• by Cynthia Edwards , April 13, 2009

If retailers are feeling the pinch these days, imagine how much harder that pinch feels to charities. It can be argued that people need to continue buying goods even in a downturn, but charitable giving is always voluntary, and many families and foundations have felt the need to cut down on donations.

 

To their credit, some of the country's top nonprofit organizations are doing an outstanding job of keeping donors engaged through eCRM. I selected five popular nonprofits to follow, based on Charity Navigator's monthly list of "most frequently reviewed" charities. I found that four out of five of these were laudably proactive in capturing email addresses and personal data on their Web sites, and in following up with personalized welcome emails and motivational messages.

Here is a short review of what these nonprofits are doing well -- or opportunities missed -- and lessons that for-profit businesses can leverage to improve their eCRM practices.

World Wildlife Fund boasts a dynamic Web site with email sign-up and the latest e-news prominently displayed in the upper right-hand corner of the home page. The welcome letter provided me with a checklist of six ways to customize my communication preferences and engagement with the cause via the site. Subsequent emails have featured news, videos, e-cards, environmental factoids, invitations to expeditions, ways to get involved, and more.

Lessons for retailers: Engage new subscribers early and often with rich content to keep them interested. Avoid using email solely for hard selling -- eCRM is about building relationships.

World Vision is another top nonprofit that flags "email sign-up" prominently at the top of its home page. The sign-up form spells out the benefits of subscribing and is followed directly by a page requesting minimal personal information. The welcome email provides an excellent overview of World Vision's mission and vision, lists the primary ways in which the group helps children, and invites engagement with any of three different programs.

Lessons for retailers: Welcome emails, whether a single message or a stream, are highly likely to be read by new subscribers. Use your moment in the sun to introduce your company fully and inform them of your range of offerings.

ASPCA helps new subscribers get started with "three easy ways you can make a difference for animals today." Subsequent emails have had focused messages, urging the reader to become a member in order to provide support for the cause.

Lessons for retailers: When you need customers to take specific action, keep your messages simple and to the point. Repeat as needed, with compelling benefit statements to clinch the deal.

The Humane Society of the United States uses a strong emotional approach in emails to compel engagement. Who wouldn't be frozen to their seat when confronted with a photograph of a man raising a club over the head of an imploring baby seal? HSUS also leverages celebrity endorsements to fortify its messages.

Lessons for retailers: Email is an intensely personal medium. An emotional approach can grab attention and motivate readers at the core of their being, if handled well.

The American Red Cross is more of a cautionary example than the ones above. It took me several passes at the Web site to find out how to sign up for their emails. Eventually I discovered it, but the process was needlessly obscure. The group's welcome email arrived in minutes, but had grammatical problems. The stark body copy thanked me for subscribing to the group's emails and then supplied a username and password, without a word of explanation as to what these were for.

Lessons for retailers: Make it easy and obvious for customers to sign up for your email programs from the home page of your Web site. Use intuitive labels and CTAs, such as "Subscribe to our newsletter" or "Email sign-up." Send a warm welcoming email and include a site tour or re-emphasize the benefits of subscribing.

Staying competitive in this market is Job 1 for all organizations, whether for profit or not. Email is the ideal medium for building relationships through persuasion, information and invitation, so study best practices wherever they are found, and use the knowledge to improve your own program day by day.