Tips for Creating An Effective Nonprofit Newsletter

For nonprofit organizations, ongoing communications with donors is an important part of building and maintaining a healthy relationship with them. E-newsletters are a smart, inexpensive way to inform and inspire your supporters. But how do you ensure that your newsletter gets read and what type of content best engages donors?

Here are a few tips to help you optimize your next newsletter:

1. Make Donors Feel Good

Donors are essential to your mission, so be sure to make them feel important. Let them know how their support has helped you. Nurture your relationship by reporting accomplishments or results, thanking them for their contribution and showing how the need still exists and continue to warrant their attention.

2. Let Pictures Tell the Story

Readers will naturally gravitate toward the headlines, bullet points, sidebar info and pictures in your newsletter. Insert photos of the people you've helped or the people who are doing the helping! Don't forget to include captions that explain the story and the results. Videos are another great way to engage readers and tell a story.

3. Encourage Social Sharing 

Encourage readers to spread the word about your nonprofit. Include social sharing icons (for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc.) at the top of your newsletter to make it easy for readers to share it on their social networks. Results: more new followers and supporters for you.

4.Offer Advice and Tips

Teach your readers something new. Depending on the mission or work of your nonprofit, what tips can you offer to help readers?

5. List Items That are Needed

Nonprofit organizations always have a wish list of items that they'd like to have or need. Give your supporters and readers the opportunity to help by including that list in your next newsletter.

6. Drive Traffic to Your Website 

Whether your readers are accessing your newsletter from their desktops or their mobile phones, your email communication needs to be brief. Avoid lengthy newsletter articles: insert only first few paragraphs and link to the rest of the article to your website. This is a great way to direct more visitors to your website.

For help with your next nonprofit newsletter or email, contact Jocelyn Murray at 203.377.9980.