seem more transactional so I’m not sure pictures are needed…
Marc is correct: I would not use a photo or photos. Reasoning: most organizations will use a photo of a happy person, and when readers are scanning their emails many of them will see a photo of a happy person and think they don’t need to send in a gift.
VERY helpful! Writing an email campaign which I haven’t done in years! Good refresher and simple explanation. I am also curious about the subject line.
Hi Mary, see my comment at the bottom of the page!
How do our emails stand out in all the clutter? My own inbox is already filling up with appeals!
Hi Amy, here are some quick tips for how to stand out in a crowded inbox (and marketplace):
~Send more emails than you think you need to
~Be dramatic (emotion is your friend)
~Highlight the deadline
~Get and use matching funds to double donors’ gifts, if you can
~In your emails, get to the point really fast. Make it obvious what you’re asking your reader to do without them having to scroll – even if they are reading on a phone.
Hope that helps!
Hi Everyone, great questions! My general advice about year-end subject lines is to highlight the deadline (like Diana does above with ‘Just 3 days left…”) and to improve that by either mentioning a) a match if you have one, b) the reason to give now, or c) what the donor’s gift does.
Doing this requires oversimplification of what your org does, but it works. For example(s), “Just 2 days left to help the kids” or “Final hours to erase the shortfall” or “Last chance to have your gift doubled!” I’ll also say that last year we had success with emojis in the subject line.
Good luck!
For the second and third emails, does it help toward the beginning to have a line such as: If you’ve already given a gift, thank you!
Is that needed?
Yes! For instance, say, “If you’ve already given a gift, thank you so much. If not, please {reasons to give today].”
Should you remove donors that have already given from the email list? We have one main list that we send to unless we decide to do otherwise. Is this one of those times? Don’t want to over solicit……..
If possible, remove the donors who have given in the last 30 days. If not, don’t worry about it!
Personally, I would say definitely remove the donors name if you are able too. If she/he gave to one of your earlier emails say in the first week in December then she/he receives another 4,5 or 6 emails It might suggest to the donor (more so if they lean more toward the right side of the brain, the more emotional side) did they even receive my donation? Why are they still sending me messages to give, again? Even if you write in the generic “if you have given already given thank you” line. I believe donors want to at least feel that personal connection/touch with your organization vs. just being another number on the production line.
This is just my 2c’s, there’s no right or wrong here.
In the end, if it really doesn’t affect response rates, don’t bother taking the time to exclude donors who’ve given in a previous email. For me, it takes a complete new export from our CRM to import into the email platform. So I’m not going to worry about it.