Podcast Summary:

What the Fundraising – Episode 281: Smarter Email Strategies for Fundraising with Ashley Budd
Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Mallory Erickson
Guest: Ashley Budd

Episode Overview

This episode explores smarter, more human-centered email strategies for fundraisers, with digital marketing and higher education expert Ashley Budd. Mallory and Ashley dismantle common email marketing myths, warn against the pitfalls of over-automation (especially with generative AI like ChatGPT), and provide actionable recommendations to create empathetic, effective, and authentic email communications. The conversation centers on balancing quality versus quantity, the critical role of trust and empathy, and why authenticity and audience alignment matter more than ever.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ashley Budd’s Email Philosophy

• Ashley’s path from working in university enrollment to nearly 13 years in advancement at Cornell, extensive consulting, and her recent book focused on email communication (01:49–02:59).
• The motivation behind her email-centric work: "I really fell in love with marketing because it's predictable. And we can go through a whole cycle analysis about why predictability and me—it's like, probably a therapy session—why I love things that are predictable so much." (03:18)

2. The Perils of Generative AI and “Wrong Stuff Faster”

• Hot take on AI tools like ChatGPT: While helpful, they recycle dated or ineffective marketing tactics, making bad email easier and quicker to produce (05:42).
  • Quote: "Wrong stuff faster, I think was the main fear that I had, because ... the tools are going to model based off of what they've seen out there in the world. There's just so much junk out there and so much stuff that's, like, not effective." – Ashley (05:42)
• Ashley and co-author Jake Hibbald created a custom GPT based on effective, modern email rules to help people learn rather than over-rely on AI (06:30).

3. Authenticity, Purpose, and Human-Led Writing

• The heart of good fundraising email is always human intention. Email shouldn’t be a box to check off, but a purposeful communication to create impact on the reader (08:27).
  • Quote: "The point is not to send an email on Tuesday. The point is for me to write to my people." – Mallory (08:39)
• Quality over arbitrary consistency. Ashley supports using AI as a tool, not a crutch: "It just has not cut back on time. And that's because I am making sure that I am the writer at the end of it and I am the copy editor." (09:30–10:45)
• Emphasize brevity and directness in one-to-one communications. Overly formal or verbose emails (often produced by humans and AI) are less effective than transparent asks (11:15–12:37).

4. Teaching Email Best Practices at Scale

• The custom GPT helps train staff to write clearer, shorter, more actionable emails: "We change your subject line to something that was, like, totally non-informative to exactly what people need to know is in the email." – Ashley (13:03)
• The tool offers not just a draft but feedback and explanation, fostering skill-building (13:15).

5. Quality vs. Quantity & Authentic Channel Choices

• Volume vs. value: Don't get trapped by marketing myths advocating relentless consistency if it isn’t authentic to your organization (16:23).
• Identity alignment: Only pursue the channels and frequencies that fit your org and audience (16:23–18:30).
  • Quote: "What is authentically you and your organization? ... There's no reason for you to chase those same ideals. That's not authentically who you are." – Ashley (16:29)

6. The “Trust Triangle”: Authenticity, Empathy, Logic

• Derived from Frances Frei and Anne Morriss: Balance authenticity, empathy, and logic; wobbles in any angle erode trust (18:45).
• Short, punchy, and clear emails are an act of empathy in today’s crowded inboxes. "I'm showing up with this very short, punchy email for you as, like, an empathy play because I know ... it's not pretty out there." (19:15)

7. Empathy-Driven Calls to Action

• Move beyond generic “Give Now”/“Learn More” CTAs.
• Be specific and honest about timing, urgency, and what the reader stands to gain: "Tell me what the deadline is... help me rationalize what it is you're asking me to do rather than all the fake urgency." – Ashley (21:01)

8. Disarming Unsubscribes & Respecting Overwhelm

• Use self-aware, empathetic opt-outs in the visible PS (not just the fine print) to reassure and empower subscribers (23:21).
  • Quote: "It's so disarming for people as they're about to rage unsubscribe ... to see a message that is like we understand." (23:21)
• People expect—and sometimes need—reminder or follow-up emails; it’s more supportive than annoying (24:42).

9. Dealing with Ghosting and List Hygiene

• Ghosting often reflects capacity, not disinterest. Build in periodic, candid “breakup” emails and conscious opt-outs (27:51–29:48).
  • Quote: "I don't want my name associated with that feeling ... I will send to a list of people who haven't engaged ... If I don't hear from you, I'm gonna remove you." (28:30)
• It's kinder to focus on responsive, engaged audiences than to cling to legacy numbers (30:57).

10. Segmentation & Specificity Enable Better Content

• The more focused your audience, the clearer and more specific your messaging can be. Mass communication leads to generic, less effective emails (32:19–34:59).
  • Example: Renewal campaigns work only for recent donors, not lapsed; broadened messages dilute effectiveness.

11. Balancing Planning with Agility

• Let campaigns run their course—digital behaviors have shifted, so patience and planning are crucial. Last-minute surges are now common; don't panic-send (35:36–37:30).
• Monitor for true red-flag metrics (e.g., sub-20% open rates), otherwise trust the plan.
• Campaigns should take recipients through stages: awareness, connection, and then action (37:43).

12. Managing Crises and Sensitive Moments

• There’s always something happening in the world; don’t default to silence during crises. Modify your message, but don’t disappear (38:37–42:14).
  • Quote: "The answer is yes, you should maybe change what you're communicating. But the practice of suppressing people from communication... I really don't like the university making that decision for people." – Ashley (40:04)
• Use empathy and context; let subscribers decide if/when to pause.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Wrong stuff faster, I think was the main fear that I had." – Ashley (05:42)
• "The point is not to send an email on Tuesday. The point is for me to write to my people." – Mallory (08:39)
• "We know your inbox is crowded. ... I'm showing up with this very short, punchy email for you as, like, an empathy play." – Ashley (19:15)
• "It's so disarming for people as they're about to rage unsubscribe ... to see a message that is like we understand." – Ashley (23:21)
• "I don't want my name associated with that feeling ... I will send to a list of people who haven't engaged ... If I don't hear from you, I'm gonna remove you." – Ashley (28:30)
• "When you talk to that audience and say, you showed up last year, like, I need you to do it again right now. You can be so specific." – Ashley (33:30)
• "The effectiveness is in that audience and that specific message. And once you try to broaden that, it becomes less specific to the person that you're speaking to." – Ashley (34:20)

Important Timestamps for Segments

• [03:18] – Ashley on why she fell in love with digital marketing and email.
• [05:42] – Fears of using generative AI for email—making wrong stuff faster.
• [08:27–09:30] – Intentionality behind sending emails; quality over arbitrary cadence.
• [11:15–12:37] – Effective one-on-one communications: brevity and transparency.
• [13:15–14:33] – Using AI as a teaching tool, not a crutch; skill-building.
• [16:23–18:30] – Aligning consistency and channel choices to organizational identity.
• [19:27–21:01] – Empathy in crowded inboxes; call-to-action best practices.
• [23:21] – Self-aware opt-out strategies and their impact on subscriber trust.
• [27:51–29:48] – Handling ghosting and list hygiene with empathy and clarity.
• [30:57–34:59] – Focused segmentation, audience clarity, and specific messaging.
• [35:36–37:43] – Balancing campaign planning with agility and trust in results.
• [38:37–42:14] – Crisis communication, when (and how) to adapt during external events.

Resources & Further Learning

• Ashley Budd’s Email Resources & Custom GPT: emailbook.co
• Connect with Ashley Budd on LinkedIn
• Mallory Erickson’s Power Partners Formula (for nonprofit fundraising support)

This episode is a must-listen for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers seeking practical, empathetic, and modern guidance for email marketing—cutting through the noise of both the inbox and the latest tech trends, while focusing on relevance, resonance, and relationship.