I’m a firm believer that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. But what about collecting email address in order to send out an email newsletter? Some people wonder if this is really valuable or worth the time. So let me ask this:
Are you passionate about your organization or business?
That’s what you have to ask yourself. If you have passion or a love for what you do, then you should have a wealth of information to share. An e-newsletter is a very valuable way to do that. Coming from a non-profit perspective, for sure, the answer is YES and here’s why:
Education
When people go to your website, they are interested in learning more about your organization. As a non-profit, the core way you connect to people is by educating them on what you do. It generally starts with folks visiting your website and getting a feel for the organization. So a strong, well-designed site is what is going to introduce them to you, it’s going to entice them to learn more. Once they’ve been hooked and connected emotionally, giving them an opportunity to stay informed about what you do and where you’re going is the next step. Setting up an e-newsletter about what’s going on with your organization is an easy and painless step.
Fundraising
As an organization or even a business owner, raising money is an on-going and long term goal for everyone. Having an e-newsletter will give you a way to reach out to donors in a creative and non-threatening way. E-newsletters are an opt-in choice individuals make which means they want to learn, they want to know. Adding a clear call to action to “get involved” or “donate now” with the creative pieces of content in your email can be done in a way that’s not overbearing. Highlighting an upcoming fundraiser or event is another way you can do that as well.
Passion
In order to educate and attract donors, you’ve got to create emotional engagement and passion. In the beginning I asked if you were passionate about what you do. In the end, it begins there. You create it by crafting your message in a way that tugs at the heart strings. When you stir the passion within someone about your organization, they’re going to talk about you, they’re going to tell their friends, they’re going to contribute, they’re going to volunteer and so on. The possibilities are endless. So that emotional connection has to be made and when someone signs up, they’re there. It’s up to you to keep the fire and excitement going.
In the next blog post I’ll talk about how to strategize your messaging for your e-newsletter.
SBA WOSB