Designing Great Emails in Mailchimp Donor Communication Workshop

Goals of Good Design Get people to open your email. Get them to read it. Get them to respond. Goals of Good Design

Traditional Format This one looks like a classic newsletter with a sidebar. It looks good in a desktop format. The picture is near the top. The giving button is easy to find. How does it look on a mobile device?

Traditional Format In Mobile Mode On a mobile phone, the sidebar and picture come after the main story. It's not the most effective format.

Formats That Work This example has a couple of things going for it. Interesting picture and title combo. Quote near the top. Action links near the top. Maybe a few improvements: Are the action links too small? Does the logo take too much space at the top?

Formats That Work Things that work: Big "17th" date draws attention to a key event. Action buttons: "I will pray" drew lots of response. Things that might have been better: Did I "bury the lead?" Title could have been stronger, clearer, perhaps.

A Photo Update If you have great pictures: use them! Tell the story in the captions.

Use Buttons to Get People Involved Buttons make it clear what you want. Buttons make it easy to act quickly on the go. I Will Pray Give Now RSVP Play Video

Types of Buttons

Plain Text Emails

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”  Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to Himself.  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. ~2 Corinthians 4:13-15

JUST TELL IT LIKE IT IS A B C By Charles Boyle

JUST TELL IT LIKE IT IS Audience Basics Content

Audience Who are your addressing Audience Who are your addressing? If you write to everyone, no one will respond.

Basics Just be yourself, share naturally Basics Just be yourself, share naturally. You’re the expert on how God is at work in your life.

Content Captivate quickly… with conciseness Content Captivate quickly… with conciseness. Give them a line to follow to the end of the story.