Tip #4 - Personalizing E-mails

Make sure that when you send e-mails asking others for help, you personalize, personalize, personalize! Everyone you know is different from one another and, therefore, should be appealed to in different ways. For example, you wouldn’t request something from your yoga instructor the same way you would from your sister or your best friend, right? Make sure you appeal to the unique emotional sides of each person as an individual.

Another important element of personalization is using names. Don’t just send a group e-mail with a general greeting such as “Hey Everyone;” instead send separate e-mails starting each one with the recipient’s first name (e.g. “Hi Diana”). This will make the addressee feel more responsibility to read and respond to your e-mail rather than brushing it aside or thinking that someone else will help you instead.

A final tip for sending e-mails is to start with those closest to you and then move to more distant relationships. This allows you to gain practice with composing e-mails asking for aid, which is a very difficult but brave thing to do. It also targets those who are most likely to donate as first priority on your contact list. If they donate before your more distant contacts view your Chance page, the ball will already be rolling, which will prompt continued donations.