An informative newsletter is one of the best ways for associations and nonprofits to keep members and supporters interested throughout the year. Members, Donors, volunteers, and others who contribute to your cause are much more likely to be emotionally invested if they stay up to date on your activities. But all the work you put into creating an engaging newsletter won’t help at all if you don’t have an active subscriber list.
Growing that list isn’t easy, though. It takes time to build a solid list of subscribers who are actually interested in the work you’re doing. Here are a few ways to build your newsletter subscription list quickly.
How to Increase Your Subscriber List Organically
Don’t Be Spammy
Even if you’re in a hurry to add members, avoid doing things that will give your organization a bad name. Don’t automatically add donors or volunteers to your list, forcing them to check a hard-to-find box to opt out. Don’t fill your newsletter with requests for donations. And most importantly, once you have a list, make sure you follow all regulations related to email marketing.
Make It Easy
If you want signups, the best way to get them is to make it easy for supporters to get on your list. Use an email subscription popup on your website and include a link in the bio of each of your organization’s social media sites. At in-person events, have a clipboard or computer on your table that invites those who stop by to sign up to get your newsletter.
Give an Incentive
One quick way to build an email list is to give people an incentive to sign up. Create a special new subscribers discount for special events or training. Hold a contest with a good prize, with the entrant drawn from a list of those who join your newsletter list during a certain time period.
Tease Content on Social Media
Your newsletter content is your best asset when it comes to adding new subscribers. Tease each issue’s articles through individual social media posts. Your online followers who want to read more on each topic will sign up to get access. This is especially effective if you include information that’s relevant to your members or prospects.
Encourage Referrals
Those who already read your newsletter are likely to be its biggest advocates. Offer an incentive to current members when they refer a new subscriber. Give a reward or discount to both the referrer and the person who signed up to incentivize both parties to participate. The better deal you can offer, the more likely you’ll be to have subscribers who go the extra mile to add people.
Building a subscriber list takes time, but if you have patience and work hard at it, you’ll likely find the people who sign up are interested in your association. Instead of having people who sign up and opt out soon after, you’ll have a list of subscribers who not only read your content but are engaged with your membership group as well.