Give a great reason why members and donors ought to subscribe.  What’s in it for them?

Simply having a box to type in an email address on your website isn’t enough.  Our in-boxes are overflowing with email – whether they’re newsletters or something else.   You need to give potential donors and members like me a darn good reason why I should add to the volume.

And just because I’m a member of your association . . . or just because I have an interest in your charity and may have even made a donation is NOT enough of a reason.  I didn’t join so I could get a newsletter.  I didn’t donate so I could get a newsletter.

Give me a reason WHY.  Give me an incentive for revealing my email address to you.  What are the benefits to me?  What exactly will I learn and how will that help me?  How can I help make the world a better place by giving you my email address and reading your newsletter?  What is the VALUE of the content you’re going to send me in the newsletter?

What I find the vast majority of the time are “you-centered” as opposed to “donor-centered” invitations.  Here are examples of how NOT to invite someone to subscribe:

Click here to receive our newsletter

Sign up for E-News

Receive updates on our work when you subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up for XXXXX’s email newsletter

Subscribe to newsletter

Join us

XXXXX e-News

Enter email … Sign Up

Oh, and those phrases you just read are taken verbatim from charity websites.  That’s 100% of the info provided about the newsletter.  In fact, I can’t even be certain all of them apply to newsletters.  They may only be collecting email addresses for other uses. 

Now, what typically happens on association websites is a little different but often just as vague as charity sites.  Many associations, for example, have more than one newsletter.  You’re taken to a generic sign up page where you fill in your email, then check the boxes for the newsletters you want to receive. 

But there’s no member-centered copy on what they’ll find in each of the newsletters.  Apparently the title alone is supposed to be compelling enough to get me to subscribe.

And many times associations simply have a sign up box.  Here are a couple examples pulled from association websites:

Register for XXXX’s weekly e-newsletter

President’s monthly e-newsletter

In some cases there will be a few past issues to look at.  This does give the potential subscriber an opportunity to look at the content in detail.  But in my mind it doesn’t replace 2 – 5 sentences describing the content to expect and the benefits of that content. 

Describe the VALUE your readers receive through the newsletter.  Do this very well and more people will subscribe to your newsletter.

You sent out your newsletter the other day.  And now you’re on cloud nine because it’s receiving lots of praise.

But what’s most important is . . . WHO is doing the praising.  Not your board of directors.  Not your creative director or executive director.

Your donors are praising your newsletter

Or if you’re an association . . . then your members are praising it.  That’s great!  But why are you receiving praise?

Probably because you followed some basic rules on writing a newsletter donors / members want to receive and read.  For example:

• Donors feel needed.  They feel wanted.  You wrote donor-centered copy.  You gave them credit for what was achieved.  You show the impact of their giving along with emotion.
• You understand that donors don’t give to your charity; rather, they give to a “need.”  You’re merely a tool by which they help make the world a better place.  [Likewise your association is a tool for members to advance their career.]
• You wrote for skimmers as well as for readers.
• Your headlines are exciting, benefit-driven, and intriguing.
• You sat on the front porch and told stories to a friend.  You didn’t lecture from a podium. [Figuratively speaking of course.  But your mindset makes a huge difference in the tone and appeal of the copy.]

There’s more.  But that ought to be enough for now to keep writing great newsletters.  Congratulations!