Opt-in email can be an effective tool for building traffic to your site, creating awareness for your organization or issue, announcing new initiatives or campaigns, or soliciting donations from your target audience. People "opt-in" to email lists when they voluntarily register to receive information about a list of topics they choose. If the people on a list have not opted-in to it, they are likely to treat any message they receive as SPAM.

SPAM is unsoliticited email, and no one likes to receive it, no matter how targeted it is. Sometimes companies compile and rent lists of email users without first getting the recipients' permission to put them on these lists. Many of these companies insist that they are not participating in SPAM techniques because the recipients on their list have the option to unsubscribe, or "opt-out" of the list. However, the recipients on these lists typically disagree and consider the messages they receive from these companies to be SPAM. If your message is treated as SPAM, it will solicit a negative, rather than a positive response. So make sure any email campaign you undertake uses opt-in lists rather than opt-out lists. There's a big difference!

The following explanation of opt-in email campaigns is geared toward businesses, but the information is nevertheless helpful for nonprofits. You're not selling a product in the same way a company is, but you want a potentially interested group of people to become aware of your services and your mission.

You'll learn where to find email lists and how to write your message.

Opt-in email lists are available to rent for a fee at sites like PostmasterDirect. Because the people on these lists have chosen to receive email messages related to your topic, response rates average around 5% but can sometimes reach 30% or more. The cost to rent a list ranges from $0.10 to $0.40 per email address. The potential for a good response combined with the relatively low cost make opt-in email advertising one of the most cost effective ways to distribute your message online. There are lists covering numerous subjects geared to both consumers and business. Some other resources for opt-in email list rental are:

Now let's learn how to write your message.

URLs: Repeat your URL more than once. Include it close to the top of the message and at the end. If you use an offer, link directly to the section of your site that lists the specifics of the offer. For example, if you offer a free newsletter, link directly to the page where they can sign up for it.

Keep it short: The most successful messages are no longer than one screen of text. Reading text on a screen is more difficult than reading printed text. Many people will delete long messages without even reading them. Use short sentences and action verbs to reach your point quickly. Email writing tends to be informal, so don't include headings, addresses, and greetings. Use only 4-6 lines per paragraph, and the entire message should be no more than 15-20 lines.

Focus on one point: Develop your message around one strong point or offer. Trying to convey more than one point can easily confuse your readers.

Example points/offers:

• Send a free fax your representative about XYZ law
• New AdApp
• Free newsletter
• Important vote on XYZ issue coming up
• Now accepting donations online
• Annual fundraiser fast approaching
• Online business donating percentage of sales to your organization next week

Keep it personal: People relate and respond to words like "you" and "your." When they see these words, they identify with the message better.

Write to inform, not to sell: People want information, not advertisements. Offer them relevant and useful information, and they will have a good reason to click through to your site.

Use a catchy subject line: Using strong action words in your subject line will increase the number of people who actually read your message. Boring subject lines can lead to the automatic deletion of your message. Include your point/offer in the subject when possible, but don't use the word "free." If the recipient sets up filters in their mail program to catch SPAM (unsolicited email), the filter will often automatically delete messages with the word "free" in the subject line.

Call to action: Always include a direct call to action. Some popular tactics include asking the prospective donor or supporter to sign up for a newsletter, visit your site, send a fax to their congressional representative, or offer you feedback. Example: Visit the American Civil Liberties Union website today and download the Bust Card.

Proofread carefully: Words are your best chance to create a lasting impression on potential customers. Never send a targeted message without having it proofread first.

Now let's find out how to promote your website with an offline advertising campaign.