In March of 2020, the HSNB was closed to the public due to the Coronavirus. At that time we did not know the ramifications - that this virus would turn into a worldwide pandemic and change our lives forever. Those of us who could, learned how to work remotely, while others lost their jobs. All of us gained a newfound appreciation for human connection. And many of us turned to our beloved pets for emotional support.

 

But the homeless dogs and cats housed at the shelter still needed our daily care and feeding and sadly more animals were coming in each day.

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On March 29, 2020, I wrote and sent out our first plea for help from our community. It received a 32.8% open rate and a 4.8% CTR.

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On April 8, 2020, I wrote and sent out this follow-up email.

Its performance was even stronger with an incredible 49.2% open rate and a 5.2% CTR.

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These first two communications raised over $10,000 for our shelter with an average donation of $167.

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Lessons learned: Personalize the ask

• Address your donor by name

• Include a photo of an animal in the shelter 

• Tell his or her unique story and situation

• Stick to the point

• Ask multiple times

• Name the person asking

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