Have you ever wondered:
Who are we really emailing?
Is it:
Active donors?
Past donors who haven’t given in years?
Volunteers?
Former beneficiaries?
People with lived experience connected to your mission?
Community supporters who’ve never donated?
Each of these groups cares about your mission—but for different reasons.
For example, people with lived experience may be most interested in emerging research, education, or practical guidance related to the condition they face and volunteers want to see how their time creates change.
Why this clarity matters
Understanding these differences helps you craft messages that speak directly to each group’s motivations—ensuring your communications feel relevant, meaningful, and engaging rather than generic.
Even within these groups, demographics matter. Are your donors mainly baby boomers with a higher disposal income — who are retiring, selling businesses, or simply looking to give back —or are they Gen Z—digital-first, values-driven, seeking transparency?
Trying to speak to both at once waters down your message and often resonates with no one. That’s why defining one clear audience, or avatar, is essential before sending any email.
An avatar is simply a clear picture of the primary person you’re writing to. One reader. One mindset. One motivation.
How to get clarity
Segmentation is key to gaining clarity. Even light segmentation—by interest, role, or life stage—can dramatically improve engagement.
But if your list feels like a mumble-jumble of people, here is what to do.
Send a simple survey based on your needs and ask questions like:
Ask them why they’re connected to your organization.
Ask what they care most about.
Ask how they want to support your work.
Next Steps
Before writing your next email, don’t only ask:
“What should we say?”
Also Ask:
“Who are we saying this to?”
That shift changes everything.
Cheers to your impact
Carol
P.S. If emailing your supporters feels overwhelming and time consuming or you’re not seeing results, I will help you set-up a simple, automated email fundraising system that runs in the background to engage supporters and raise funds while freeing up your time for mission-critical work. Sign up at this link to get the system installed in the next 4 weeks.