Study Notes on Effective Email Communication in Fundraising

Introduction to Effective Email Communication in Fundraising

Here are the interviews with the following five donors:

Fernando Almodovar, Executive President and Chief Financial Officer, Wayfinder

Kimberly Crawford, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Partnerships, Johnson and Johnson - invitation instead of pitch to get interest from people who may not otherwise be personally/fully interested in project but be a great donor

Julia Fleischner, Board Chair, Mural Arts Philadelphia; Member, MANNA Advisory Board

Howard Marks, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, OakTree Capital Management

Katherine Sachs, Trustee, Philadelphia Museum of Arts; Emerita Trustee, University of Pennsylvania

Overview of Salutation in Emails

• The current trend in political solicitations is to use the salutation "friend."

  • The speaker's reaction: "I’m not your friend."

  • Interpretation of "friend": Indicates a lack of personal connection; can be perceived as harmful.

  • Importance of purposeful language: Every word in a letter must be carefully selected to enhance communication's effectiveness.

  • Evaluation: The salutation "friend" is not a positive element.

Preferred Salutation

• Recommended salutation: "Dear [Name]" is deemed the best.

Form Letter Disadvantages

• Emails that appear to be form letters are likely discarded by busy recipients.

  • Aesthetic elements: Graphics and machine-generated layouts deter engagement.

  • Personal touch required: Communications should appear personal rather than generic or formulaic.

Characteristics of Effective Emails

• Tone: Emails should be sincere and humble without being overly subservient or off-putting.

• Subject matter relevance: Emails should align with the recipient's interests, especially in areas like education, empowerment, and community change.

• Example interests of the speaker: Focused on empowerment of people of color through access to higher education.

• Email engagement triggers:

  • Mention of shared connections or interests can increase reader curiosity.

  • Clear indication of the email's subject matter is essential for capturing attention.

Email Invitation Effectiveness

• An effective email must contain an invitation for further interaction:

  • Example of an effective subject line: "I’d like to invite you…"

• In the body of emails:

  • Minimal time commitment is crucial; specifying formats like coffee or Zoom chats increases receptiveness.

  • Importance of concise details about the organization's mission, success stories, testimonials, and vital statistics.

Composition and Clarity in Emails

• Importance of quality writing:

  • As an English major, the speaker values well-composed correspondence and considers poor writing a deterrent.

• Initial correspondence:

  • Clarity about the purpose of the email is critical, especially in initial outreach.

  • Avoid lengthy discourse before presenting the ask.

Meeting Requests

• Willingness to meet:

  • Flexible scheduling suggestions are beneficial.

  • Dependence on propositions made in the email and personal relevance.

Effective Fundraising Strategies

• To resonate with a recipient regarding specific fundraising goals:

  • Curation of recipient lists is essential for targeted communication.

  • Examples of personal connections can make a substantial difference in receptiveness, such as previous acquaintances from an organization.

Utilizing Connections

• Real-life example from the speaker:

  • A former acquaintance reached out with a request for advice, which opened the door for further discussion without immediate financial ask.

  • The focus on advice rather than immediate monetary support is more inviting.

Common Email Pitfalls

• Examples of undesirable email practices:

  • Over-familiarity in initial outreach; addressing by first name without context is viewed negatively.

  • Remarks about prior unsuccessful attempts to connect can appear intrusive.

• Preferred email etiquette:

  • Formal address is favored, such as "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]."

  • Avoiding shallow personalization that lacks genuine connection.

• Misconceptions about mutual references: Just because a mutual connection refers someone does not guarantee interest or compatibility with the proposed meeting.

Personalization in Communication

• Authors of emails must understand the context of their recipient’s life:

  • Generic emails without reference to individual circumstances appear insincere.

  • Need for brevity and relevance in emails to maintain engagement.

Conclusion on Email Communication Strategies

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of improving personal connections through email communications:

  • Effective emails require personal touches, clarity, and aware of the recipient's context.

• Recent experiences highlight the importance of respecting time and establishing genuine connections in fundraising practices.

So the current fad is that--

0:14

political solicitations, in

particular, the salutation

0:20

is friend.

0:24

And my reaction is

I'm not your friend.

0:28

And when I see friend,

I take it to mean, oh,

0:32

so I don't know you,

and you don't know me.

0:37

To me, that's not helpful.

0:44

It's harmful.

0:46

Every single word in

the letter-- and I've

0:47

seen lots of this from

you over the years.

0:51

Every single word has to be

well chosen and purposeful.

0:53

And the question is is

it a plus or a minus?

0:57

And the salutation of

friend is not a plus.

1:00

So dear Howard is the

best, in my opinion.

1:04

I should say one other thing

before I dive in too far.

1:10

If it looks like a form

letter, I'm very busy.

1:14

And on a busy day, which

is most of my days,

1:19

I just erase anything

that's not personal.

1:22

So if it has graphics,

if it's laid out

1:26

like a well a graphic

presentation, a PowerPoint

1:31

page, or if it looks

like it's machine made,

1:37

I'll just throw it out.

1:40

I just don't have time for that.

1:42

So what you want

to do is you want

1:44

to get under people's radar

as a personal communication,

1:46

not as dear, insert name here.

1:54

That's not going to get most

people to open these things.

2:00

So sincere, humble, not overly

humble, but not off-putting--

2:03

I think these are the

most important things.

2:17

I would open an

email representing

2:20

an unknown organization

if it falls

2:23

into the category of something

that I'm or my family

2:28

is interested in.

2:31

So if I knew from just the

opening sentence that it was,

2:33

let's say, education

based, or female focused,

2:39

or if it was affecting change

in the city of Philadelphia,

2:43

for example, I think

that those would grab me.

2:49

And if that was not

evident in the first line,

2:53

if they referenced

someone that we know,

2:58

I think that would

pique my curiosity

3:02

and make me want

to read further.

3:07

So the main thing

that would make me

3:11

open an email, if the

email was about an issue

3:12

that I'm interested

in supporting.

3:17

So I'm primarily interested

in supporting causes related

3:19

to the empowerment

of people of color

3:22

through access to

higher education.

3:24

And so if the topic was

something like education

3:27

opportunities for

Hispanic students

3:30

or breaking through the poverty

cycle through education,

3:33

that's something that would

pique my interest because it's

3:37

what I'm interested

in and what I support.

3:40

What would make

me open an email?

3:44

I think, in general,

probably nothing from someone

3:47

I didn't know.

3:52

The only thing that might happen

is if they did mention somebody

3:53

that I knew or if it

was from an organization

3:58

that I had been involved in.

4:03

But someone that had

represented something

4:05

that I had not

any involvement in

4:08

and especially if I did

not have any interest--

4:11

it's pretty obvious,

I think, in general,

4:14

what my personal interests are.

4:17

And they all relate to the arts.

4:19

So if someone is coming

to me with something else,

4:21

unless there's an

art angle to it,

4:24

I wouldn't open the

email because there

4:27

are too many emails.

4:30

I think what would make me open

an email from an organization

4:33

that I was not familiar with

is an invitation, an invitation

4:37

to get to know the organization.

4:41

If the subject line read

I'd like to invite you,

4:43

I'd be more apt

to open the email.

4:48

I'd have interest

in just learning

4:52

what the invitation was about.

4:54

In the body of the

email, what will persuade

5:05

me to take the first meeting

to get to know someone

5:08

from an organization I wasn't

familiar with would be just

5:10

minimal time, if it

was a coffee chat,

5:14

a Zoom link that I can jump on,

just inviting me to learn more

5:17

about the organization.

5:23

I'm always apt to learn

more about organizations

5:24

that I may not have

originally thought

5:29

I had a connection with.

5:32

So I'm always open to

15-minute coffee chats

5:34

or 30-minute coffee

chats just to learn more.

5:37

I think it would persuade

me is if in the email

5:40

the clearly outlined how

the organization supports

5:45

its mission, specific details

about success stories,

5:49

maybe some testimonials,

the statistics showing how

5:54

the organization has been

successful in completing

5:59

its mission.

6:02

I think those are some

of the things that

6:03

captured concisely would

have me move forward

6:06

and request further interaction.

6:11

I was an English major.

6:14

So when I'm reading an

introductory or kind

6:18

of if you want to call it

like a cold call of an email

6:21

or correspondence, I am

looking for a well-written,

6:24

well-composed letter.

6:29

And if it's not, if

it really doesn't

6:31

fall into that

category, I'm less

6:36

inclined to continue reading

or to take a meeting.

6:39

But I think it's

important that especially

6:44

when you don't know someone

or you're approaching someone

6:48

for an ask, especially

for an initial ask,

6:51

that you are upfront.

6:54

I don't want to

read four paragraphs

6:58

before I get to the ask.

7:00

And I think that I would

be inclined to take

7:02

a meeting if there was,

again, some flexibility.

7:07

We can meet here.

7:12

We can meet on at a time frame

that's convenient for you.

7:13

It's often interesting when

you don't know the person who

7:19

is approaching you.

7:23

And then I think

you have to feel out

7:24

their schedule and logistics.

7:27

I think that depends obviously

on the thing that you

7:31

want to sell and the

relevance to the recipient.

7:37

And I can't give you any

generalizations about that.

7:42

How do you ensure that--

7:46

let's say you're

interested in raising money

7:48

for a charter school.

7:51

How can you be sure

that that's going

7:52

to resonate with the recipient?

7:54

And I think unless you got

your names from a curated--

7:55

word I dislike as overused.

8:01

But unless you get your names

from a curated list, which

8:04

is congruent with your

subject, then it's

8:08

hard to be sure that you're

going to find that welcome.

8:13

Well, if I can give

an example of why

8:18

I would open an email if

I hadn't been involved

8:22

in the organization,

and it would be because

8:26

I knew of the

person who sent it.

8:30

And I can give a recent example.

8:33

And that is that

I was approached--

8:36

I actually ran into

a development person

8:40

from a school in Philadelphia

that I did have connections

8:43

with many, many years ago.

8:46

And I ran into her.

8:49

And I did know her.

8:51

And it was very nice to see her.

8:52

And she asked me this very, very

important question because I

8:54

said to her, I really

can't get involved

8:59

giving more money

to something that I

9:02

haven't been involved in yet.

9:06

And she said we'd just

like to talk to you.

9:08

We would like your advice.

9:11

And I think that is really the

most important thing someone

9:13

can say, not say anything

because then you're

9:17

going to think the only

reason they're talking to you

9:22

is because they want a gift.

9:25

But if you make it clear up

front that that at the moment

9:27

is not your interest but

I would like to listen

9:33

and all they say

is we would just

9:35

like your advice because

you've been involved,

9:38

you know what works, and we'd

love to hear what you think

9:40

about what we are doing,

which, therefore, gives them

9:44

the opportunity to show

you what they're doing

9:48

and hopefully get

you interested.

9:51

Some of the pet peeves that

I've seen in emails or requests

10:03

coming in would be the

familiarity up front,

10:07

using my first name without

really understanding who I am

10:13

or shortening my name would

be a pet peeve of mine.

10:18

Also a pet peeve of mine

is if I get multiple emails

10:22

and it reads I've tried to

reach you multiple times.

10:25

That is a pet peeve of mine.

10:30

What I'd like to see is just

being addressed formally.

10:32

I love formal emails.

10:36

And I also love to

see emails like I

10:37

said that invites me to get

to know the organization

10:40

or someone and ask me what

would be a good time for me

10:45

to set up just a quick

chat, 15 minutes, 30 minutes

10:50

as an introduction.

10:53

I actually don't mind when

someone uses my first name.

10:57

I feel like I'm young

enough that if they're

11:03

writing Dear, Mrs.

Fleischner, I'm

11:07

kind of looking for

my mother-in-law.

11:09

But an over

familiarity when you're

11:13

receiving some

correspondence from someone

11:18

who doesn't know you can

be a little off-putting.

11:21

So I would say that I

would find it off-putting

11:26

if someone really went

into my background

11:29

and it was obvious that they had

just conducted a Google search

11:35

or something along those lines.

11:38

I think that the initial

correspondence maybe

11:41

should not be so personal.

11:45

I mean, having worked in

development and fundraising,

11:47

we know what's happening

behind the scenes.

11:50

But I don't think that--

11:53

it can be a little

bit creepy when

11:56

people put too much information

in an initial correspondence

11:58

with someone.

12:04

So that would be a turnoff

or a pet peeve of mine.

12:04

And then the other

thing that I think

12:09

people don't think

about sometimes

12:12

is they assume if it's a

reference, if you're receiving

12:14

this correspondence through

a mutual donor, or colleague,

12:21

or work associate that you will

automatically take the meeting.

12:26

And that's not always the case.

12:31

And I've had some

interesting invitations

12:33

in the past just

a couple of years,

12:37

kind of in this

post-COVID landscape

12:39

that we're in where people think

that, oh, she'll automatically

12:42

take this meeting.

12:48

And sometimes it's just not a

good fit for me, and I won't.

12:49

So I'm a pretty busy

person as a CFO.

12:54

So, obviously, a

really long email, I'm

12:57

not going to have time for it.

13:00

And that's probably something

I'd dismiss pretty quickly.

13:02

know English being

my second language,

13:06

grammar and spelling are

extremely important to me.

13:10

So those have to be-- those

are a huge pet peeve for me.

13:12

And then I've received emails

that said dear, put your name

13:16

here or dear Almodovar.

13:19

And if you're going

to send me an email,

13:22

take the time to ensure that

the salutation is correct.

13:24

Dear Mr. Almodovar is

pretty appropriate.

13:29

Well, there's one

thing I guess I

13:33

would like to bring up,

which is somewhat related,

13:34

but it is all really--

13:37

it is a part of the same thing

in that if someone sends me

13:39

an email, I need to know

they know something about me.

13:42

So I think it's very

important if you

13:48

are sending an email that you

are aware of what is going on

13:51

in the lives of the

people that you're sending

13:57

this email to because

right away, it just shows

13:59

it came from a list.

14:02

And it is very hard today

because many emails,

14:04

even the ones that

come to me and say

14:07

dear Kathy, that doesn't mean,

they are actually for me.

14:10

It just means that's the

software program that works.

14:16

And you feel good about it.

14:20

But you realize that it

really isn't just for you,

14:22

that everyone has that same

email with their name on it.

14:25

So there has to be some personal

reference in that email.

14:29

It does have to be short.

14:34

It does have to be to the point.

14:36

And to your earlier question

about what kind of meeting

14:37

would you take, yes, it

would have to be a short one.

14:41

And it could start

with a telephone call.

14:44

And I can give you

another example.

14:48

Recently, I received

an email from someone

14:51

I did not know also representing

an organization that Keith

14:54

and I supported minimally

but continually for 45 years.

14:58

And he said they're

just trying to redo

15:07

how they reach out to people.

15:10

And he would love

to just talk to me

15:11

on the phone for 20 minutes.

15:13

And that was pretty

interesting because his email

15:16

was very nice.

15:19

It was very personal.

15:20

But I honestly, at this point

in my life, I'm pretty focused.

15:22

And I really couldn't afford

to go back and forth to find

15:28

the date to get the 20 minutes.

15:32

So I wrote him a very nice

email back basically saying

15:34

thank you very

much for asking me.

15:40

And I'm very excited

about what you are doing.

15:42

And I wish you lots of luck.

15:45

But I can't at this

moment say that I

15:46

would have the time to talk.

15:51

Because as a fund

giver and a fundraiser,

15:53

I think it is very important

for the person being

15:59

asked to respond.