It’s Halloween – the time of year when we can relish in dressing up like ghouls and ghosts, listen to Monster Mash, watch scary movies, and eat all the candy that trick-or-treaters didn’t take.

Just because it’s fun to dress up and scare your friends doesn’t mean you should scare the supporters of your nonprofit organization, though. Every now and then an organization does something that is so bone-chilling it can drive fans and advocates away in a single post or email – and once they’re gone, they’re not going to come back (like zombies).

Here we’re uncovering a few tips on how to avoid hair-raising outreach practices. If you have your own nightmarish experiences of outreach gone wrong, share them in the comments below!

Night of the Unnatural Stock Photos:

It’s to be expected that most organizations have used a stock photo at one time, but overusing them can be downright spine-tingling! It’s much better to use a photo from one of your organization’s events than show a group of people who clearly are not supporting your cause. If you don’t have a photo of your event, showcase a picture of your organization at a conference or in the field.
 

I'm more likely to believe a group of goblins attended your event than this group of people.

A Little Scare Can Go A Long Way

As a fan of horror movies, it takes a lot to scare me. But more often than not a little scare can go a long way, especially when trying to convince supporters to take action for your cause. Avoid email subject lines like, “100 Dead Puppies” or “Dead Dolphins” (these are real). An organization should want the audience to empathize with a story and support your campaign, not be emotionally abused! Urgency and shock value can be important, but it’s necessary to first ask yourself: “Would I open this if I saw it in my inbox or newsfeed?”

The only scary puppy I want to see this year.

Don't Be A Stalker

It’s important to keep information on your supporters, and a good CRM will help you better understand who is opening your emails and taking action. This is great information to have when determining who your best supporters are, and who might have drifted away. Data can also help your organization better target people in specific areas and have them take action that is pertinent to them.

Like all good things, there is a fine line, and the last thing your organization wants to be is a stalker. Asking questions in an email subject line such as “Did you open our last email?” conveys that you are watching the supporter’s every move. Make sure to give your fans a little distance and use the information you have on them to keep them engaged and not spied on. Use location information to remind them that you have an event in their area coming up, or invite them to join a leadership webinar your organization is hosting because they are so involved.

There are a multitude of apps and tools out there that help you better understand your email list, We’re particularly big fans of Attentive.ly, which takes your email supporters and finds out what they’re saying on social media, helping you find your biggest social media supporters. Just make sure you're not mentioning those pictures from the Halloween Party in your next campaign email.
 

Not a good look.

Be Smart(er than a Teen in a Slasher Flick)

No matter a nonprofit organization’s goal, the people working to make it happen are passionate and informed on the issues. One of the most valuable things an organization can convey through social media posts and email is their knowledge of the issue, but sometimes in an effort to make content more engaging, an organization will dumb down their message. Supporters don’t need to be talked to like first graders, rather they should be posed with questions that will make them consider joining your cause and take action on the organization’s behalf. If online fans are treated in a way that implies they don’t know anything, they might assume you don’t know anything!
 

 I feel sorry for fans of this Page.

Are there any nonprofit social media or email campaigns that have chilled your bones? Post them in the comments below or Tweet at us at @Fissionstrategy or @Smarx_!