4 Tips for Writing Amazing Emails Your Supporters Actually Want to Read

When you want to engage with your supporters and donors online, odds are you’ll send them an email.

But so will everyone else. At any given moment, your emails are competing with the emails of other organizations, businesses, news outlets, your supporters’ loved ones, and so much more. The digital team at Public Outreach is here to help you cut through that noise and stand out in your supporters’ inbox.

Here are our top four tips for writing amazing emails your supporters actually want to read:

Your supporters don’t want to wade through another big, boring charity email that makes them feel like they’re just one name out of thousands on your supporter list. They want to read emails that are authentic and make them feel like they’re gaining insider information straight from the source: a member of your team. Put aside the official brand voice and send your emails from real people who are passionate about your work — we promise your supporters will thank you for it.

There’s no “I” in “team,” but there should be an “I” in your emails. One of the best ways to make sure your email communications feel authentic is to incorporate as much personalization as possible — and make the supporter feel like their individual action can (and will!) make the difference. That means using personal pronouns and including additional details that help the supporter connect with the sender on a personal level.

Not all of your supporters are in the same place in their journey with your organization, so make sure you’re segmenting your data and writing to different audiences. For example, the emails you write to your new supporters should be very different from the emails to your most loyal, diehard donors. Meet your people where they’re at — and acknowledge your supporters’ previous actions, interests and commitments.

When you have too many calls to action in an email (read: when you send an e-newsletter), you make it less likely that a supporter will take any action — let alone a higher barrier action, like donating. No one wants to feel overwhelmed or confused when reading an email, so make it as easy (and as clear!) as possible for your supporters by including a single type of action per email. And when you do make that all-important ask, don’t forget to answer the question: ‘Why right now?’