Be Disciplined with Email
In an article called "I am a Reform Democrat" comes this sage advice for campaigns from Bob Brigham...
Cut back on fundraising emails. Cash-appeals turn people off, and the Kerry campaign burned their list early on. As people stopped opening the emails, the campaign suffered a huge opportunity lost when they needed to organize supporters in the end. Emails should be used to initiate interaction. Once people are vested in our actions, they'll help fund the effort.
He's right: Let 'em fall in love with you first, then ask for money.
Kari Chisholm | November 22, 2004 | Comments (3) |
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Instead of "Let 'em fall in love with you first, then ask for money" I'd like to see campaigns engage people to the point where people look to give money.
The first draft of the article as it appeared on the New Democrat Network Blog had even harsher language: "No more fundraising emails. Period. If the Kerry campaign had asked the Dean campaign, they would have learned that constant cash-appeals turn people off. The Kerry campaign burned their list. As people stopped opening the emails the campaign suffered a huge opportunity cost when they needed to organize supporters in the end. Emails should only be used to initiate interaction, once people are vested in our actions they'll help fund the effort."
Email is too important an organizing tool to sit unopened.
http://www.ndnblog.org/archives/000708.html
Posted by: Bob Brigham | Nov 22, 2004 9:55:58 AM
Yes, Bob, you're exactly right. Maybe not "Let 'em fall in love with you" but rather "engage your supporters first, then ask for money."
Of course, this is exactly what people do in the off-line world: first, develop a relationship. then, ask for money.
It's hilarious to think that email would change that reality -- but some folks think it does.
Posted by: Kari Chisholm | Nov 23, 2004 1:02:24 AM
One organization that does this extremely well are the folks at Grist Magazine (http://www.grist.org). Every day, they provide a valuable *service* via email -- well-written summaries of national environmental news and great original content. Only twice a year to they ask for money via email -- and always with a funny, polished series of emails. It works like a charm -- their readers respond generously, and become even more loyal.
The key, it seems to me, is having something to offer your readers that they genuinely *want*.
Posted by: Jon Stahl | Nov 24, 2004 5:36:46 PM
