Non Profit and Personal Hosting

Email Tools That Benefit Nonprofits

Email Tools That Benefit Nonprofits

The greatest benefit for nonprofits when using email marketing tools is an increase in audience engagement with their organization.

Email is an efficient, cost-effective way to ask for donations, and with automation never forget to send a thank-you follow-up

 

Newsletters sent to target specific list subscribers will increase fundraising efforts and volunteer participation, both a benefit for nonprofits. Dundee Internet an avid supporter of nonprofit organizations, offers several built-in email marketing tools for nonprofits that use our mailing list services

Marketing Tools that make it easy for your nonprofit to:

Send messages that target a specific audience, based on list membership demographics, behavior and preferences.   We offer customizable member profile forms, to allow list members to see and edit certain information collected about them.

Using member profile forms a subscriber can manage their own opportunities.  Offer options that allow subscribers to receive email from you less often, the type of communication they prefer (Fundraising and events or just the director’s report) or just simply a place to update their email address

Use trigged mailings:

to automatically send targeted emails to one or to many list members.  The trigger to send specific email is based on a specific action performed by the subscriber such as visiting a website or making an online donation.

Other than an action, triggers can also be set up to respond to a date (Birthday for example) or the time of day.  Triggered emails can run once a day, an hour or several weeks later.

Dundee’s mailing list service includes a Triggered Mailing Wizard that quickly creates trigged mailing in one step.

Easily set up autoresponders:

to schedule emails for delivery based on triggered activities.  List owners also have the ability to extend the auto-responder command to process before or after their own program.   When the autoresponder is triggered, the program will run first (or last) and do any processing on the message before it’s sent. 

Take advantage of sequential mailings:

which are a series of triggered mailings sent out in a sequence at predetermined time intervals to each member who meets the criteria of a single triggered segment. Dundee includes a Sequential Mailing Wizard, that allows you to quickly create a sequentially triggered mailing in one step.   It is intuitive and easy to use. 

Offer a survey

Surveys are a great way to engage and interact with your readers   We offer two types of survey, multiple-choice and text entry.  Multiple choice questions can have as many choices as necessary.  The questions can be arranged vertically or horizontally.  Answers can be required or not.   Text answers can be customized also.

With the Segment Clause Wizard send targeted emails to those survey participants who respond to the survey questions in a particular way or to those who don’t respond at all.

Experience higher conversion rates:

sending plain text emails or use one of our many responsive designed templates.  When you create content in mailing list services your content can be both be created as text and HTML at the same time: or you can do one or the other.  

Our HTML editor allows you to import your own HTML code

Create unique one-to-one emails tailored:

to the exact needs and interests of your recipients without having to write or send more than one message.   Conditional content allows you to insert blocks of text or graphics into your message automatically

And you can send text messages too.

We also include unlimited A/B testing, customizable detailed reports and so much more.

Increase member confidence in your organization with a newsletter that explains your yearly goals,  upcoming events or the project of the month.   And when you bring someone to your website, always be mindful of your landing page

Need help with landing pages, contact our sister company dwli.net

Sign up for a free 60-day nonprofit account with Dundee and start sending today.

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Do you see what I see? Tips for Nonprofits to Increase Email Marketing Success.

Do you see what I see? Tips for Nonprofits to Increase Email Marketing Success.

Nonprofit organizations depend on supporters and volunteers to be successful.  Most of us have the desire to help in some way, but volunteering takes time; a more valuable commodity than money.  Since time is valuable to consider this –email marketing, is the best, quickest and most direct way to reach those potential supporters and volunteers without taking up too much of their time – but how do you connect to them?

Visual Aids!  Don’t just tell people what’s so great about your organization show them.

There a plethora of common visual aids available on the Internet, they can be added to your nonprofits’ mailings to emphasize your message and capture your reader’s attention.

Common Visual Aids for email include:

dog with kissesUsing Images

The adage “A picture’s worth a thousand words” still rings true in today’s high tech world.  Images not only catch the reader’s attention, they also humanize your organizations’ mission statement.

Keep in mind you can use your image in conjunction with a catchy Subject Line or a call to action to increase its impact.

Using Videos

What better way to introduce people to your nonprofit then showing them what it is you do? Videos are an excellent addition, they make your reader feel included in your organization before you even meet. Unlike images that can be interpreted in many ways, the use of video can inform the watcher of the current needs and goals specific to your latest project.

The types of videos you can add are endless, from current projects to a specific need.  Want to adopt out that adorable pup, showcase him in your latest email and add a video of his daily life.

Using GIFs

GIFs are relatively new to the scene, but they’re taking off rapidly:  what is it exactly? GIFs are animated images that repeat on a loop, every few seconds.  Be cautious using GIFs as they are subject to copyright laws.

Why not make your own organization-specific GIF. There are free tools you can use to make a GIF with the most common being GIPHY. Your only limitations are your own creativity.  Be funny, serious, or cheesy, whatever fits your nonprofits personality.

via GIPHY

Images (both static images and the more popular animated gif), as well as videos, capture your reader’s attention. No matter which media you intend to add to your mailings the goal is the same, to invoke an emotional response in the reader to either donate their money or better yet their time to your organization.  Demo our services today!

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Nonprofits, Decrease The Cost of New Recruitment and Grow Your Donor Base

Nonprofits, Decrease The Cost of New Recruitment and Grow Your Donor Base

Donor attrition is a fact of life, donor retention can be a challenge.

Just like any business, it is always costlier to obtain a new customer, or in this case a new donor, than it does to keep one.

The cost of obtaining a donation boxnew interest can really degrade your budget.

It is possible to decrease the cost of new recruitment and grow your donor base with supporter engagement driven by email marketing.

Nonprofits always have a base of loyal enthusiasts.  As you know not all supporters have made monetary donations to your cause.  These people need to be motivated to do so.  When a donor is totally engaged in your cause, this, as stats have shown, moves them to gift.  Engaged supporters who already donate are noted making greater cash contributions more often.  This motivation can be achieved by marketing to your donor base.

Using marketing strategies, such as an email marketing campaign, cost-effective and will boost those donations in no time.  Use what you know about your donors to create an engagement operation that will inspire donations.

  1. Analyze your existing database, categorize them into groups, for example, people who: never donated, donate once a year, donates several times a year.
  2. Consider creative ways to attract new recruitments. Google AdWords is an excellent way to advertise your nonprofit: include a landing page for those interests, to sign up to your mailing list.  Apply for the Google AdWords grant which will allow you to run your ads at a steep discount. https://www.google.com/grants/
  3. Review your donor base, keep it fresh. If you send to stale addresses you may be marked as a SPAMMER.
  4. With Profile Pages, you can build email campaigns that target your audience, using specific demographics. Are they female, male, older, younger, pet owners, homeowners…
  5. Make sure you include a CTA (call-to-action) in your email campaign. Don’t cover too much material at once, keep it simple and to the point.
  6. Incorporate parts of your blog post into your mailings. Offer just enough to whet their appetite so they will click on the link to read the rest of your blog.  Make sure you place a donate button on that page too.

There are always several email tools available to personalize your messages.  Use conditional content, triggered messages: and test before you send to get a sense of what produces the best opens. (Dundee offers all these and so much more!)

Donor retention is challenging, donor engagement does not need to be.  Listen to what your followers are saying.  They don’t understand how difficult and time consuming it is for the average nonprofit to raise money. They want results; show them results in what you say with email marketing along with available social networks.

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Easy Proven Strategies for BIG Fundraising Projects

Easy Proven Strategies for BIG Fundraising Projects

A Capital Campaign is a targeted fundraising effort designed to raise funds for a specific project. They’re often used to support building projects or construction jobs; the type of effort that requires multiple years and millions of dollars to complete.

Do you have a specific project that your non-profit organization would like to complete; when you’re adding an addition to your Church building or need a new roof on all the out-buildings, regardless of the scope of work, such projects require time and money: A Capital Campaign maybe the way to go.

Capital Campaigns have been on the rise these past several years, as more non-profits incorporate them into their fundraising strategies.   These Campaigns can
  1. Kick-start an organization’s new enterprise
  2. Expand the funding for existing projects
  3. Assist with the acquisition of land for expansion
  4. Help with large-scale equipment purchases and/or needed supplies

Capital Campaigns can be a very effective form of fundraising for massive projects if they are planned with capacity, vision and donor potential.  The goals should include a way to:

  • Increase the donor commitment to your organization
  • Create new donor relationships
  • Increase the overall sentiment for higher investment
  • Guaranty continued to support launch your Capital Campaign with email marketing program with Dundee Internet Services.

Share your vision with your current donors and encourage them to share it with a friend: easily done with Dundee’s Email Marketing refer a friend link.   Let email marketing play a part in the excitement of expanding or buying a new building for those after-school programs.  Use cost effect email marketing to keep your audience well informed of your project with weekly or monthly emails.

Chat with your core group of donor’s investors and prospects using Dundee Internets Discussion List Service. Clear up questions about costs, dates, and projections in a secure email environment: and you can archive your conversations into searchable messages for reference too!

domainWork your goal because Capital Campaigns involve hours of work and need the support and involvement from everyone in your organization. Send a timely email Newsletter hosted by Dundee Internet that keeps everyone up to date with the events of the CEO and Board and their efforts and engagement in this project. The support of the management team will energize a Capital Campaign for everyone. As the Capital Campaign advances, budget, staff, and committees will change, a Newsletter is an ideal vehicle to keep everyone in the loop.

Analyze your Donor Potential to ensure you have the donor base to raise the money you need to be successful. There are online tools to help you with this endeavor including Email.  Identify and solidify your goals, use email marketing to:

  1. Include those prospective donors that you know you need in every communication. With discussion lists, you can solicit their input and support their ideas
  2. Use prior knowledge of the giving trends of your donors. Use personalized timely, relevant content to contact them at the right time
  3. Setup an email board review list to engage your Board of Director and major donors, their commitments will inspire others to join

Email marketing with Dundee Internet can assist any campaign; with an informative email announcement, reach your base with timely information.  Email can set the expectations of the audience as you draw closer to your Goals.

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FUNraising Season: Create Perfect Emails That Get The Results You Need, Everytime.

FUNraising Season: Create Perfect Emails That Get The Results You Need, Everytime.

As part of FUNraising Season don’t forget to create emails that get the results you need.

We all want our customers and prospects to have a successful customer experience no matter what Season it is.    Since 1995 interest in Data Mining (knowledge discovery) has grown: most every industry and organization, from the government to the local mom and pop store,  collect information about their customers, prospects, citizens, and volunteers.  All of the information you collect is very valuable because it will paint a profile of the person, or type of person that shops at your store, eats at your restaurant or donates their time and money to your nonprofit organization.

In general, when everyone shops, eats and donates (to mention a few activities), their likes and dislikes, opinions and brand loyalty is being tracked. With this in mind, if you collect the right data you can create a personalized profile, based on the information you have about said subscriber.  In fact, people expect that their favorite charity, for example, to use the data the charity has about them to create and deliver a better-personalized email experience and a better FUNraising Season for you..

A better experience for your subscribers is one that uses personalization to promote loyalty and will guide your supporters on a more desirable journey. 

With the right personalization inserts, your email will evoke feelings of value and appreciation: an all-around positive feeling towards your nonprofit.

Don’t

  • Rely just on data points that use only the name, email address, location
  • Assume that just because its written, it’s correct. Test every email you intend to send; Nothing is less personal than receiving a “Dear First Name” or “Dear %lastname%” email when you’re trying to get personal

Do

  • Taylor your message to be relevant, include the last event they attended, the donation they had made: Use insights derived from well-designed research
  • Address the subscriber’s needs, desires, fears, preferences and other aspects of their personality in your message.
  • Verify your message is going to the right list at the right time
  • Send relevant content
  • Make sure all the content is timely, free of spelling and grammatical errors
  • Check that graphics and images render properly in all email clients including mobile
  • Confirm all links go to the right place

Put together an in-house procedure that includes multiple opportunities for you and your staff to:

  • Proofread and check your triggered email, such as the personalized auto-reply that sends a “Thank You”  email message when someone donates
  • Verify this is the correct list, Is the right list, correct segment (s)
  • Validate the criteria for your triggered email, does make sense?
  • Review your contacts. are they labeled accurately?

If you need help with personalization or have questions, drop an email to help@dundee.net.   We’re always here to help.

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Who Really Processes Everything They Read or Hear?

Who Really Processes Everything They Read or Hear?

As a society, we are “plugged in” to the world around with information: Who Really Processes Everything?

Information is everywhere.  There is so much information coming at us from all directions, all the time, it becomes difficult to process everything.  In fact, some of us just mentally stop processing everything we read or hear altogether.  It becomes too overwhelming to think about.  Too much information can desensitize us, cloud the critical issues, for ourselves, our family and our community.

As a non-profit, you need to get your information out there too.

But as you know most people, businesses, and organizations understand that their customers, clients, and volunteers are inundated with groups to join on Facebook, Twitter feeds to follow, banner ads to click on, Instagram posts to view, etc., AND if you’re running the media campaign on these Social Networks, what once was a simple few hours a week has probably turned into a full-time job.

Is it necessary to spend so much time on the Social Web? Is that the best way to keep up with your current goals and directives: Keep in touch with your donors, volunteers, and community members.   Not to forgo the Social Frenzy but it’s been noted that a much simpler and direct approach works better when it comes to communication with these groups, email –  a push technology that has been used for years:  it’s easy, trackable, cost-effective, and personal, with instant results. Unlike Social Media, where you have to wait for your audience to log on to a certain unsearchable web page, with email, you just create your content and send it out to your list members.

Dundee Internet offers list hosting on the Lyris ListManager platform.  When you create your email content, to raise money, ask for volunteers, share a story or just automatically say thank you for a purchase you can easily personalize all your email messages, speak directly to them, not to a group of followers.   For example, John is a member of your list, he has a Cocker Spaniel named Daisy. He recently purchased a daisy decorated dog a collar from your website to support a dog rescue adoption event. Personalized your email:

Dear John,

“We thank you for your recent purchase of our hand-painted dog collar. We hope Daisy enjoys it! “kita dog

And follow up, automatically a few days later, with an event reminder for Rescues with a personal invitation.

Connecting to people through email is an easy, simple and dependable way to make your non-profit stand out from the rest.  Adding personalization and using other email tools, such as triggered email you will solidify your subscriber base, adding and keeping loyal and beneficial members to your organization.

Email tools will allow you to compose and schedule advance notices, thank you messages, membership anniversary greetings, to email specific receipts, email timely renewal reminders.  All email messages can be sent on a specific date (i.e. Holiday) or as a result of a recipient’s action (i.e.  Purchase), You can decide the parameters and sending criteria for any type of message.

Don’t get lost in the Web of Social Media.  Along with your Social presence make sure you use email marketing to reach out and grab the attention of your supporters.  Show them they matter to your non-profit as an individual with personalization, just one tool you can use when running an effective email campaign with Dundee Internet Services.  For more information on what ListManager and Dundee Internet Services can do for you please visit our website at https://thelisthound.com/non-profits

 

It’s Fun-Raising Season!

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Non-Profit Has Positive Growth, Immediate Gratification and Saves Money Using Email Marketing.

Non-Profit Has Positive Growth, Immediate Gratification and Saves Money Using Email Marketing.

As you run your non-profit organization, there will be days when you need more volunteers – More money and yes, more resources!

AND if you’re not using email mailing lists for your non-profit fundraising you can be leaving money on the table.

Simply put, your donors expect you to engage with them and the easiest way to do so, not to mention the most cost-effective way, is online email marketing.

Email is easy to use, costs a fraction of Direct Mail and it’s interactive! Subscribers can forward your email with a refer-a-friend option, sign up to volunteer, fill out a poll, and numerous other activities including donating.  And best of all when you receive a donation your subscriber receives immediate gratification with a personalized instant email, thanking them for their contribution along with a receipt.  Follow up this relationship by reminding them how much you appreciate their concern, the way their donation helped and so on, with scheduled emails that are automatically released on a specific timetable.   When you maintain a good relationship with your list subscribers you will maintain the health of your list.

The success of your email campaigns depends on the health of your mailing lists.  Your list goals should include a steady current subscriber base and continual list growth because with email marketing and a solid positive list membership is the key to advocacy, general communication, and fundraising,

Here are some tips to move that list to positive growth.

two puppies

  1. Make it easy to sign up. Place that subscriber button on all your high traffic digital pages, like your Website.  Just ask for their email address and name, the rest of the information can be collected later.  Be clear with your mission statement to the people signing up to “Save the Puppies” will know they are going to receive information on puppies not feet.
  1. How do you feel about popup windows; those little boxes that jump up out of no-where when you’re on a website and ask for your email address? Do they get your attention?  They do because you decide to either close them out or fill them out.  Use one or two on your website, sparingly, of course, you may just attract more subscribers to your cause.
  2. Is your Organization on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, Twitter and all the others that aren’t mentioned here? These Social areas are designed to build up relationships. Within the walls of these Social pages, you can easily create call-to-action postings: add your website URL and request your followers to sign up to your mailing list.

  3. And then there’s the crowd of people that know nothing about your organization until someone creates a crowdfunding page. Besides a monetary benefit, you’ll realize an increase in web traffic which may lead to new advocates, new list subscribers and lots of donations.
  1. Collect email addresses at all your events. Tell them why you’re collecting email addresses, for example, to announce, “Save the Puppies” future events (or whatever you intend to share in your newsletters)
  1. You have talented writers on your board. They compose heartfelt stories about the homeless dog situation.  You also have some researchers who provide your readers with statistics, such as how much money it takes to shelter a dog compared to the cost of adoption. Your content is valuable, there may be veterinarians or animal hospitals who love to have this information for their newsletters, allow them to do so, and include a link to your website and email subscriber page.
  1. Don’t forget to invite people to visit your website in all your direct mail pieces, blogs, and business cards. In fact, you can sign up for our newsletter right here.

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True Confessions Of A Non-profit

True Confessions Of A Non-profit

Is email marketing a good investment for non-profits?  No need to answer, it’s a rhetorical question. The County Rescue Shelter has a fair amount of community supporters. People are always donating blankets and food, but sometimes the shelter only needs money to help pay for upkeep, vet bills and medicine.

The shelter operates on a tight budget, and has discovered with the right email strategy in place, they get the funding they need. Courtesy of their email list members.

shelter puppy

The shelter has confessed, email marketing has opened up the opportunity to nurture and build lasting relationships with their list subscribers. Email technology has allowed the shelter to send out information packed newsletters on a local level, and at times emergency emails, when a list member’s dog or cat is missing.  As a benefit, list members become donors, followers and volunteers.  With the right content and attitude the support is great and their list keeps growing.

 

What tips can they share?

  1. Look for ways to grow your list, offer content that list members want to share
  2. Send messages not pleas, ask them to “Take Action”, “Get Involved” or “Give a Gift”
  3. Personalize your messages, Dear Mary is much better than Dear Subscriber
  4. Remind your audience how they helped in the past
  5. Educate the reader, what’s new, expected changes, new goals
  6. Segment your list by interest, donor, volunteer or cheerleader
  7. Compel donors to get involved, appreciate what they do by always saying  “Thank you”
  8. Invite list members to participate in your events
  9. React to news in your field and share with your readers as an update
  10. User Trigger email to respond quickly to pointed emails
  11. Give them attention grabbing visuals:  emancipated dog to fat happy pup
  12. Recognize those who that go the extra step with a “Supporter of the Month/Year” article
  13. Set up a profile page, so your readers can tell you their email preferences, do they just want newsletters, local announcements or event news?
  14. Set up a discussion list with other shelters to share stories, assistance and ideas

And finally when you do sign up a new list member, send them a Welcome Letter, as its their first impression of your non-profit.   Be warm and friendly, tell them what they can expect from your emails and thank them for joining.

To start your own opportunity for your non-profit, visit Dundee Internet today.

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Tips to Improve Donor Retention, Keep The Conversation Going

Tips to Improve Donor Retention, Keep The Conversation Going

With the right list hosting service, like Dundee Internet Email List Hosting Services, you can send timely, personalized emails to thank your donors properly. Immediately after they make a contribution or volunteer their time.

Targeted email, triggered by your donors’ actions will create a more donation boxpersonal relationship with them.

When you establish a personalized connection, you are making an effort to understand why the donor supports your charity. Your response to them, with your  well thought out content, will enforce their expectations of your charity.

With your mailing list you can also:

  1. Invite your donors to upcoming events and tell them other ways they can contribute, such as volunteer opportunities.
  2. Setup list access for all your internal departments, to improve communications and planning.
  3. Track your progress when you send out an email campaign.  Create customized reports based on your needs for each mailing.  If expectations fall short, test and test again using a small audience to find the right mailing content/subject line combination.
  4. Time your donation requests based on the donor’s past activity.  Offer to set up automatic debit donations on their schedule that they select on their profile sheet.
  5. Create anniversary dates for your new donors when they are referred to your list and thank them personally–every year that they are a member.
  6. Use your follow-up gift requests with a list of donation choices that make sense to the donor.
  7. Email interesting stories to your list that highlights accomplishments, progress, and success of the cause they are supporting–let them know how their favorite charity is doing.
  8. Set up a Discussion List (or group email list) to answer questions, saving the answers in searchable archives for all donors.

With the right email strategies in place, you can improve donor retention and easily keep that conversation going.  The more you know about your donors the easier it is to create mailings tailored to their needs and interests.  If you need suggestions or assistance please drop us a line: help@dundee.net

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