662. Working Session: Make Your Year-End Emails Stand Out with Caroline Griffin

Summary

We Are For Good Podcast – Episode 662: Working Session: Make Your Year-End Emails Stand Out with Caroline Griffin

Main Theme / Purpose This episode focuses on practical, actionable strategies for nonprofit professionals to personalize their year-end donor emails. Guest expert Caroline Griffin ("Marketer on a Mission") joins hosts Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott for a deep dive into dynamic email content, segmentation, and avoiding donor fatigue, so that every recipient feels seen—not just another name on an email blast.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unique Challenge of Year-End Emailing (00:01–01:32)

• The Dilemma: Year-end is noisy in donor inboxes and a prime time for giving.
• The Opportunity: Personalization and dynamic content can help messages feel 1:1, not mass-produced.
• Caroline’s Background: Recognized for making year-end giving emails stand out, bringing for-profit digital marketing techniques into the nonprofit sector.

2. Dynamic Content: Bringing For-Profit Tactics to Nonprofits (01:33–03:22)

• Current Gap: Most nonprofits don’t leverage dynamic content—even simple merge tags—despite vast potential.
• Defining Dynamic Content: Goes beyond “Hi, [FirstName].” Pulls in donor-specific data (giving history, impact updates).

  "If you were looking at a sweater online, you're going to get an email with a picture of that sweater. ... We aren't really there yet [in nonprofits]."
  —Caroline Griffin, 01:49

3. Personalization Beyond First Name (03:23–05:18)

• Examples of Impactful Fields:
  • Amount given this year
  • Number of months as a monthly donor
  • Specific gift-related milestones
• Reactivation: Gently nudging lapsed donors with reminders of when they last gave.

  "If you can email them and say the last time you sent us a gift was November 2024... that is going to motivate me."
  —Caroline Griffin, 04:54

4. When Data Is Messy: Practical Segmentation (05:19–07:11)

• Validating Data: Always double-check what your CRM will output.
• Alternatives: Use thoughtful copy and simple segmentation if you’re unsure—e.g., “You gave last year” instead of exact dates or amounts.

  "You can use copy and be as specific as possible to fake it a little bit by segmenting."
  —Caroline Griffin, 05:32

5. Making Donors Feel Seen at Scale (07:11–08:00)

• Balance: Segment to make sure you’re not excluding anyone who should feel recognized.
• Small Group Focus: Even if you can't do it for all, doing deeper personalization for “VIPs” (major or monthly donors) matters.

6. The Power of Exclusion: Knowing When Not to Email (08:00–09:02)

• Key Rule: Don’t keep sending appeals to those who already gave.

  "Sometimes what true love looks like is leaving people alone."
  —Caroline Griffin, 08:00

• Better Practice: Exclude recent donors or send them a special thank-you version.

7. How To Operationalize Smart Segmentation (09:02–09:56)

• Practical Setup:
  • Use CRM-email platform integrations to create segments/tags (“2025 Year-End Donor”).
  • Exclude tagged donors from future appeals, automating where possible.

    "...create a segment or a tag or a list in your email tool based on people who have donated to this campaign... that list is excluded from these appeals."
    —Caroline Griffin, 09:13

8. Embodying Gratitude and Planning from the Donor’s POV (10:20–11:11)

• Donor Experience: Put yourself in their shoes. Nobody likes being asked repeatedly after already giving.

  "We would all be aggravated if we're continuing to get asked for money after we already open our hearts and our wallets."
  —Caroline Griffin, 10:32

• Simple Acknowledgements: Even a sentence at the top of your appeal—“Thanks to those who have given...”—shows recognition.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dynamic Content:
  "Very few people are using [dynamic content] in that way, especially in the nonprofit world."
  —Caroline Griffin, 01:33

• On Data Limitations:
  "If you don't feel good about any of those potential data points... you can use copy and be as specific as possible to fake it a little bit by segmenting."
  —Caroline Griffin, 05:32

• On Exclusion:
  "Every year end I make, I don't know, five to 10 gifts and I don't know that I've ever been excluded from all of the appeal emails... It really hurts my heart."
  —Caroline Griffin, 08:00

• On Donor Experience:
  "Put yourself in their slippers... they're sitting in their rocking chair, waiting to hear from you with their hot cocoa."
  —Caroline Griffin (with Becky Endicott), 10:29

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 – Introduction & why year-end emails matter
• 01:33 – What is dynamic content? Why it’s still rare in nonprofits
• 03:23 – Ideas for personalization beyond first names
• 04:54 – Nurturing and reactivating lapsed donors
• 05:32 – How to personalize when data is less than perfect
• 07:11 – Small touches: Doing what you can, for whom you can
• 08:00 – Don’t spam your existing donors: exclusion as donor love
• 09:13 – Step-by-step: Setting up segments, tags, and exclusions
• 10:20 – Donor POV: Plan with gratitude and empathy
• 11:24 – Where to reach Caroline Griffin (LinkedIn, Marketer on a Mission)

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Concluding Practical Takeaways

• Personalization is now expected, not a “nice-to-have.”
• Use all reliable data at your disposal, but segment thoughtfully if data is patchy.
• Exclude donors who’ve already given—or at minimum, acknowledge and thank them.
• Even small improvements in your email system or process will build trust and make supporters feel seen.
• “If you can't figure out the tech, there's always a workaround.” – Caroline Griffin, 10:32

For more wisdom from Caroline Griffin, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit marketeronamission.com.

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This summary encapsulates the spirit, advice, and tone of the episode, offering actionable guidance for anyone looking to upgrade their nonprofit’s year-end email approach.

Transcript

[A]

Year end is the most noisy time in donors inboxes, but it's also the time of year that they're most likely to give. That's why we wanted to dive deep into the idea of email personalization. We're not going it alone. We've invited expert Caroline Griffin, who's the marketer on a mission to come break down a few tips and tricks as we lead into year end. So every donor email cannot feel like it's being blasted, but that you're talking one to one. Welcome to working sessions on the We Are for Good podcast. In every session, we're tackling one essential topic and give you practical steps to take meaningful action within your mission. Today we're bringing you the experts and playbooks to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. Let's get to work. Caroline, I have been counting down moments to talk to you. So glad that you're here.

[B]

Oh, I'm always glad to be here.

[A]

I mean, this is so fun because when we're putting together working sessions and we're like, it's year end, you know, we're trying to get in folks's inbox, but we're trying to cut through the noise. We have to call our phone, a friend that has the most downloaded podcast on our network for like year end giving that was episode we were talking was from like three years ago. So this is kind of a refresh on some of those conversations because you're just doing really cool things around dynamic content. And I just got to. I'm going to claim my age here for a second. When I think of email, I don't think of dynamic content. Like, I think this is a very powerful shift. So excited to hear you kind of share a working session around how we can elevate our email and make it more dynamic, dare I say, or human. What would you get with that?

[B]

I think the reason we don't think of email as being dynamic content is because very few people are using it in that way, especially in the nonprofit world. Whereas in the for profit world, if you were looking at a sweater online, you're going to get an email with a picture of that sweater.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

But we aren't really there yet. But there are some very simple ways that nonprofits can connect your donor database with your email platform, or maybe they are the same platform, even, even easier. And just pull in some dynamic fields and I can explain what that means to really wow your donors.

[A]

Okay. I'm just here for this because I think this is a great unlock. When you think about like, how are we talking to donors at scale beyond just what we can personally manage and keep track in our head? We have to learn. Lean on personalization and. And I'll call out, we are for good. We are not great at this. So I am listening through the lens of we care so much about everybody in our community. How can our emails become more custom to make you realize that we recognize that you're on a different journey or that you have a different way that you connect with us? So as you think about dynamic content, like, where would you go of, like, what's the right next step for a working session of how you can add this to your flow?

[B]

So some of you listening or watching will have a donor database and an email tool that are the same that are already connected. And some of you may use two totally different tools, but maybe you can use something like Zapier, or maybe they have a native integration to talk to each other so that the donor information can be plugged into your emails. When you think about a merge tag, hey, first name. That's what we're talking about here. We're just talking about pulling in more unique or interesting tidbits of information than the first name, which has gotten a little tired.

[A]

Although we still appreciate the first name. Yeah, it comes through as insert first name here and it gets sent to everybody. So, yeah. What other fields are you looking at when you think about areas to customize?

[B]

Okay, so I have seen this done very rarely, but I have had nonprofits email me with things like your 2025 giving history, and then it plugs in the exact amount that I donated to them this year. Or maybe you've been a monthly donor with us for X number of months, contributing X number of dollars. Here's an overview of the impact you've had.

[A]

Super cool.

[B]

Yeah. And a lot of you have this information sitting kind of collecting dust in the CRM. And as long as you trust the accuracy of that data, push it back out to them because it really amazes people and allows them to reflect. Oh, yeah, I have contributed in this amazing way. Or oh yeah, I haven't given to them since last December.

[A]

I mean, I think too, you gotta think about, we're all consumers and we're all used to, at least for me, our family shops at Target a lot. It's like, I can see how much I saved this year. And there's like this growing kind of piece there. You get on your Amazon account and you can easily see your past purchases. Like, it definitely knows who you are. And I Think we almost have that expectation that we're going to be known when we show up in these spaces, even though it's really hard to accomplish probably in some cases.

[B]

Yeah. It's also a really great nudge for lapsed donors. If you can email them and say the last time you sent us a gift was November 2024. As you know, since that, then a whole lot has happened in the world and here's why the need is even greater and why we would be so grateful to have you back this holiday season. That is going to motivate me.

[A]

What about what do you do in the case when you don't trust the data? And you kind of gave me a lead there, but I'm like, I've definitely been in those spaces. When you're like, I don't really know what the database is going to pull out in that field. What do you do in that?

[B]

So if you're going to go the route of using a merge tag. Yes. You need to make sure, like look at multiple donors in your database, maybe pull a full list and make sure what it's going to spit out is correct. If you don't feel good about any of those potential data points because maybe you just switched to a new CRM or you know, there are gaps, you can use copy and be as specific as possible to fake it a little bit by segmenting. So by perhaps emailing people who gave last year end and saying, hey, you donated to us last holiday season and that gift was so meaningful, it helped us accomplish XYZ. Will you blow us away and donate 25 more dollars this December? That's not referencing exactly how much they gave, but it is acknowledging their gift and giving them something very specific to do.

[A]

Yeah, that's super smart because it's an acknowledgement, like you would say to a friend, like, hey, thank you so much for doing that. You don't have to be so specific. So that's kind of nice. Permission. So you're saying just segment of those that you don't have the data for or you don't feel comfortable. They would get a kind of a different option of an email.

[B]

Yeah. Or if, if you don't trust your data at all, you can just go the copy route segment and send. Maybe that's the email to people who donated last holiday season. Maybe there's a different version that to people who haven't donated for two years and it's like, hey, it's been at least two years since you've contributed to us. Here's an Update on what's going on over here and and why we could really use the support.

[A]

Yeah, we're not trying to add stress. Working sessions. This whole series is like getting us activated. So we don't want to spend too much time stressing. But what's going to move the needle. And that little touch of personalization feels really important.

[B]

And it may be that there's a small group where you trust the data. Like maybe you just focus on your monthly donors or your major donors and pulling in a couple of those merge tags for them to make them feel really seen and valued.

[A]

Okay. It's just so good. It's the small touch points. It's people feeling seen at scale. This is everyone matters. Our core value, number one at we are for Good is that people feel like they matter, like their gift actually made a difference here. So we were talking before, I'm really interested to what you have to say about the idea of exclusion because maybe the power is not sending certain messages to certain people. What do you have kind of to share around that topic?

[B]

Sometimes what true love looks like is leaving people alone. And I'll explain what I mean by that. If you love somebody, leave them alone. Leave them alone. What I mean by this. Every year end I make, I don't know, five to 10 gifts and I don't know that I've ever been excluded from all of the appeal emails following that gift for the rest of December. And it really hurts my heart. So at the very least I would encourage you to find a way. Ideally you can automate this to exclude people who have already supported the campaign from the rest of the emails. If you can take a next step, it would be to create versions of those appeal emails so they can still get the story content and all the the great information. But you're thanking them for making it possible instead of continuing to ask them for money.

[A]

Okay, so let's get super practical because I love that advice that it's like this feels like something we should all pour into. What does that process look like? What is the actual steps to maybe make that a little bit more personal?

[B]

It will depend slightly on your setup. Again, if your CRM and email provider are one, this might look a little different from if you need some integration set up to make this happen. But you should be able to create a segment or a tag or a list in your email tool based on people who have donated to this campaign and been tagged a certain way in your CRM. So if you can set up a Tag as a 2025 year end donor, that tag gets pulled into a list on the email side and that list is excluded from these appeals. Then you don't have to export import that list every time you're sending another email.

[A]

I mean, we're looking at you small nonprofits because we know small teams. It's super hard to think of all the things, but this could really pay off. And just building the small moments of trust of just saying, hey, we saw you and this really mattered and we're grateful. It changes the tone of the message. So, Caroline, I mean, you always come in the house with such great advice. Is there anything that you leave our audience with as we kind of round out this conversation?

[B]

I would just encourage you all to think through your year end touch points from the, from the donor slippers. As I've been saying, from the donor.

[A]

Perspective, they're sitting in their rocking chair.

[B]

Waiting to hear from you with their hot cocoa. Uh, shopping online, getting pinged. Getting pinged by you. I know it's cliche, but, like, we would all be aggravated if we're continuing to get asked for money after we already open our hearts and our wallets. So these little things do go a long way. And if you can't figure out the tech, there's always a workaround. So at the very least, at the top of your appeals, starting with thank you so much to everyone who's already supported the campaign. We're still getting our ducks in a row over here, but you know, if you're one of those people, at least acknowledge these people throughout December.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, so good, my friend. I just. We love the way you show up in the world. Your wisdom is always so practical and so fun. Honestly, will you tell everyone how you show up through Marketer on a mission? What's the best way for folks to connect with you and Where?

[B]

I'm on LinkedIn all day and night. Please connect with me, ask me questions, send me a message. And then my website is marketeronamission work and I have some freebies over there that hopefully are helpful for people.

[A]

Go check them out. Caroline's definitely one of our true Phona friends and just friends in this life. So thank you for being here today. Always an honor to hang with you.

[B]

Thank you. Happy holidays, everybody.