Individuals are more inclined to support organizations that share their values and actively engage with them. When interacting with current and prospective members, organizations should strive to be appealing in every way, from their marketing campaigns, to their welcome kits, to their future announcements and offers.
When an individual decides to support your organization, it is important that you keep them enthused with your organization and cater to their preferences by personalizing your content. Using personalization methods in your marketing campaigns and future content can help you attract and retain new and current members and donors.
Why You Should Be More Personal
Making your content more personal can help you tailor messages to specific individuals while also showing each individual that they are valued by your organization. An individual is more likely to respond to content that is unique and personalized for them rather than content that is generic. If an individual receives a letter from your organization simply stating “Dear member,” they’ll know that the content is generic and mass-produced, and in turn, may become less interested in your organization. Even starting a letter off with “Dear Sally” can show an individual that your organization values them and they’ll be more likely to respond.
With that said, you should ensure that your call-to-actions are strong as well to effectively engage with members. When creating your content, consider questions such as “what do I want the individual to do after receiving it?” By asking yourself this question, you can customize your call-to-actions appropriately, ensuring the message is well-received by the recipient.
You should avoid using generic call-to-actions, especially if you want different responses from some of your members. Your call-to-actions should be personalized and action-oriented. They should evoke a response or reaction from your members.
Let’s say you sent a letter to an individual and you want them to donate to a food pantry your organization is supporting. A bad call-to-action would be: “If you want to support the food pantry, you are able to donate.” This call-to-action is vague, basic, and most importantly, does not evoke a reaction from the member. Instead, you will want to say something like this: “Donate to the food pantry now, John, using this form!” This version is more direct, personal, and clear and the first word is an action word, which will arouse a reaction from the member.
Overall, being more personal with your call-to-actions allows you to attract prospective members and retain the interest of existing members. Being more personal with your content shows each member that they are valuable to your organization and are more than just a number. When organizations use personalization, they can experience a number of benefits such as:
- Donation increases
- Increases in membership
- Stronger organization support
- Brand affinity
When organizations take the time to effectively appeal to individuals with direct, personalized call-to-actions and content, they are sure to see more responses and support from their members.
Valtim Can Help You Engage With Your Members
On average, you have less than 6 seconds to catch someone’s attention. Make the best of that time by making your call to action personalized and highly relevant. Let Valtim help by developing creative and personal approaches to engaging your members and donors.
