Jewish Nonprofits Newsletter
When people say "no"
No one likes feeling bad. No one likes remembering hard situations. No one likes being in places – or near people – that make them feel less than. That’s why it can be hard to ask someone for a donation. Because when you ask, there’s a chance they’ll say no. And if they say no, it can get…awkward. (Particularly if this is someone you have a personal connection to.) When you make a big ask and someone can’t say yes, the immediate reaction is…they don’t feel good about saying no. And when...
They only see [FIRST NAME GOES HERE] once a year
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], There’s a donor update email sitting in your drafts. The copy isn’t quite right, but when you’ve had a chance to tweak it, you’ll send it out – next week. And then somehow, next week becomes next month…and next month becomes never. A good-enough email that you send will always outperform a perfect email that you don’t. Let’s say you send 50 emails a year. If your open rate is 20%, it means the average donor sees you about 10 times a year. That’s enough to keep...
[Event emails 4/4] The 30-second rule
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], When people say, “No one reads emails anymore,” they’re right. People don’t read. They scan. You open and, in seconds, decide whether this is worth your time. That’s why event emails have to make it clear – immediately – what the event is, and what to do next. This 30-second rule applies to every event email you send, because every email is speaking to two readers at once. The first reader is ready to act. They just need the link. The second reader needs more...
[Event emails 3/4] Are you emailing the right people?
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], Do you need to email everyone about this? That’s the question we tackle in the Events Emails Playbook, which you need to ask anytime you’re about to press send. Ever received three invitations to something you already signed up for? If that happens, it’s because you’re on an unsegmented email list, which is one of the fastest ways to lose email subscribers – harassing them about things with no relevance. Segmenting ensures the right email reaches the right...
[Event emails 2/4] One email does half the work
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], Today, let’s talk about something else mentioned in the Events Emails Playbook. One of the best ways to keep your people in the loop about upcoming events: the monthly look-ahead email. Once a month, on the same day every month, send a short email listing everything coming up in the next few weeks. It’s not a pitch or an ask, but a helpful heads-up. See the full sample template in your Playbook. To make your monthly look-ahead work: Contact everyone: send this...
[Event emails 1/4] How many emails do you need?
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], Last email, we sent the Event Emails Playbook — a practical framework for planning, writing, and sending emails about upcoming programs and services. Today, we’re tackling this: How many emails should I send for each event? Our basic rule: The bigger and more unexpected the event, the more you need to email. For example, your once-a-year gala needs more awareness (and advance notice!) than a weekly class. Basic guidelines: Recurring event (weekly class, monthly...
[Intro] Free events email Playbook
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], I was reviewing the results of an email audit with a client, and he posed a challenge many of you might relate to: His organization was sending a lot of updates about new programs, holidays, guest speakers, classes, courses, and campaigns. And the process always looked like this: Start from scratch: Rewriting copy, sweating over each line. Second-guess each move: Should this email go to everyone, or just the regulars? How many emails does this campaign need? Am...
How’s your hero?
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], In website copywriting, there’s something we call the “hero test.” The “hero” is the first part of your website that visitors see when they visit, everything that’s immediately on the screen, before they scroll for even a moment. This is what will help them decide if they should scroll, click, stay or leave. (That’s why it’s called the hero. This tiny section does a lot of work.) Is your hero strong? There’s a simple rule of thumb. Within seconds of getting on...
You can predict your donors
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], There’s a number in your donor database that predicts the future. Want to know which donor is most likely to give again? Don’t look at gift size or how many times someone donated. Check how recently they gave. Statistically, a donor who gave $25 last month is more likely to give again than the donor who gave even more (like $500!)...but two years ago. Recency is the strongest predictor of future giving behavior. How should this affect what you do? Most...
Is there a hole in your bucket?
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], Your donation page is where donors go…to leave. It’s the leaky bucket problem. Pouring all the marketing in the world into the top won’t help if you lose most of your potential donors at the bottom. So what’s poking holes in your donation page? Too many form fields: First name, last name, address, phone, employer, how did you hear about us…by the time they’re done, donors forget why they wanted to give No emotional copy above the form: Just a logo and a box...
Case of the disappearing donor
Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE], Every donor who gives to your organization embarks on a journey. The question is…where will it end? Most nonprofits know how to get a donation. They have step one: the ask. Some even have step two: the thank-you. But then the donor path peters out. They chose you, handed over their credit card…and fell into a void (until eleven months later when the next campaign begins). What’s a donor journey supposed to be? A sequence of touchpoints from the moment they give...