Cultivating Engagement From New List Members

MRSS' Eve Fox offers some great -- and counter-intuitive -- advice on how to cultivate new list members.

MRSS' Eve Fox has written a clear, concise guide to what kinds of messages you should send to get new email list members engaged with your organization.  Eve writes:

If your goal is to cultivate good activists and/or donors, it seems you might be better served by skipping the "welcome" message(s) altogether. Data from tests we recently conducted for several of our nonprofit clients has shown that "welcome" messages are not the most effective first communication for new subscribers.

So What Does Work?
It might seem way too easy, but it appears that a typical action alert or fundraising appeal on your most current, most compelling issue/campaign is far more effective at engaging new list members – and retaining them – than a well-crafted welcome message!

Bottom line: skip the small talk, and get right to an ask!