1.3 Sending Email

Send concise and compelling email - Email blasting is the easiest way to get in touch with all of your club members, but don’t forget what recipients experience! Alumni get a ton of email, so ask yourself: (1) Is an email blast necessary? (2) If so, is the email drafted to rise above the fray? Here are some best practices for sending email:

• Less is more - Emails that contain a concise ask or invitation are often more effective than longer newsletter-style emails. Photos, too many links, and too many colors also increase the chances that your email will be inadvertently marked as spam by the recipient’s email service.
• Learn about communication preferences - Consider asking alumni to express interest in receiving certain types of email content (eg. event announcements), and email them accordingly.
• Create a few different Broadcasters - Think of “Broadcasters” as being the different voices of your club. When creating an email blast, you can send email from your default Broadcaster or create an alternate Broadcaster. For example, if an email contains a general invitation to the club holiday party, you might send from your default. If it is a more personal invitation, send it using a personalized Broadcaster, eg. “Jane Doe, Wharton Club of New York.”
• Keep track of how well your emails are doing - After your emails have gone out, be sure to keep an eye on how many people are opening them and clicking on your links. Open/click rates of about 20% opened and 10% clicked are considered industry average, and many clubs do far better. If you’re not getting satisfactory open rates, consider adjusting your subject lines. If you’re not getting satisfactory click rates, edit your email body to clarify the one URL you want recipients to click. Finally, if you’re getting high spam or bounced rates, be sure to talk to your Wharton staff liaison.
• Learn more - http://nationbuilder.com/how_to_create_an_email_blast