The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email

Book excerpt: Perhaps you're skeptical.After reading the title of this book, you?re saying: ?Sure, Red Cross and Salvation Army can raise tons of money with email, but my agency isn?t a brand name. You?re telling me I can do the same!?? Well, no. Author Madeline Stanionis isn?t claiming that. She?s President of Donordigital, not Pollyanna. What she is saying is that you can raise a healthy amount - thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars - if you approach email fundraising with a measure of intelligence and creativity.And you?ve got to hand it to Stanionis. Any consultant who would give away the store as she does in this book has something grander in mind than her own self interest.And give away the store is what the author does. Generously dispensing advice, insider tips, and recommendations she usually commands tidy sums for, Stanionis reveals precisely what you need to do, step by step, to raise substantial money with email.And while it?s not as simple as sending hastily written emails every week or month, neither is it unduly complicated or time-consuming.At heart, raising thousands of dollars with email is all about building your list, using timing to your advantage, crafting a series of coherent messages, presenting your email in a visually appealing way, and carefully observing your returns for clues that can guide your future efforts.That?s it really. And any organization following Stanionis? trenchant advice will see immediate results.Further, there?s plenty of material in the book to customize and adapt, as Stanionis offers a wealth of sample emails from diverse organizations.And taking it a step further, in the Resources section of the book, the author shows you how to identify just the help you might need (a "messaging vendor" who can send your emails, for example).Other books talk about ?Internet fundraising," which usually encompasses e-commerce strategies such as online shopping malls and auctions. That?s all well and good, but many of us want to know one simple thing - how can we raise more money with email? And do it now? Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email puts that question to rest.