At a time when hundreds of non-profit organizations are competing for the same people’s attention, it is more important than ever to create campaigns that not only reach – but also touch, engage and lead to action. Digital communication through email marketing and SMS have become indispensable tools in this effort.
As a leading SaaS digital communications company, we have helped many organizations reach their goals. In this guide, we share insights and practical advice on how to maximize the impact of your fundraising campaign – from planning to analysis.
1. Set clear and measurable goals
Start by defining what you want to achieve. It’s not just about how much money you want to raise, but also about:
- Number of new donors
- Level of engagement (e.g. opening rate of mailings)
- Number of shares on social media
Having clear objectives makes it easier to plan the campaign and evaluate its success. Our platform offers built-in tools to track and visualize these metrics in real time.
2. Get to know your target audience
To communicate effectively, you need to know:
- Who your donors are
- What motivates them
- How they prefer to communicate
By using segmentation, you can customize messages for different groups. For example, younger donors may prefer SMS with short, concrete messages, while older audiences prefer to read longer emails with strong stories.
3. Use the power of email and SMS
Direct communication via email and SMS allows you to reach out quickly and personally. Use these channels to:
- Send invitations to participate in the campaign
- Tell engaging stories about your work and its impact
- Provide updates on how the fundraising is going (create community!)
- Thanking donors personally after their contribution
Example: A client organization increased its return rate by 32% by automating thank you messages through our platform.
Customer case: Mayflower's digital journey with Rule
An inspiring example of how digital communication can transform a fundraising campaign is Majblomman’s collaboration with Rule. Majblomman, a non-profit organization working to combat child poverty in Sweden, faced the challenge of recovering from reduced physical sales during the pandemic. They realized the need to create continuity in fundraising all year round and establish an ongoing communication with their target audience.
By implementing the Rules communication platform, Majblomman:
- Introduce newsletters as a new channel to reach both donors and volunteers
- Launching a digital product The Digital Cornflower – that reached new audiences
- Increase volunteer engagement and strengthen relationships with their target audience
The year 2024 was a record year for Mayflower, partly thanks to these digital initiatives. Newsletters had open and click-through rates well above the industry average. The increased digital presence also contributed to a stronger and more long-term engagement.
4. Optimize for mobile use
Today, the majority of email opens and SMS reads are done via mobile phones. Therefore, all content must be mobile-friendly:
- Short texts
- Clear and clickable buttons
- Responsive design
With our templates, you don’t need to be a designer to create beautiful, mobile-friendly mailings that work on all screens.
5. Measure, learn and improve
Campaigning doesn’t stop when the first mailing is done – that’s when it starts. Follow up:
- Opening and clicking frequencies
- Conversion rate (how many people actually donate)
- Response to different types of messages
Feel free to A/B test different subject lines, messages and mailing days. Our platform makes it easy to collect and act on data.
6. Build trust through transparency
All digital communications must comply with data protection rules like the GDPR. But it’s also about more than law – it’s about relationships.
- Be clear about how you handle personal data
- Allow donors to control how they want to be contacted
- Communicate openly about how the money is used
Transparency builds trust – and trust leads to long-term giving.
Concluding thoughts - and next steps
An effective fundraising campaign requires more than a good message – it requires strategy, technology and an understanding of your target audience. With the right tools, you can not only reach out, but create real impact.
Want to take the next step?
Contact us for a free demo of Rule, or test our platform for free. Together we can create campaigns that engage – and make a difference.
