Ep 273 | Crafting the Perfect Year End Emails with Vanessa Chase Lockshin

It's that time of year again – year-end giving season is just around the corner! In this episode, we're thrilled to have Vanessa Chase Lockshin, a fundraising expert specializing in digital fundraising and storytelling, share her top tips for executing successful email campaigns as part of your year-end giving strategy. Vanessa has helped clients raise millions of dollars through email, and she's here to share her wealth of knowledge to help you maximize your efforts.

This episode gives you the step by step plan for how many emails need to be sent from Giving Tuesday through the end of the year. You'll also get the strategies to build and plan for a smooth process. Don't forget follow-up, we talk about that as well!

What you'll learn:

→ Why email is the most effective digital direct response marketing channel
→ How to start planning your year-end giving email campaigns now (even in September!)
→ Strategies for email list segmentation and personalization
→ Best practices for Giving Tuesday email campaigns
→ The importance of donor stewardship and follow-up after donations

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[04:23] Start to plan your year-end giving email campaigns early. Building messaging and narrative momentum is key to a successful campaign Keeping donors engaged and stewarded is crucial for repeat giving.
[08:03] Determine the right email frequency. Don't worry about over-emailing. Staying top of mind is important. Find the right balance between too many and too few emails. Understanding that testing is important and pay attention to trends over the years.
[10:40] Remember the power of email list segmentation and personalization. Optimize fundraising by making the right asks to the right people. Tweak core emails for different audience segments. You don't have to rewrite full campaigns for each segment.
[12:41] Giving Tuesday email campaigns are still helpful even with all the hoise. Craf compelling messages that go beyond just asking for a donation. Determe the right email cadence leading up to and on Giving Tuesday which includes multiple emails on that day.
[19:26] Don't forget the he importance of donor stewardship and follow-up. Closing the communications loop with donors and providing updates on impact will keep them engaged. Use personalized emails and stories to connect with donors.

Resources

EP 128 | Creating Campaigns with Stories with Vanessa Chase Lockshin 
Vanessa's email cohort program

Vanessa Chase Lockshin

Consultant specializing in non-profit storytelling, fundraising and communications

Vanessa Chase Lockshin is a fundraising consultant specializing in digital fundraising and storytelling.

She's the author of The Storytelling Non-Profit: A practical guide to telling stories that raise money and awareness, and the creator of immersive online training programs for non-profit professionals.

Vanessa has helped clients raise millions of dollars, including helping Variety BC build an email program from the ground up that raised over $ 2 million in three years.

Vanessa’s fundraising career started at The University of British Columbia, her alma mater. Her clients have included: Barnard College, Meals on Wheels Association of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Senior Medicare Patrol, The Dixon Transition Society, Zanesville Museum of Art, Win Without War, and OpenMedia.

Learn more: http://www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com

Learn more: http://www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com

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