Last year, we embraced the Smart Brevity approach, aiming to convey more with less in both our design and writing. We wanted to see how this streamlined style would impact engagement and resonate with our audience.

Jenn, our Digital Strategist, tested this method with our Council of Trustees email list. Although open rates didn't surge, we noticed more people clicking through. She condensed text and redesigned the layout for better attention and ease of use. Here are some stats from her emails:
• Jan 4: 61% open, 6% click-through
• Dec 31: 58% open, 17% click-through
• Nov 29: 65% open, 24% click-through
• Nov 9: 63% open, 20% click-through
Allie, our Digital Engagement Officer, followed suit and achieved the highest open and click-through rates in her portfolio:
• July Engagement 2: 57.6% open, 4% click-through
• September Engagement 1: 63.5% open, 10.7% click-through
I then applied a similar approach to our Jackrabbit Philanthropy Center's engagement list and saw similar results:
• September Engagement: 48.4% open, 9.4% click-through
• November Engagement: 40.9% open, 2.4% click-through
Notably, all links in the emails received roughly the same level of engagement, around 270-290 clicks each. This approach simplifies content for donors, ensuring clarity, a clear call to action, and the option for further exploration. It aligns with our goal of effective communication, enhancing understanding and engagement.

Since launching our DEO program in 2023, we've achieved significant progress:
• Conducted 7,081 personalized engagement attempts.
• 38 prospects advanced through the qualification process.
• Currently, 105 prospects are in the qualification process.
• Our performance surpasses typical open and click-through rates in higher education and nonprofit sectors, which usually range from 20-28% open and 3-4% click-through. This distinguishes us from other nonprofits. We've also improved our content, focusing on increased audience engagement. We aim to ensure specific information reaches our constituents, encouraging them to engage with our content, especially links or videos.
• Our 2024 goal is to move 50 prospects from warm to qualified for major gifts, surpassing last year's 38. Our Student Engagement Officer will define more specific metrics and explore a more personalized approach for our mass audience.
Key Activities:
• Implemented Smart Brevity to streamline content.
• Simplified content and provide clear calls to action.
• Tested initially on the Council of Trustees audience.
Performance Indicators:
• Analyzed metrics and tracked engagement efforts.
• Engaged donors monthly and tracked interactions.
• Scored constituents for targeted connections in the solicitation phase.
Content and Engagement:
• Crafted clear and engaging content.
• Emphasized efficiency without sacrificing depth.
• Used descriptive language for visuals.
• Adopted clean and easy-to-navigate formatting.
Donor Engagement Goals:
• Tracked monthly with a structured engagement cycle.
• Offered tailored information for personalized engagement.

Email example #1: https://mailchi.mp/154eb71a9648/septengagement
Email example #2: https://mailchi.mp/77340bb07011/septengagement-686459