Lots of nonprofits report that the summer\u2014mainly July and August\u2014tends to be the worst months to fundraise<\/a> and connect with stakeholders. But why is that?<\/p>\n Typically, in the summer, donors experience:<\/p>\n If you’re a busy nonprofit, you might be thinking: Okay, well, the summer is a great time for us to rest and take a step back from engaging with donors and conduct a mid-year review<\/a>. While it\u2019s true that the summer is a great time to reset and get your affairs in order, not consistently engaging with donors during that time can lead to long-term consequences.<\/p>\n Not only is retaining old donors more cost-efficient<\/a> than trying to attract new ones, but research actually shows that there’s also a direct correlation<\/a> between retention and gift size: the more a donor seemingly gives, the more likely they are to remain loyal to your organization. Meaning, the more you can keep in touch with donors\u2014and build lasting relationships<\/a>\u2014 the better off your nonprofit will be.<\/p>\n While fundraising events are effortful for nonprofits, they\u2019re also a big ask for busy donors. Instead of trying to engage with supporters through in-person programs, email works as a nonintrusive, simple, and incredibly effective touchpoint.<\/p>\n Research shows that personalization in marketing materials is essential for conversion: Donors feel 71% more engaged<\/a> when they receive personalized communications from the nonprofits they support. And it’s why more than 60% of nonprofits<\/a> already use personalization in their email marketing.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what that means for nonprofits: It\u2019s not enough to send out generic emails to your entire donor base. Use a marketing and communications software<\/a> that allows you to segment and sort donor lists and input personalized information to create a more genuine connection with donors.<\/p>\n Summer is a perfect time to enhance your email strategy with little effort. Create different emails and newsletters with varied subject lines to see which ones have higher open rates. For example, send two versions of an email with different subject lines, like \u201cUrgent: Help Us Today,\u201d vs. \u201cYour Support is Needed Now!\u201d<\/p>\n Likewise, experiment with content, too. Try different email formats, lengths, and types of content (e.g., text-heavy vs. image-heavy) to determine what resonates best with your audience.<\/p>\n Be sure to use a marketing and communications software that allows you to track email metrics, too, like open and bounce rates so you can assess what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not.<\/p>\n Lapsed donors can be a challenge to recapture, but they\u2019re well worth it if you do. In order to capitalize on this audience, create a distinct email campaign that targets them.<\/p>\n Using a robust CRM software<\/a>, segment donors based on past interactions, donation amounts, and engagement levels. Then, create emails that speak to their personal experiences with your nonprofit, new initiatives you\u2019re hoping they take part in, and more.<\/p>\n Recurring giving<\/a> is one of the best ways for nonprofits to retain donors and create long-term sustainability. But often, encouraging recurring giving falls by the wayside during the slower giving seasons.<\/p>\n Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind<\/a>, for example\u2014a nonprofit that helps the blind or visually impaired in the greater Washington region overcome the challenges of vision loss\u2014started encouraging its supporters to sign up for a recurring giving program (Monthly Sustainers Program) through its email newsletter.<\/p>\n Since launching the email campaign, their newsletter has achieved an impressive average open rate of 32.1%, which surpasses the industry standard by 10%. Additionally, their recurring giving program brought in an average of $576 in monthly recurring donations.<\/p>\n Read the full case study \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n During the slower summer season, take the time to introduce or reintroduce your donors to recurring giving as a way that they can remain supportive with little effort on their part.<\/p>\n Email sequences are a great, effective way to engage with donors. With platforms like Giveffect, nonprofits can create and automate these campaigns in minutes.<\/p>\n For example, your nonprofit might create a drip campaign or a series of automated emails that gradually share more about your work, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities. These can be scheduled to go out at regular intervals throughout the summer.<\/p>\n Examples of effective drip campaigns include:<\/p>\n Instead of sending donors a generic newsletter or email, engage them in interactive content. Send polls and surveys that encourage donor participation and feedback, and even incorporate fun quizzes or challenges that relate to your cause.<\/p>\n Even better\u2014set up challenges for donors related to your email and offer incentives and prizes for winners. For example, tell donors that if they forward your email to 5 new recipients welcoming them to your mission, you\u2019ll enter their name into a raffle for a grand prize.<\/p>\n To keep donors informed throughout the summer, consider creating and sending exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes reports or detailed updates that only email subscribers have access to. Or, host an online event or webinar and only send invites via email.<\/p>\n No matter the season, storytelling is always evergreen. To keep donors connected and engaged with your mission when there are few fundraising events or volunteer opportunities, gather and select new or old testimonials and feature them in a newsletter. If possible, include photos and videos, too, to better create an emotional connection.<\/p>\n Some impactful stories might include spotlights of:<\/p>\n In addition to sending out a donation request, remind donors of upcoming volunteer opportunities and how they can get involved. Offering volunteer opportunities keeps donors engaged and deepens their connection to your cause\u2014plus, it gives supporters a sense of control<\/a> over their contributions, which monetary donations don\u2019t always offer.<\/p>\n Be sure to provide easy sign-up links and detailed information about volunteer roles and keep track of their contributions in a volunteer management system<\/a>.<\/p>\n Donors are probably used to receiving emails from a few key members of your organization\u2014your executive director, communications manager, etc.<\/p>\n To pique donors\u2019 interests and keep them engaged, invite a trusted stakeholder from your nonprofit or community to author an email or email series. You might invite a beneficiary to talk about their experiences, a board member to reach out and give personal thanks, or even a new staff member to introduce themselves and create a connection.<\/p>\n Thanking your donors is always an effective way to make them feel seen and good about their support for your cause.<\/p>\n\n
Why Does Summer Donor Engagement Matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
12 Email Tips For Sustaining Donor Engagement Through The Summer<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Personalize Your Outreach<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Use A\/B Testing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Target Lapsed Donors<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Encourage Recurring Giving<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Columbia](\"https:\/\/wordpress.giveffect.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/8.8.2024-Blog-post-insert-image-212x300.png\")
<\/p>\n5. Leverage Automated Email Sequences<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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6. Include Interactive Content<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Offer Exclusive Content<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Share Impactful Stories<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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9. Go Beyond Financial Asks<\/strong><\/h3>\n
10. Bring in a \u201cGuest\u201d Email Author<\/strong><\/h3>\n
11. Show Appreciation<\/strong><\/h3>\n