This is lesson fifty-six. This is towards one of our missions. Education.
You'll learn everything about marketing - from the basics to the most advanced strategies - for free, thanks to VellumWorks.
Size Isn't Everything, But Growth Matters
A highly engaged list of 500 people will outperform a disengaged list of 5,000 every time.
But growth still matters. New supporters come from new email subscribers. And a list that never grows will eventually shrink, as people naturally unsubscribe or become inactive over time.
The goal is a growing list of genuinely interested people, not a large list of people who don't care.
How People Should Join Your List
There is one rule: they must choose to.
Purchasing email lists, adding people without their consent, or importing contacts from old spreadsheets without permission are not just ineffective, they are illegal under GDPR and equivalent laws, and will damage your sender reputation.
Every person on your list should have actively opted in. That means a form they filled in, a box they ticked, or a confirmation they clicked.
The Lead Magnet: Give Something to Get Something
The most effective way to grow a list is to offer something valuable in exchange for an email address.
For charities, this could be:
A free guide ("How to start fundraising for a cause you care about")
An impact report ("See what your support made possible last year")
A newsletter with genuinely useful content (like this one)
A challenge or programme ("Join our 30-day supporter journey")
Early access to events or resources
The lead magnet must feel worth the trade of an email address. If it doesn't, signups will be low.
Where to Promote Your List
On your website: A visible signup form on your homepage, your about page, your blog, and your footer. Don't hide it.
In your social media bios: Link directly to a signup page.
At events: Collect emails in person (always with explicit consent).
In partner newsletters: If you have relationships with other organisations, a mention in their content can bring in highly relevant new subscribers.
After donations: Someone who just gave is your warmest possible lead. Invite them to stay connected.
In email signatures: A simple "Subscribe to our newsletter" link in every staff email costs nothing and compounds over time.
List Hygiene: Keep It Clean
A growing list with a declining open rate is a warning sign.
Regularly remove:
Email addresses that have bounced multiple times
Subscribers who haven't opened in 12+ months (after a re-engagement attempt)
Spam trap addresses
A smaller, engaged list is always more valuable than a large, disengaged one. Your open rate, click rate, and deliverability all improve when your list is clean.
10-Minute Exercise: Find Your Three Best Signup Points
Look at your charity's current digital presence and identify:
Where do most people first encounter us? (Social media, website, events?)
Is there a clear, easy way to sign up from each of those places?
What could we offer as a lead magnet that would genuinely interest our audience?
Those three answers will shape your list-building strategy.
Why is this important to know?
Your email list is one of your most valuable long-term assets, and most charities either neglect to grow it, or grow it in ways that reduce its quality.
Understanding how to grow an engaged, permission-based list gives your charity a reliable, owned channel for communicating with supporters, running appeals, and building income that doesn't depend on algorithms or ad budgets.
At VellumWorks, we believe knowledge should be free. That's why this series will guide you, step by step, through everything from the basics to the most advanced marketing strategies: no jargon, no gatekeeping, just empowering education.
