Cultivation Email
The Gist of It
Send value-based emails to improve supporter engagement and increase revenue.
Include value in every aspect of the email, from subject line to preheader, from email copy to calls to action.
Don’t ask for money, anywhere on the email.
Transcript
Who says every email must ask you for something. “Buy this,” “Sign the petition,” “Donate now!”
Why can’t an email give you something, instead? Well, they can and they should. Many organizations know the benefit of using email to give to you.
It’s time to take email back from the clutches of “What’s in it for my organization?” and send ones to provide value for supporters.
How, you ask? One organization uses sea slugs. Find the value of an email by going...
Introduction
Welcome to Behind the Campaign.
A showcase of the best nonprofit campaigns. Here you will get ideas, tips, and strategies to create successful campaigns for your organization.
Today, we will look at 3 emails from Ocean Conservancy. These emails share fascinating content and provide value to the supporter.
A Look at the Organization
Ocean Conservancy works with supporters to preserve the ocean from global challenges. They apply science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife that depend on it.
Since 1986, volunteers have collected over 300 million pounds of trash from beaches. They protect ecosystems and advocate for climate control. Their aim is to reduce greenhouse gas pollution to net-zero by 2050.
Here’s a look at a few emails Ocean Conservancy sends to provide value to supporters.
Inbox Preview
Notice the subject lines they use, “Small but mighty” or “You get an octopus.” Each one is unique and they create intrigue. Not the typical subject line a person expects to see in their inbox. And this is why they work well.
And when you look at the preheader you get an extension of the subject line. Ocean Conservancy uses it to go into more detail.
So often I see preheaders that offer no value. Yes, even preheaders should provide some value. You want supporters to open up your email, right?
Preheaders can help increase opens by as much as 30%, so don’t neglect them.
What is a Cultivation Email?
First, let me mention what a value-based or cultivation email is and why to send them.
If the supporter finds the content worthwhile, important, or useful and the email does not ask for money, it provides value. Another term you may heard is a cultivation email.
The email could offer a free resource or video. It can also direct them to articles they find interesting, like in the case of Ocean Conservancy.
A cultivation email helps them know more about the organization and it can make a person feel more involved with the cause. It benefits the supporter. When the supporter feels appreciated or more informed, they will respond better with the organization.
Need proof?
A test found sending one cultivation email a week led to a 21% increase in revenue. It also increased lapsed donor revenue by 14%.
Now, let’s dive into what makes this email a great cultivation email.
Cultivation Emails
The button on the top right of an email is a tactic I have seen with many organizations. However, when I see it with those organizations it always says, “Donate Now.” It becomes white noise to supporters.
However, the Ocean Conservancy does things a little different. They change the copy, depending on the value of the email. Two of the emails have a button that say “Learn more.” The other says “Download”
This is a subtle way to let the supporter know this email will not ask you for something, but is a way to give back to you.
Each email includes beautiful images. The images add context to the copy. You can see the creatures for yourself.
Yes, the text is long. That is okay because they break it up into smaller paragraphs. It is easy to read, especially on mobile.
Here is something fun about their brand voice. Instead of bullet points, they use icons. This makes reading the email enjoyable.
This is another of Ocean Conservancy’s cultivation emails, it is similar to the previous one.
Great images, readable chunks of text, icons.
Both emails also include multiple links, with great calls to action. Like “Learn how sea slugs can cut their heads off and regrow new bodies.”
They provide interesting facts, like the sea slug's tentacles allow them to “smell” or the octopus has three hearts and nine brains. This is another email with great facts.
Reading these emails makes a person smarter. The supporter knows more about the work Ocean Conservancy does and the ecosystems it protects.
The cool thing is they do it in a way that provides value.
None of these emails asks for money. They send a separate email when it is time.
Conclusion
Please send more value-driven emails. The supporter wants … needs to receive them. What is good for your supporter, is good for your organization.
Ocean Conservancy does a fabulous job at this. Each email contains great content, either to read or download. The emails are well-organized and fun. I look forward to opening and reading these types of emails.
So to Ocean Conservancy, who provide value-packed emails.
Bravo!
