Taking a close look at how to next-level your email campaigns. Also: we are now sneaking into the 87th issue of the Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you think this newsletter is like a magnifying glass to fundraising copywriting mysteries, please forward it to a curious colleague. (They can ​subscribe here for free.)

In this issue:

• Solving nonprofit email mysteries with a new email report (hot off the presses!)
• How we can help you, when you're ready
• Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Hey Reader,

I've been thinking about everyday mysteries lately.

You know, like why do I always choose the slowest checkout line at the grocery store?

Or why do my dogs seem to know the exact moment we're about to go for a walk, even before I've said anything?

Here are a few more everyday mysteries you can relate to, probably:

• Why is there always a baguette sticking out of grocery bags on TV shows and in movies?
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• Why do some meetings that could have been an email drag on for hours, while important topics get rushed through in minutes?
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• Why do we sometimes hit "send" on an email only to spot a typo immediately afterward, even though we proofread it several times?

((The last one drives me b-a-n-a-n-a-s!))

You know what also can be a nagging mystery in fundraising?

Email campaign results.

Solving nonprofit email mysteries with a new email report (hot off the presses!)

The results from your email campaigns can be difficult to figure out. In other words, how do you really know if your emails are as effective as they could be?

You can study benchmarks.

But most industry benchmarks are based on data from large nonprofits or for-profit businesses — which don’t lend itself well to small and mid-sized organizations.

That's a problem.

In an effort to address this data gap, the Neon One team raised their hand, stepped forward, and said, "Hey Reader! We got you!" 😊

I've read their free report and my heart exploded with gratitude for the incredible insights and tips inside. So I wanted to share it with you today.

(Quick shoutout to Abby Jarvis and Tim Sarrantonio from Neon One who made this report possible!)

Here are some details about the report >> Neon One analyzed data from nearly 1,500 nonprofits of all sizes that sent over 150 million emails using their system in 2022. Smartly, they also tapped into data from other industry sources.

The team compiled their findings and best practices into a comprehensive report called The Nonprofit Email Report: Data-Backed Insights for Better Engagement.

And here are a few key report findings:

The report also features practical email tips from experts in the sector.

I'm honored to have been asked by Neon One to contribute to this extraordinary resource. 💛 See page 54 of The Nonprofit Email Report to see my piece on email salutations.

A few more takeaways for you:

So — if you’ve felt lost re: benchmarking your email performance ... or if you'd like more strategies and tips to improve your emails to donors, this is the perfect resource for you. (It's FREE!)

Whenever you’re ready to get to the next level of revenue and impact with your fundraising communications, here are 2 ways we can help you.

1. If you have a single project that you need copywriting (and perhaps designing) for, book a free Zoom call on Julie's calendar. The project could be your next appeal, newsletter, annual gratitude report, case for support, supporter connection survey, or some other fundraising piece.
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2. If you have an active donor list and a budget to grow it... and you need expert fundraising comms written on an ongoing basis, schedule a free no-pressure call with Julie at a time that works for you. We'll discuss your needs and how our services might help you smash your goals. 🎯

Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

For your brain, heart, and funny bone...

• Fundraisingly Informative — 5 Simple Ways to Thank Donors AND Raise More Money by Amy Eisenstein (a blog post replete with helpful ideas and questions to ask yourself so that you can stay on track)
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• Writingly Punchpacking — Primal Copywriting by Eddie Shleyner (a blog post about how certain ideas are primal and will naturally hook your readers)
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• Mentally Frameworthy — Misalignment, AI & Moloch via Liv Boeree and Daniel Schmachtenberger (a 91-minute skeleton key of a podcast video interview exploring the connections between game theory, human nature, capitalism, technology, network effects, superintelligence, and the fate of humanity)
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• Intoxicatingly Fascinating — German monks create world's first powdered beer by Loz Blain (an article about how the beer market may soon be disrupted by an ingenious innovation; HT: Ephraim Gopin)
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• Cleverly Disarming — Roger Waters - This is Not a Drill Live Spain - 28 March 2023 - Madrid via 邪能皮卡丘 (a 2-hour, 22-minute concert video shot by a fan yet with decent footage and good audio; We caught Roger Waters on the first leg of this tour back in August, and we thought it was the best!)

Until next time: May you solve many fundraising email mysteries ... so you can better connect with donors and raise more money for your good cause! 🫶

All our best,

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PS: Hey — here's the latest in our weekly video series, Win It in a Minute. (You can subscribe here.)

In this video, Tom answers the question:

"Tom, you sometimes talk about having learned from a thousand mentors. But break it down for us, what’s your shortlist of experts?"

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