Tips To Improve Email Communications
Email is a fast, affordable and effective way to reach members and the general public, but it should only be one arrow in your quiver when it comes to getting the word out. Having a communications strategy that includes print communications, a robust social media effort, and the power of local media to increase your reach is essential.
When planning your email communications, use these resources to help you make the most of your efforts:
Pros & Cons of Email Communications
The advent of email was a game changer for TU chapters and councils, allowing them to quickly and affordably send communications to their members – whereas in the past they relied primarily on printed and mailed monthly newsletters. However, email is also a double-edged sword in terms of its ability to reach all of your members.
A typical chapter with around 300 members may have only 250 members who have provided email addresses to TU, and often around 15% of those email addresses are out of date. This means, when you send an email to your members, you’re only sending the message to around 215 people. Additionally, only 30-40% of email recipients open the messages you send, which further reduces your reach and means only about 65-85 people open the email.
If your chapter relies almost entirely on email to communicate, you could well be only reaching 25-30% of your members with your emails, leaving behind 215 or more members who just aren’t hearing from you!