Like It or Not, Your Newsletter Is Multi-media
An interesting article in Fortune asks:
“So should a magazine like Time, Rolling Stone or Fortune still think of itself as in the magazine business if a growing portion of its readers are seeing the content it produces online? Or should it produce content of all types under its brand there? This kind of existential question burdens – or should burden – anyone who creates or distributes branded information or entertainment.”
Are you just plopping your org's print newsletter on your website or e-mailing “as is” as a PDF file? HELLLOOO! We're in the 21st Century now. Your supporters, certainly most age 60 and under, are quickly getting used to — indeed expecting, given their experience with other websites — a more robust online experience.
No doubt many of your newsletter articles — presented online — could be vastly enriched by links to additional supporting material, including video, more images or audio. For example, why not reinforce that column from your CEO with an audio interview where he/she expands a bit on the topic. Use the power of the medium to bring your leader to life for your members/donors/activists.
If anybody out there in Nonprofitland is trying this, we'd love to hear about it.
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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