We ran a test that you should know about.
We randomly divided a nonprofit’s email file into two groups. We sent both groups the same year-end email with just one difference: the first sentence of one group’s email thanked the donor for their previous support.
The version that began with the Thank You raised significantly less money.
The Lesson: don’t start your appeals or e-appeals by thanking your donor for their previous giving
It seems like the right thing to do – but it raises less money.
So we now have a policy: do not start appeals or e-appeals with a Thank You for the donor’s previous giving.
My Attempt to Explain the Results
Always remember that most donors don’t read the whole thing.
Remember the “heat map”? The eye-tracking studies that prove most donors jump around, don’t read things from top-to-bottom, and certainly don’t read the whole thing?
Here’s my explanation: a number of your donors will read the first line of your emails. And if that line is Thanking them for their previous giving, they appreciate being thanked and then delete your message because they think nothing is being asked of them.
Another thing to remember: at year-end, your donors are moving even faster than normal. They have parties to go to, presents to wrap, etc.
And if a significant amount of your donors stop reading after the first sentence, you are going to raise less money.
So for your December and year-end fundraising emails this year, don’t succumb to the temptation of Thanking your donors right off the bat. It feels like it’s the right thing to do. But you’ll raise less money!
