Email marketing is a powerful tool that can be used for both profit and non-profit organizations.
Let’s face facts: With the rise of the internet and social media, people are seeking ways to reduce their ecological impact while also being able to make a difference. More and more people are seeking to find a way to contribute to society without having to sell their souls to corporate America.
Non-profit email marketing services make it easy for even the smallest of organizations to have a robust email marketing strategy that benefits their cause.
If your organization is interested in leveraging the power of email marketing but needs some help figuring out which service to choose, read on. We’ll outline the steps to take in order to find the best non-profit email marketing service for your organization.
Set A Budget
One of the most important things you need to do before you begin your search for a non-profit email marketing service is to set a budget. Just because there are thousands of services out there doesn’t mean you have to rush to choose the cheapest option.
Remember: The more you spend the more you’ll get. So don’t be afraid to set a high price tag if this is what your organization can afford. At the same time, be sure to compare the price tag against the features and benefits that you’ll get with the service. Setting a budget won’t be easy. But at least you’ll be able to choose a service that won’t bankrupt your organization.
Determine Your Goals
The next step is to determine your goals for the campaign. Do you want to attract more supporters? Gain better understanding of your audience’s needs? Or maybe you’d just like to get some cool new shirts.
No matter what your reasons for wanting to get into email marketing, there’s a service out there that can help. You don’t need to do this alone. Reach out to the experts at the email marketing firm you’ve decided to work with and ask them for help in determining your goals.
Understand The Differences
One of the most important things you need to do before choosing a service is understand the differences between the various types of email marketing available. Some services are more designed to help you build and grow your email list, while others are more focused on sending out valuable emails to your subscribers.
If the former is important to you, be sure to check out services that offer list building as well as the ability to send regular emails to your subscribers. These are all important factors to consider if you want to choose the right service for your organization.
Create A Plan
Once you’ve decided on the type of service you need and have determined your budget, it’s time to create a plan. This plan should include everything from the date the campaign will begin to when you’ll stop using the service. Be sure to write down everything you need in order to execute the plan. This will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.
You’ll typically need to sign up for an account with the company you’ve decided to work with. Once you’ve done that, browse through their website to get a sense of their other services and whether or not they’re a good fit for your needs. While you’re there, look for blogs and news articles that speak to your niche. This will give you a good idea of whether or not you’ll be able to find the help you need from the company.
You can also ask for a demo account. Many companies will provide you with a demo account so you can try out their service and see how it works for yourself. Just make sure you’re not going to use this account for any crucial emails. This is just a demo account, don’t expect it to have all the features of their full-fledged product.
Choose The Right Platform
There are two main platforms you need to choose from when considering which non-profit email marketing service to use: WordPress and Gmail.
If you’re already familiar with WordPress, feel free to choose this platform. It’s a popular and versatile content management system that can be used to build almost any website imaginable. And did we mention it’s free?
Gmail is one of the most popular email platforms in use today. With more than 500 million monthly active users, it’s clear that plenty of people are using this service. And did we mention it’s free?
While both of these platforms are great choices, you need to consider a few things before you make your decision.
First, both of these services have a free version. The difference is that with Gmail, you have to pay for each additional email address. With WordPress, you can have one free account and one paid account. The paid account gives you additional features and tools that the free account doesn’t have.
The next thing to consider is whether or not you want to host your emails on your own server or if you want to use a service like Amazon’s AWS. Using a hosted solution such as Amazon’s AWS is the most recommended way to go because it makes managing multiple servers much easier. And what’s more, you don’t need to be sure your emails are staying secure since they’re being hosted by a third party.
Look At Reviews And Ratings
Last but not least, be sure to look at reviews and ratings for the service you’ve decided to use. Third party reviews can be found by simply searching for the service’s name in Google.
Although it’s not always the case, the reviews will give you a good idea of how others feel about the service. This is extremely important because it means you’re not alone in finding the service lacking. When choosing a car or house, we always look at reviews first before making a decision. The same goes for choosing a non-profit email marketing service. So, read the reviews carefully and make sure to look at both positive and negative reviews.
Final Takeaway
Choosing the right non-profit email marketing service is not as easy as it seems. It’s important to consider a number of different factors, including the price, the features, and the quality of the service as well as its customer support. Research as much as you can about the companies you’re considering working with and be sure to read reviews from other customers so you can get a good sense of whether or not their service is right for you.