For a non-profit, email marketing is the most effective way to build relationships and get attention from people who are most interested. Subscribers sign up for your email marketing because they want to support your cause, they want updates and they want to help. So don’t be afraid to ask for help and donations. Here are a few simple ideas on what to send:

Welcome Email:

First thing to get the attention of donors and subscribers is to thank them for signing up and let them know what they can expect. Setup a drip series of evergreen information about your cause and information they may not know about. A good series is “Did you know…?” campaign that tells readers of different causes you support and how they can help.

Ask for a donation:

Let them know of an initiative or new cause they may be interested, what you need and what your goal is. Don’t be afraid to ask for a donation. Make sure to include a call to action on how they can help and ways they can donate.

Donation Abandonment:

 With a tool like Lassoback, you can easily keep track of people who start a donation but don’t complete it. Then send them emails to remind them of your cause and that there’s still time to donate. Read about how donation abandonment helped Autism Speaks increase their donations by 15%!

Refer a friend:

Thank your donor for making a donation or supporting your cause, and ask them to share on social media or refer a friend. Ask them to get their friends and family involved and make it their cause as well.

Event Invitation/Registration:

Let your subscribers know about an event in their area and ask them to register. If they can’t make it, offer them an alternative way to support the event by providing a link to where they can donate.

Update to a cause:

Was there an important update to a cause that your reader supported? Updates are important as they let the reader know that you’re aware of their donation and support. This can also include additional request for support or donations. Is there a goal you want to reach? Previous donors would be more than willing to give a little more.