E-mail and E-Philanthropy
28 May 2001 at 1:05 pm
The e-Philanthropy Foundation in the US says Not for Profits that aren’t using e-mail messaging to promote their organisations may be missing out.
The Foundation quotes recent research from American that e-mail use runs to two-thirds of workers and half of all households. A total of 58 percent of that country’s population is now using e-mail.
In Australia it’s estimated that 35 percent of homes have e-mail access and that’s about 6.5 million people. The other figure is the workforce e-mail numbers thought to be as high as 9 million.
The top Internet Service Provider is NineMSN which is driven by “Hotmail” and then Telstra.
The US e-Philanthropy Foundation provides the following tips for those wanting to promote their organisation in cyberspace (and the recommendations are based on their own code of ethics).
1. Target Current Supporters: begin your efforts by targeting current supporters emailings to avoid offending potential customers with unsolicited e-mail, also known as ‘spamming’.
2. Remember to offer the opportunity for those who receive your message to ‘opt out’ of future messages.
3. Expect Speed: Research shows that e-mail recipients tend to respond quickly to messages usually within 48 hours.
4. Keep It Simple: Limit your message to text only – graphics slow transmission and not all computer users have the band width or storage capacity to download images.
5. Target your messages: Don’t bother your supporters with frequent, random messages. The greatest advantage of e-philanthropy e-mail marketing may be its potential to build relationships with existing supporters and increase giving.
6. Seek dialogue: Try to create an ongoing targeted dialogue between you and your supporters. For example send a follow-up e-mail acknowledging a recent gift and include information on how gifts have been successfully used to support the population you serve.
7. Include a survey or request for comments.
8. Donor Relations: Allocate resources within your organisation to respond to e-mail queries and provide a telephone number so supporters can call to get live, human assistance.
Why not add your tips and share your experiences and successes with other Not for Profits by joining our online Forum at probonoaustralia.com.au
