The Fundraising emails I delete immediately

People get so many emails. Chances are, you’re reading this with an overflowing inbox. When your inbox is jam-packed, you make quick decisions. Keep. Scan. Read later (maybe). Delete. 

What you don’t want is for your fundraising email to be deleted before someone even considers your ask.

Here are the fundraising emails I’m deleting immediately. 

Generic Emails

If the email starts with “Dear friend,” and the rest of the message could have been sent to anyone on your list, it’s probably headed to the trash. If you want recipients to read your emails, personalization and tailored messaging is not optional. 

This doesn't mean JUST inserting someone's first name into the subject line or opening sentence. Segment, as appropriate, by donor history, interests, past engagement, event attendance, and/or volunteer status. 

A longtime donor shouldn't receive the same message as someone who signed up for your newsletter last month.

Caveat: Many email applications will insert ‘friend’ into the greeting if there is no first name to pull. Data hygiene is a thing.

When Every Email Is Asking For A Donation

If every communication is an ask, your audience will start tuning out. 

• Share a success story.

• Demonstrate what their previous support made possible.

• Invite them to an event.

• Give them a reason to stay connected.

Then, when you make the ask, they understand why giving matters.

This doesn’t mean you’re limited to one ask during a campaign. If you’ve engaged your audience year-round with a variety of content, they are connected to your mission and are primed to give. 

Emails That Don’t Demonstrate The Impact 

“Donate today to help support our mission” isn’t a compelling call to give. Don’t assume they can recite your mission from memory. What will this gift do? What has donor support already made possible?

Show your audience what happens when people give. Instead of saying, “Your support helps students succeed,” share the story of a student, for example, who was able to participate in a program because of donor support.

The Email That Makes The Reader Work Too Hard

If there are five paragraphs of text and the reader still doesn’t understand your intent (if they’ve even read that far), the donation button is buried at the bottom, or there are three different calls to action…you’ve lost your audience. 

Make the next step obvious.

The “URGENT!!!” Email That Isn’t Actually Urgent

Don’t be the nonprofit who cried wolf. 

If every email is “URGENT,” “LAST CHANCE,” “FINAL HOURS,” or “WE NEED YOU NOW,” eventually none of them feel urgent. Creating artificial urgency can make your audience skeptical and lose trust in your organization. 

Save the urgency for a real deadline like matching gifts that expire at midnight, or the final day of a campaign (e.g. December 31). 

How This Can Help You Now:

While you’re working on your EOY campaigns, ask yourself: 

• Does this feel like it was written for my audience?

• Have I communicated beyond solicitation? 

• Have I shown why their support matters?

• Is the next step obvious?

• Is the ask clearly connected to an outcome? 

• Does my EOY strategy include opportunities to stay connected beyond the ask?

Don't just ask for money. Build the relationship that makes people want to give. Your goal isn't to simply stay out of the trash. It's to give people a reason to engage with your organization and ultimately take the next step.