How to Write Standout Giving Tuesday & Year-End Fundraising Appeals

featuring Vanessa Lockshin

Transcript

1. Impact to Inbox: Email Strategies for Giving Tuesday & Beyond Vanessa Chase Lockshin
2. Ready to learn? ► ► ► ► ► Get more emails opened by crafting the right subject lines, sender names & send times Boost donations with email designs and CTAs that drive clicks and conversions Writing story driven emails Maximize Giving Tuesday results by building a multi-email campaign Strengthening donor relations beyond Giving Tuesday
3. Sender Names & Subject Lines
4. The Sender Name is Prime Real Estate • People open emails from people • 45.90% of emails are opened because of the sender’s name • Have 3 to 4 sender names that you rotate through
5. What kind of subject lines make you want to open an email?
6. Subject Lines • • • • Avoid the words “Giving Tuesday” Write like a person. People open emails from people. Be just vague enough to be interesting Allude to a problem or impact
7. Some subject lines I love • • • • • Parents can’t keep up with these costs The difference you can make right now New moms shouldn’t have to go through this Vanessa, you can help us cross the finish line 1 wonderful thing you can do today
8. Writing Story Driven Emails for Clicks & Conversions
9. Strategic Formatting Inside Your Email • Short paragraphs. No walls of text! • Use bolding to keep the eye moving • One, clear CTA • Hyperlink entire sentences, not just a few words
11. Structure of an Effective Fundraising Email 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Hook Explainer Ask Second Explainer or Story Ask
14. Elements Of A Great Hook • • • • The first sentences of your email where you introduce the stakes/a problem to get people reading. Tends to emphasize some combination of need, relevance and urgency Puts the reader into the “action” quickly Gives the reader the most compelling information to keep them wanting to learn about what’s going on
15. Elements Of A Great Explainer • • • Establish the compelling reason for giving while building your case for donating Explaining why this moment is significant and how your supporter’s contribution can make a difference Give people the right information they need to buy into what you’re telling them
16. Elements of a Great Ask • • • Specific and direct Tangible or concrete Reminds donor of their impact
17. Creating Multi-Email Campaigns
18. Fundraising happens in the follow up
19. Planning Your Emails • • • In sending multiple emails, you have the opportunity to build a narrative arc Be clear on the key message that is a throughline throughout the campaign Each email is an opportunity for a different angle on the key message
20. Planning Your Emails Example: Non-profit raising money for community mental health programs Key message: Current wait times for publicly-funded mental health support are 6+ months. That is simply too long for someone to have to wait to get help. But by expanding what mental health support can look like, XYZ can increase access to mental healthcare. This support includes peer support groups, education support, employment coaching, and housing coaching. Email 1 Introduce the problem of wait times for publicly-funding mental health support Share story of someone who waited a long time
21. Planning Your Emails Example: Non-profit raising money for community mental health programs Key message: Current wait times for publicly-funded mental health support are 6+ months. That is simply too long for someone to have to wait to get help. But by expanding what mental health support can look like, XYZ can increase access to mental healthcare. This support includes peer support groups, education support, employment coaching, and housing coaching. Email 2 Different types of mental health care and support, and the roles they play in recovery Story of someone from a peer support group Email 3 By increasing access to mental healthcare is the best way to have more positive outcomes for mental health Story of someone who recovered from a mental health relapse
22. Retaining Your Digital Donors
23. The First 48 Hours • Immediate → receipt + heartfelt thank you • Within 24–48 hrs → a warm, personal touch • Set expectations → “Here’s what you’ll hear from us.”
24. Sample Post-Donation Journey • • • • Thank you email → immediate Welcome series → 2–3 emails, 1–2 weeks Impact update → within 30–60 days Next ask → after stewardship touchpoints
27. Questions? vanessa@thestorytellingnonprofit.com TheStorytellingNonprofit.com/toolkit