I wasn’t going to share this example of a horrendous email from a charity but just couldn’t resist.
I share it because I CARE. I have blurred out the name of the offending charity. This is an example of what happens when marketing folks are in charge of your communications to donors. NOT ALL marketing comms folk make the mistakes we see here – I actually know a few good ones who understand how to make their donor the hero, how to show gratitude while giving examples of ongoing need, how to make their donor stay in love with an organization they care about, how to constantly connect with the values and emotions that matter to their donors and how to use an attention getting – and holding voice – to share the good work donors make possible.
But I can assure you, NONE of these people work here. PLEASE! PLEASE! Do not send emails like this to your donors. PLEASE!
Biggest offenses:
• Subject line: “Celebrating $235M Raised!” – Look at how much money we have now! Could I as a donor feel any less significant when I know I only gave you $50?
• Red Pen test: I count exactly ZERO “you’s” in this email – aside from the privacy blurb at the bottom. I, the donor, am completely ignored and irrelevant.
• Signer: Who is talking to me? A computer. That’s who.
• Writing: What wrote this? Surely no human. Is this how you talk to other humans? The answer is no.
A reminder, I share because I CARE. Please do not send out emails like this to your donors.
