Most associations and nonprofits engage in email marketing in one form or another. Whether it be with a newsletter, survey, event invitation or fundraising request, the ability to communicate with members and prospective donors via mass email is essential for today’s associations. Below are 5 facts about email marketing that may surprise you.
1. 72% of adults with access to the internet in the U.S. send or receive personal emails via their smartphones at least once a week. (Forrester)
While we’ve previously covered the importance of responsive websites, responsive emails are equally as important. With the majority of adults accessing at least some of their email via smartphone, utilizing email templates that rearrange and resize to display attractively across all devices will make your email much more effective.
2. Email is nearly 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter. (McKinsey & Company)
Social media is certainly playing an increasingly important role in donor and member acquisition. However, it’s not nearly as effective an acquisition path as you might think (at least not yet). It’s worth noting that “email” still lags significantly behind “organic search".
3. Targeted emails based on previous shopping behaviors and preferences can be an effective tool. 81% of U.S. digital shoppers said they were at least somewhat likely to make additional purchases as a result of targeted emails. (Survey by Harris Interactive)
The key word here is targeted. By using information about individuals to send them personalized messaging, associations can transform their emails from a nuisance to a valued resource. Members and prospective donors will be more likely to open and interact with emails if they expect the content to be relevant to them.
4. 88% of people prefer to receive HTML emails rather than “plain text” emails from Companies. (HubSpot)
Most people are inherently visual. Using HTML emails allows associations to fill their emails with attractive, attention grabbing images. Be careful though – using too many images or forgetting to add an “alt” attribute to each one can land your email in the spam folder.
5. Email list sizes grew 14% in 2013 amongst nonprofits, but the rate of list growth is steadily declining. (M+R Benchmarks)
This makes sense. Now that most associations have been building their email lists for multiple years, the rate of list growth will almost certainly slow. Associations and nonprofits should aim for quality as well as quantity in their email lists, and take the time to remove email addresses that are no longer active.
Conclusion
Most associations can benefit from having an email marketing strategy. However, like all good strategies, you’ll need the proper tools to execute it. Euclid’s association management software, ClearVantage, provides all the functionality you need to easily send and track mass emails, create responsive HTML email messages, and target specific groups with personalized content.
Do you have experience using email to recruit new members or request donations? Share your own facts and tips in the comments below!
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