3 Reasons Why Newsletters Don't Get Read

Newsletters are still a major part of most nonprofits’ marketing plans for planned giving, and for good reason—when done right, newsletters are well-read and are an excellent way to elicit response from some highly qualified prospective donors. But readers get turned off when newsletters make one of the three errors described below.

1. Boring Headlines and Photos
The draft headline on a recent donor story for a Pentera client, “Alumnus Gives Scholarship,” failed the “so what” test: Lots of alumni give scholarships, so what’s special about this one? The headline was improved to “Scholarship Honors Alum’s Father,” which is likely to double the readership because it creates an emotional bond with the reader. Scholarship stories are predictable; honoring a parent is emotionally powerful.

2. Canned, Stale Text
You may frequently utilize articles from outside experts such as Pentera, but you risk losing readership if your readers don’t view you as their source. Some planned giving firms are much better equipped than others to help you customize copy so that it truly is yours, and Pentera leads the industry in this capability.

3. Hidden Call to Action
Each newsletter should have a “call to action”—encouraging the reader to respond by returning a reply card or going to a Web site—and it shouldn’t be hidden away deep inside the newsletter. The placement of the call to action makes a huge difference.

Contact Pentera for more information on how to make your newsletter the successful marketing piece it should be.