How to improve your organization’s email performance
Neon One’s Nonprofit Email Benchmarks Report just came out, and I couldn’t help but compare the average org’s email performance to ours at Further Together. Spoiler: We’re crushing it.
| Metric | Orgs | Us |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | ||
| Click-through rate |
Yep, almost DOUBLE the open rate and more than four times the click-through rate of the average nonprofit. So, what’s our secret? Here’s how we do it:
1. The hook makes or breaks your email
An email lives and dies by a hook. The most important part of an email? The subject line. If your subject line doesn’t catch their eye, nothing else matters. That’s why I always test mine for free at subjectline.com. The stats above come from an email with a subject “Is your nonprofit keeping up?”
| Email subject | Open rate | Click-through rate |
|---|---|---|
| I need your help 😟 | ||
| It’s new, it’s free, and it starts this month | ||
| What’s the best fundraising strategy? | ||
| Do you really need a grantwriter? | ||
| Ho-ho-how is EOY going? |
2. Know your audience inside and out
I know my audience. I know what they’re interested in reading, what resources would make their day-to-day easier, and what would inspire them. I don’t have to guess; I focus on understanding what they actually care about and delivering on that every time.
Now, I know this because I am deeply embedded in the sector and constantly consuming content created by radical nonprofit leaders. I tune into what they say and how they say it - “throwing spaghetti at the wall, building the plane as you’re flying it, get my head above water, my board is full of idiots” - you get it.
To get to know your donors this deeply, you have to talk to them. Start with a listening tour, a survey, a coffee chat. Ask why they give. Listen to what they say and how they say it.
3. Show up consistently with value
I send emails multiple times a week: our weekly episode of The Small Nonprofit, upcoming webinars, blog posts, Further Reading, downloadables, you name it. The goal is to make sure people associate my emails with value so they look forward to seeing them pop up in their inbox.
4. Speak authentically to your values
I speak authentically to my values, even when it means some people might not stick around. Case in point: I lost 20 subscribers when I invited people to my upcoming webinar, “How to Talk to Donors About White Supremacy” (April 10 – hit me up if you want the link!). But honestly? It’s a good thing. Those who stay are the ones who choose to be in community with me.
TLDR: In the nonprofit world, every extra click and open can make a huge difference. You never know who is on the other side of your email! A new connection, an advocate for you or your cause, or someone looking to donate to something great!
Do everything you can to make every email count.
