Why Email Marketing is STILL essential to the success of nonprofits today

There is no better way to spread your nonprofit organization’s message than through social media marketing. After all, social media is queen...right? Not exactly.

It is true that social media is an important part of your digital marketing strategy. You can’t avoid it. Yes, the love affair with social media is not quite over and I don’t think it will be any time soon, but email marketing still remains the most effective and low-cost marketing tool for nonprofits. 

It’s simple. As a nonprofit it’s incredibly important to tell your story to people who care about what you’re doing, while staying relevant. But staying on top of the latest digital marketing trends so you can share your story to as many people as possible is sometimes tricky, time consuming and costly. I know, I have developed and managed marketing plans for nonprofits for many years. And here’s what I know for certain: email remains the preferred and most effective communication platform for nonprofits.

I promise you, email is not dead. It’s not as flashy as some of the other trends, but it’s proven! Email marketing is a powerful marketing tool. It gives nonprofits the ability to give depth to their story and mission, while staying connected to those who appreciate and support what they do. 

With so many trendy, fresh and new marketing mediums popping up all the time, you might feel a little old-school and outdated if you use email marketing as a primary part of your marketing mix. To help you shake off any marketing shame let’s take a closer look at the benefits and advantages of email marketing that I believe will boost your confidence to stick with it. 

Benefit #1: Tried and True

Despite the email naysayers, email is not an antiquated way to communicate. Though it might be the grandfather of digital communications, time has not passed it by. In fact, the tools for e-communications have become more robust because of its longevity! As you look to build and maintain awareness and support from long-time supporters, regular communication with your audience that keeps you top of mind is incredibly important.

According to Digital Current, email has 2.6 billion users to Facebook’s 1.7 billion and Twitter’s 313 million. Today, checking emails has become woven into our digital lives. Because of smartphones, we can check our emails throughout the day just as easily as we can browse Twitter or Facebook. In fact, 58 percent of people check their email before anything else. Email also is the most preferred method of communication for professionals and consumers older than millennials (think about your donor base, isn’t that who you want to be connecting with?). So, no matter how addicting Facebook becomes or how pretty Pinterest is, there is something about good, old-fashioned email that just can’t be captured in social media.

Benefit #2: Control the Message

Email marketing keeps nonprofits relevant in the eyes of those who support them. It lets you share up-to-date information about the impact you are making – and helps supporters understand the “what and why,” creating an emotional connection to your cause.  

Unlike many other marketing mediums, email marketing allows you to control the frequency of your message, and personalize your story to create a memorable brand that enhances engagement and levels of support.

Benefit #3: Low Cost / High ROI

Unlike many of your corporate counterparts, as a small nonprofit you’re probably operating on a limited marketing budget, right? The good news is, the cost of email marketing is minimal.

Plus, research shows about 68 percent of email users on average take action (contribute, buy or volunteer) through email communications, compared to 20 percent response rate through Facebook. The return on investment (ROI) is better as well; 21 percent for email and 15 percent for social media. In my experience, the biggest and best ROI comes from the efforts of nonprofits who have nurtured and developed their emails lists. It’s what helps sustain and grow long-term, loyal contributors and supporters.

Benefit #4: Easy to Use

Email is also easier to use. It can be a simple DIY marketing process once you get a good program in place. Building up an email list takes less work than constantly priming your social media accounts for followers, too.

At this point, getting promotional messages, updates, and transaction information through email is commonplace. It has just become a natural part of communication. Because email has become so embedded in sales and marketing processes, people have become accustomed to seeing them in the inbox. 

Now, getting people to open your emails and click on links inside your email requires a little more strategic approach. But don’t worry - I got you covered. In my Nonprofit Email Template resource that I’ve provided [click on the link below], I share with you some of the most important strategies that generate the best results. In a nutshell, people may meet through social media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn, but email is what they use for follow-up communication.

The bottom line: even with the popularity of social media and the digital age, there are still some tried and true marketing methods that still work. Email marketing is not an outdated form of communication. It may not be the most innovative, but trust me, it works!