What do you do when someone signs up for your email list or donates to your organization? Do they have to wait until your next “monthly” newsletter to learn more about who you are and what you do? If so, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to engage, inspire and motivate your supporters to take action. One of the best ways to engage with new subscribers (or new donors for that matter) is to create what is called a “Welcome Series” of emails. These emails are set to automatically be sent to the individual over the course of a few weeks – Day 1 they get an email, day 4 they get another email, day 8 they get yet another email, etc. These emails are designed to introduce yourself and your organization to the individual, as well as show them the impact your organization is having and why they should stay connected. Sounds like a great idea and something all nonprofits should be doing right? The problem is that most nonprofits are not currently using a Welcome Series and are missing out on this powerful tool. If this includes your organization, then join us for this jam-packed webinar where we highlight a number of successful strategies and tactics you can start using immediately including: - Why a Welcome Series is so powerful (Its all about the relationship) - How to create an engaging and compelling Welcome Series - How and why you should have multiple Welcome Series’ – subscribers, donors, attendees, etc. - How a Welcome Series can increase your donor retention

1. The Power of the Welcome Series
Rich Dietz
October 29, 2013
Use Twitter Hashtag #4Glearn
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3. Coming Soon
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4. Today’s Speakers
Rich Dietz
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Nonprofit R+D
Assisting with chat questions:
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5. The Power of the
Welcome Series
@nonprofitrd
Rich Dietz
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6. Our Speaker
Rich Dietz
Founder of Nonprofit R+D - Technology
Training for Nonprofit Professionals
Richard has over 20 years' experience working
in and with a wide variety of nonprofit,
political, and government organizations and
holds a Masters in Social Welfare (MSW) from
UC Berkeley.
You can find Rich on his website
http://www.nonprofitrd.com
or tweeting @nonprofitrd.
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7. Agenda
1. Introduction
2. What is a “welcome series”
3. Why are they important
4. How to create your welcome series
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8. 1. Introduction
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9. Idea came from Email 101
Email Marketing 101 – Beyond the Monthly Newsletter
(Aug. 2013)
Many comments about the idea
• Questions wanting more info
• Many were not currently doing one
http://nonprofitwebinars.com/past_webinars/emailmarketing-101-beyond-the-monthly-newsletter/
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10. Text Heavy Slides… oh no!
I promise I do not just read the slides
• Boring!
Why text heavy slides
• You don’t have to take notes – the info is there for you later
• You can focus on the “ah-ha” moments
• They will still make sense 6 months from now
I am a teacher, not really a presenter
•
Want you to learn and take action
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11. Best Practices?
• A “best practice” = what works in your org
• Its like a buffet
•
•
•
Try and few things and see if you like them
If it works, go back for more
If not, try something else
• Testing is the key,
– Much easier to do online
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12. Poll 1:
Who is currently using
a welcome series?
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13. 2. What is a
Welcome Series
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14. Def: Welcome Series
A welcome series is:
A series of emails automatically sent to new
subscribers, donors, etc. over the course of weeks or
months that educate them about your organization
and encourage them to become more engaged and
connected.
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15. Types of Welcome Series’
• New Subscriber
• Donor
• Recurring donor
• Event registrants/attendees
• Volunteer
• Thank you –
•
Great way to update all of your supporters and build rapport
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16. Poll 2:
How long does a new
subscriber have to
wait till you engage?
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17. 3. Why is a
Welcome Series
Important
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18. How long is the wait?
How long does a new subscriber (or donor) have to
wait to hear from you?
• Hours, days, weeks?
Their excitement is high right now
• They are saying “I want more”
• Need to follow up right away
Many discussions on this topic use a dating analogy
• Pretty appropriate actually
Its all about ….
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19. Engagement is the goal
Just like a real relationship
• You need to strike up a conversation
• Get to know each other
• Build a relationship
Will you marry me?
•
Would you ask that on a first date? Then why ask for a donation so
soon?
Very unlikely to “get married” on first date
• Also unlikely to get donation on first visit to website
• Or other big commitments (volunteer, event registration, etc.)
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20. Build the relationship first
Welcome series can help do this
• Taking longer is more natural
The 7 Touches
• Marketing principle – need up to 7
touches before someone feels
comfortable to make a big decision
(purchase, donate, etc.)
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21. Get more attention and action
Avg. nonprofit emails
• 13% open rates
• 2.1% click-through rates (Blackbaud)
Welcome series emails
• 4x more opens
• 5x more clicks (Experian Marketing Services)
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22. Donor Loyalty
Definition:
“the ongoing process of engaging with your
donors so that they contribute with donations
and time to your organization over the long
term”.
Also called – donor retention, donor engagement, donor cultivation
Key is to think about the “lifetime value” of your
donors
• And then build relationships with those donors
• Maximizing lifetime value is something you do FOR and
WITH your donors
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23. Why focus on Donor Loyalty
Nonprofits currently lose 60% of donors year over year
• 100 donors turns into 1 donor in as short as 5 years!
10% decrease in attrition = 200% increase in lifetime
value of donors (Sargeant and Jay 2004)
Easy way to increase donor loyalty –
Welcome Series
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24. Donor Attrition
There are many reasons for donor attrition
• Search “donor attrition reasons”
Three reasons that a welcome series can
address
• Organization did not keep in touch
• Organization did not let them know how
funds were used
• Donor did not feel connected to org
(engagement)
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25. 4. How to Create
Your Welcome Series
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26. This sounds hard
It’s not rocket science, but does take time and effort
But, its “leveraged time”
• Do the work once and it pays off for
months / years
• I like that kind of work
Example – My eNews signup
• www.nonprofitrd.com/of101
• Still cranking out emails every day
without me touching it
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27. Check out what others are doing
Go sign up for other orgs email lists
•
Both in and outside your focus area
Don’t just copy what they do!
• Be unique, put your own voice and spin on it
What works / does not work
How can you improve?
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28. Automation is the key
The welcome series can be automated
Using your email broadcast provider
• Constant Contact, MailChimp, etc.
• Not Vertical Response
• Make sure they can do “Autoresponders”
Check your providers help files
• Technical how to is beyond this webinar
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29. Overall Tips – Don’t Do
Don’t ask for money too soon
• Thanks… now gimme more money!
Don’t bore them to death
• Need to engage and get them to want to learn more
• No annual reports…. zzzzzzzzzzz
Don’t send them your regular emails (yet)
• Monthly newsletter, fundraising appeals, etc.
• May be too much, too soon
• Not ready for all the detail or strong asks
• Add them back into your main email list later
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30. Overall Tips - Do
Be real, conversational, friendly, passionate
• Not the time for a college term paper
• Emails should come from individuals (Exec. Dir., staff, etc.)
Make them feel part of the community
• Maslow’s Hierarchy
Tell Stories
• Easiest way to show impact, success and why you do what you do
• Watch the Email 101 – Beyond the Monthly Newsletter webinar
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31. Overall Tips - Do
Use photos and video
• More interesting, more likely to be shared (5-10x more)
• Photo of person writing email – personal connection
Ask for small favors (engage)
• Follow, Like, petition, survey, tell a friend, etc.
Multiple emails in series
• How many? Depends.
• 3-5 to start, can always add more as you have time
• Test, Test, Test
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32. Overall Tips
Timing of emails
• Avg. seems to be 1 email per week
• However, we have found some sooner seems to work well
• Day 1, 3, 5 and then 1 per week
Don’t fear the unsubscribe
• Probably not going to be supporters anyways
• May not even happen
• Case study – High vs. Low Frequency Emails
• High Frequency Emails had:
• 23% more money
• 31% less unsubscribes
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33. Type of Emails
(Ideas to try… remember testing?)
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34. Types of Emails (Mandatory)
Welcome / Thank You / What to Expect
• THE most critical email of the whole series
• Will they stay or unsubscribe? Why should they stay?
• Add in a fun surprise – video, contest, etc.
Tour / Where to Start
• Help newcomers feel welcome
• Highlight your top content and where to go from here
• Information, resources, upcoming events, who to contact
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35. Types of emails (Mandatory)
Impact / The Why
• More than just your mission statement (that’s boring)
• What difference have you made in the community?
• Why do you do what you do?
• Email 101 has more on storytelling, impact, the Why
Success Stories
• It’s what they want (74% of donors requested)
• Best way to show impact and the Why
• Multi-part stories across emails (The Cliffhanger)
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36. Types of Emails
Thank You’s
• From the organization
• From clients, recipients, constituents, etc.
Survey
• Data you wanted to collect, but did not want to clutter forms
• Need incentive to complete it – contest, matching gift, etc.
Staff spotlight
• Video is good here – more personal connection
• Tell their favorite success story
• Let them be greeter at live events
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37. Types of Emails
Tell a Friend
• Ask them to tell their friends and family about the work you do
• Grow your list and get them to do small favor
• 71% of Millennials said they would do this
Other opportunities to get involved
• Events, volunteer
• Share on social media
• Petition, survey, polls
•Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Small actions can move them up the ladder
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38. Types of Emails
Highlight different programs
• Not just what they are
• Impact, Why, and success stories of each
Hopes and dreams
• What are your amazing plans for the future
• What would the world look like without your org
• How can they help to make it happen
Others?
•
•
Use your imagination, be creative
Let me know what you do so I can sign up!
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39. Test, Measure, Adjust
Best Practices are a start
• A “Best Practice” is what works for YOU and your organization
Testing is the only way to find what works
• The Obama Campaign – tested everything
• Many surprises -- “Hey”
Follow these subscribers
•
•
•
•
How do they engage?
Which emails had the best engagement
Which links had the most click-throughs
Do more of those
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40. Action Steps
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41. Action Steps
Commit to creating (or improving) your welcome series
THIS week.
Sign up for other organizations email lists to see what
they do
Create your welcome series using the examples discussed
Add more to the series over time
Test, measure, adjust
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42. Sign Up for our email list
Get updates
about our upcoming
webinars and get our 5 part
e-course:
NonprofitRD.com/of101
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43. Email Sign up
www.nonprofitrd.com/of101
@nonprofitrd
www.NonprofitRD.com/FB
www.NonprofitRD.com/IN
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Rich Dietz
rich@nonprofitrd.com
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