The 2013 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study was released late last week and it is full of fascinating information we can all use to make our 2013 communications bolder, stronger, and more impactful than ever.
Click the cover to download the whole report
Of the, as they say in a great infographic on their site “122 bajillion data points” they gathered the one that seems to be causing the most raised eyebrows is about the decline in email effectiveness. Fundraising emails saw a sharp decline in click-through rates: 27% and advocacy message click-throughs were down 14%.
So what does this mean for you? Over on Katya’s Non-profit Marketing Blog she asked Will Valverde, Vice President of Creative Development at M+R Strategic Services and co-author of this year’s Benchmarks study exactly that question. He talked about how email remains a vital means of nonprofit communication and smart nonprofits are engaging their community using different forms of communication. You can read his response and Katya’s post here.
Despite the information on the decline of email click-throughs, email list sizes are up by 15% and online giving grew 21%!
Plus, according to the study:
Monthly giving programs in particular have seen explosive growth, with revenue growing by 43%. These top-line numbers show online programs are attracting a larger audience and generating more donations than ever before. There is real reason to celebrate.
Like, Will, I still believe email is a vital and critical tool in your fundraising communication, and this study shows us we have some work to do to get our donors re-engaged with the messages we’re sending. I also believe, with bold communication and engaging stories about the people whose lives are better because of your work, you can recaptures those click-throughs!
