1. Everything E-Mail!
Welcome to the Brown Bag Luncheon!
Grab a handout, take a seat, and feel free to munch
during the talk.
Desserts and drinks are available at the front.
We will begin shortly!
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

2. Everything E-Mail!
What’s New in Annual Giving?
• We are taking more of a multi-channel approach
starting September
• More emails will be sent by Annual Giving
• Schedules and plans will be sent in August
• And remember – email services from Annual Giving is
always free!
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

3. Everything E-Mail!
General Best Practices
• Keep it mobile friendly – mobile readership has
tripled since 2009*
• Make the From recognizable and consistent
• Branding shows professionalism and legitimacy
• Beware oversaturation
• Segment and target your audience
• Track performance to see what works and what
doesn’t
• Test, test, test!
Source: Informz whitepaper, 2012
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

4. Everything E-Mail!
UT’s E-Mail Clients
16%
Yahoo
39% Gmail
15% Hotmail
mail.utexas.edu
AOL
12% Other
8%
10%
Source: VIP 2011
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

5. Everything E-Mail!
iModules
• E-mail software for the university
• Syncs with VIP for e-mail addresses
• Events and Communities
• Development Office can create design, lists (queries)
• Support: imodules-email-support@utlists.utexas.edu
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

6. Everything E-Mail!
Subject Lines
• Be clear about the contents of the e-mail
• Keep under 30 characters for mobile
• Customize by audience (parents, donors, alumni)
• Avoid keywords which look like spam
• Use dates to drive urgency
• Test, test, test!
Newsletter: July/August 2012
A special centennial takes bloom
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

7. Everything E-Mail!
Content
• Clear call to action
• Personalize when possible, but know the limits of the
system
• Important information should be above the fold
• Space links for taps as well as clicks
• Make links descriptive (“fueling bodies, funding
minds” vs. “click here”)
• Short, narrow, and sweet!
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

8. Everything E-Mail!
Why a Solicitation?
• Fundraising for one particular cause
• Clear timeframe to reach goal
• Specific, targeted audience
• Small dollar goal
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

9. Everything E-Mail!
McDonald Observatory End of Year Solicitation
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

10. Everything E-Mail!
Why a Newsletter?
• “Don’t just ask me for money!”
• Shares information about what’s current in your area
• Makes solicitations not look like they are out of the
blue
• Links to articles on your website, increasing traffic
• Link tracking self-identifies your audience’s interests
• Soft ask can result in a few gifts
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

11. Everything E-Mail!
School of Nursing Semester Newsletter
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

12. Everything E-Mail!
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

13. Everything E-Mail!
Gift Buttons
• Give the opportunity to give!
• Link can be customized to your initiative on the online
giving page
• Placement depends on the type of e-mail
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

14. Everything E-Mail!
Footers
As part of CAN-SPAM, your footer MUST have:
• Mailing address (physical address preferable)
• Unsubscribe information
It’s good to include:
• Links to Contact and Privacy Policy
• Their e-mail address to know where it was sent
• Social media links
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

15. Everything E-Mail!
Annual Giving E-Mail Statistics (Fiscal Year to Date)
• E-mails sent: 998,457
• Average open rate: 20.48%
• Average click-through rate: 12.13%
• Unsubscribe rate: 0.21%
Comparison*:
• Average open rate: 23.4%
• Average click-through rate: 2.2%
Source: Convio Online Marketing Nonprofit Benchmark Index Study 2012
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012

16. Everything E-Mail!
Annual Giving Services
• Design, content, custom data, send e-mails, reporting
• Solicitations, newsletters, information campaigns
• Contact: Tod Francis and Bianca Bickford
Web Infrastructure Team Services
• List building (queries), send e-mails, iModules support
and training
• Invitations and announcements
• Contact: Jeremy Cumbo and Ryan Beavers
bianca@austin.utexas.edu June 2012