What does a great email design in the nonprofit sector look like? Is it about form or about function? Which is more important: style or substance?

A well-designed email can make the difference between your readers clicking through and giving or not opening it at all.

Today, we’ll discuss the elements that go into creating a successful email in 2021, such as a catchy headline, concise language, and a simple template design.

Attract the attention of your audience.

Any non-profit that wants to raise money requires a solid email strategy. It’s a fantastic opportunity to show readers how their donations are making a difference and how you’re putting their money to good use.

The first step is to draw their attention to yourself.

From the inbox, a well-designed email with excellent copy screams out at the reader. It’s difficult to ignore and demands your attention. So, how do you accomplish this? Let’s begin at the very beginning.

The subject line should be perfect.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s a great way to come up with catchy subject lines. If you can pique your reader’s interest with inquiry, you can persuade them to open your email.

A fantastic topic line is:

• Emphasizes the advantages of opening the email

• Is succinct enough to convey the point without divulging too much information

• Is tailored to the reader

Spend some time crafting different subject lines until you discover one that fits perfectly. You only have one chance to pique your reader’s interest with the subject line, so make the most of it.

Maintain a straightforward approach.

Many individuals make the mistake of developing emails that are unnecessarily complicated. While they can look amazing, email newsletters aren’t necessarily the right format.

Simple, mobile-friendly layouts with one to three columns work well since they allow you to draw the reader’s attention to the most important parts of your email.

For various reasons, UNICEF’s email is a wonderful example:

• Readers are guided through the email using an inverted pyramid design.

• It employs vivid imagery to elicit emotional responses from readers.

• It has a clear call to action and a concise message.

Copy that is both clear and engaging

When you look at the structure of a good-converting email, you’ll notice that it has a specific feel to it. What draws readers’ attention to such emails?

It’s as simple as that: short, punchy copy.

The majority of people scan over email material rather than reading it in its full. This can be exploited to your advantage. Simply create blocks of text using eye-catching language in your email.

Keep them reading until they reach to the most critical part—the call-to-action—after the first sentence has piqued their interest. This is usually a request for a gift in the non-profit sector.

It’s worth devoting a few words to the impact of COVID-19 on nonprofits and email marketing. COVID-19 has put a lot of pressure on charity. Vulnerable people are in much worse shape, which is something you can openly discuss with your audience.

During the epidemic, open rates, click-through rates, and email signups have all increased, so consider how to make the most of your email list through design and content curation.

Content that is well-organized

Finally, the order in which you present the items in your email is critical.

Use the inverted pyramid technique to draw the attention of your readers to the areas of your email that contain the most crucial information.

That means starting with an attention-getting headline, followed by a few phrases of supporting information, and concluding with a clear call to action at the bottom of the pyramid (i.e. click here).

Finally

You now know how to create an email that sticks out and encourages people to donate. You’ve learned how to keep readers’ eyes on the screen, how to use simple templates to focus reader attention, and how to write clear copy.

But, before you launch your charitable email campaign, read our ultimate guide to email campaign design.