What should fundraising emails be like?

You might be surprised what works to raise funds online.

In short: Simpler is more effective.

Here are three tests from NextAfter that just might make you want to rethink how you do online fundraising:

Test #1: Simple and personal

How a radical redesign of an email appeal and donation page affected donor conversion rate.

This was a “radical redesign” of an email and its landing page, including:

• Much simpler email — text only instead of the more designed control that had logos, a photo, “Donate Now” buttons
  
• More personal tone in the email that addressed the donor directly and colloquially.
  
• Simplified landing page: No photo, less design, overall less content.
  

Result: 272% increase in donor conversion. At statistically valid quantity.

Test #2: Person-to-person subject line

How a more personal subject line affects open rate

Control subject line: “Make this bold statement”; open rate, 16.9%.

Test subject line: “Checking In”; open rate, 33.6%.

That’s nearly 100% increase in opens.

Test #3: Nix the video

How having a text based donation page and email vs video affects donor conversion rate

In the digital world, it’s all about the power of video, right?

Maybe not. Look at this test:

Control landing page led with a 3-minute video that made the case for a donation. Conversion rate: 0.65% conversation

Test landing page: Text based (basically the same message as the video. Conversion rate: 4.1%.

That’s a 527.54% improvement.

What does all this tell us?

Something like this: Keep your fundraising emails simple, uncluttered, and personal. Make them feel like they’re from a person, not an organization.