Building Your Email Listby Ashley HighYou have a created an exciting e-newsletter with success stories, interesting statistics, and a compelling call to action; however, that newsletter will not accomplish anything unless you have an audience. (If you need ideas on creating newsletter content, check out this article.) In a recent blog post, Network for Good lists 14 ways you can build your email list with the tools and marketing channels you already possess.
“On Your Website
- Put your sign-up form in your website template, so it appears on every single page.
- Offer special downloads, like how-to guides. Be clear that when they sign-up for the download, they will also get your e-newsletter.
- Sponsor a fun contest or drawing, and be clear that when they enter, they will also receive your e-newsletter.
- Let people segment themselves on the sign-up form by which topics they care about.
In Your Email Messages
- Offer great content! Nothing will build your list faster.
- Encourage supporters to update their email addresses themselves (if your system allows it).
- Ask readers to forward your e-newsletter to friends and be sure to include a link to your sign-up form in each edition so those friends can sign-up directly.
- Respect all opt-outs. It’s better to lose a subscriber than to have that person tag you as a spammer.
- Put a link to your sign-up form in your personal email signature as well.
Face to Face
- Audit all of your paper forms and make sure you are also asking for an email address anywhere you would ask for a phone number or mailing address.
- When people register for your events, tell them they will receive your e-newsletter, too.
- Include a newsletter sign-up form at your reception desk.
- Collect business cards when you make presentations.
- Get in the habit of regularly entering those hand-collected addresses into your system.”
Information taken from: Kivi Leroux Miller. “14 Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List.” 24 June 2009. Network for Good. 25 June 2009 <www.fundraising123.org>.
Back
|
