E-newsletters: The Perfect Nonprofit Communication Tool?
by Donna Barker, Adisen Communications
July 22, 2002
According to a recent study, 80% of nonprofits have a website now. But, only 20% produce an e-newsletter to proactively communicate with their donors, volunteers, members and other constituents. Here are ten reasons why you should consider developing an e-newsletter for your organization.
1. To build relationships
Building relationships is the number one reason to develop an e-newsletter program. No matter how many other goals you set for your e-newsletter, the main reason you should be sending regular emails to people who want to hear from you is to build a stronger relationship with every person in this group: your donors, allies, members, volunteers, past supporters and prospects.
The news you send them each month, or every two weeks, will let them get to know your organization little better. As you engage your readers in your work you'll be building trust with them as they get to know what you're up to on an issue that they care about.
2. To build loyalty
Your e-newsletter will also help you build loyalty to your organization. This can be a critical element of a successful communication campaign. If you work on any issue that has "two sides," the progressive and the conservative camps for example, when your issue is in the news and "your side" is taking a beating, having a loyal membership that is willing to hear opinions from you is very powerful.
3. To establish your organization's reputation
The people who speak out most often on an issue quickly become the recognized experts in their area. Name recognition provides credibility. Credibility leads to expert-on-the-subject status. Expert-on-the-subject status means higher profile and even more credibility. (I could go on and on in this circular fashion.) Needless to say, it makes sense to strive to become a recognized expert in your field of interest.
4. To market your website
When used effectively, a website can be a critical relationship-building and education tool. But, with millions of websites for people to sift through, unless you are actively promoting your own, people simply won't visit it. And that is a shame.
First, you need to give them a reason to visit, by having dynamic and reader-focused material available to visitors. Then, you need to get them there. Your e-newsletter is probably the most perfect vehicle to drive traffic to your website. Within your email you can include your organization's URL and in one click your reader is sitting exactly where you want them within your website, eager for more information. What could be more easier?
5. To keep you top-of-mind
A regular letter to former clients and donors, to members, volunteers and friends will keep your organization top-of-mind when those constituents have time or money to spare.
Imagine it's December 28th and you know that thousands of people are looking for places to make their last minute charitable donations. If you are top-of-mind, the money will go to you.
Imagine it's August 15th and your supporters are on holiday but staying in town. You would like them to spend a couple of days volunteering their expertise to your organization.
How do you stay top-of-mind? Simply, you put your organization in front of your members and supporters on a regular basis. You make a suggestion to them that they could donate or volunteer at a certain time. Based on the strong relationship you've developed with them through your e-newsletter program, they will be happy to help out.
6. Because it's strategic
Proactive communications are strategic communications and strategic communications are successful communications. It comes back to the building relationships point. If you know that a public policy change that will impact the area you work in is being discussed at some level of government, you can ask your subscribers to get engaged at the beginning of the discussion. It makes a lot more sense to lobby for something before the policy has been decided, rather than protest it after the fact.
7. To save money
E-newsletters are significantly less expensive, and a great deal easier to produce and distribute, than print newsletters.
With shrinking budgets, if you could reduce the number of paper copies of a newsletter you need to print and mail, and still stay in touch with your audience, it would be foolish not to try!
8. To raise money
You can legitimately draw resources from your development or fundraising budgets to cover the expenses associated with producing an e-newsletter. I'll say it again: your e-newsletter program is all about building relationships. Likewise, any strong donor program is based on the same foundation. If you create an on-line appeal that is meaningful to your subscribers, they'll come through for you.
9. To make things happen...fast!
E-newsletters provide you with an instantaneous way to communicate with your donors, members, supporters, allies, friends, and so on.
When you have an urgent call-to-action, your e-newsletter gets the information to your members more quickly and more efficiently than ground mail or a phone tree.
10. To open a two-way dialogue
Picture the donor who receives two pieces of communication from your organization
each year. Both are letters that ask them to either make a donation or increase
the amount of their last gift. The request may be accompanied by a newsletter,
or even be embedded in the newsletter itself. You tell them about all the
great work you've been doing with their money over the past six months. The
only option they are given to communicate with your organization is by way
of their signature on a cheque or credit card permission slip. That's not
a dialogue.
Now, imagine that this same person were to receive an email once a month,
updating them on the work you have been doing. In that email you ask them
to send you a note if they have a question or if they would like more information
about a certain project. Sending a note is easy for them: they just hit 'reply'.
They're already at their computer, ready to write. Your note is in front of
them. It has a person's name attached to it. They are being invited into a
dialogue with you. This makes them feel good.
Even though most will never take you up on your offer to contact you, they know that you are there if they need you. And, that you're not asking them for something. You're offering them a chance to become a more active part of your organization's family.
This article has been adapted from a longer version available at www.betternewsletters.com.
Like the old-time circus barker who stood on his soap box, drawing people into the tent to see the show, Donna Barker Communications has been helping not-for-profit organizations draw people to support their causes since 1992. You can reach Donna at donna@donnabarker.com.
