Email fundraising has transformed US election campaigns. From Howard Dean’s pioneering efforts in 2004 to Obama’s email revolution and the sophisticated data-driven approaches of the 2020s, email has unlocked the power of small-dollar donations. 

After Joe Biden’s withdrawal, Kamala Harris raised an astonishing $81 million in just 24 hours, which included over half a million first-time donors. By August, her team had pulled in $257 million – more than three times the funds of the Trump campaign in the same period. 

Personalised content and sophisticated behavioural analytics will continue to be at the heart of this high-intensity approach, and it seems like it’s going to stick around. So, what can charities learn from it here in the UK?

Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you start sending a Harris-style barrage of emails each and every day! But there are plenty of takeaways you can apply in your strategies to help drive engagement, donations and results. We’ve broken down 5 of the most important tactics from the Harris campaign that you can test right now in your upcoming email journeys.

1. Subject Lines That Grab Attention

The Harris campaign varies their subject lines exceptionally well to capture attention. 

Whether it’s a long and detailed line, a short, direct ask, or something a bit playful, there’s always an element of surprise – intrigue and urgency drive more opens! 

Challenge and test your assumptions. Think being short is key? See how your supporters respond to a really long subject line. If you’re sending lots of emails, be ready and willing to rewrite the rules.

2. Donation Asks That Are Clear And Simple

The Harris team knows that once someone’s opened an email, they’ve got to make donating easy and fast. 

Enter the “rush donation” – an urgent ask to donate right now, during a crucial time-limited moment. 

Alongside this, every email contains six clear donation prompts with consistent amounts, making it as easy as possible for donors to pick an option that suits them. Even though they use the same structure across multiple emails, it’s familiar rather than repetitive, which encourages action. Simplicity is key!

3. Visual Content That Tells A Story

The Harris team uses more than words to engage. They’re not afraid to sprinkle in GIFs and powerful images to help tell a story. Whether it’s a well-placed photo of Harris or the email’s sender, it can add authenticity and a human touch to help strengthen the connection you’re building with supporters. 

The lesson here? Test breaking up your emails with visuals that speak just as loudly as your copy – a single compelling image can sometimes do a far better job than a long block of text.

4. Using Different Senders To Keep It Fresh

“Who” ends up in a supporter’s inbox is just as important as “what” – and the Harris campaign rotates their senders brilliantly to keep their emails as fresh as possible. 

Sometimes it’s celebrities. Other times it’s “Team Kamala”, or even “Kamala War Room.” 

This not only keeps things interesting, but it helps supporters feel like they’re part of something bigger – a movement, not just a mailing list. Try switching up your senders to prevent email fatigue and keep your audience engaged.

5. Bringing Supporters Behind The Curtain

If there’s one thing Harris’ campaign does exceptionally well, it’s genuinely bringing people behind the scenes in a personal and urgent way. 

Whether it’s sharing “insider knowledge” or a message that feels hot off the press after an important meeting, they make their supporters feel like they’re crucial to the cause. They make it clear: “We can’t do this without you.” 

When people feel needed and involved in something important, they’re more likely to take action – so don’t be afraid to bring supporters into your world and make them feel indispensable to your cause.

Energise Your Email Approach

While these tactics have helped raise hundreds of millions, they can provide so much to charities on this side of the pond in terms of how we can use email to better engage, excite, and motivate supporters (and it doesn’t have to be achieved by sending three emails a day!). 

Frequency should always be balanced with relevance and value. What these emails have shown us is that creativity, personalisation, and clear calls to action are timeless principles that can work in any context – but we shouldn’t be afraid to keep trying and testing new approaches.

If you’re curious about how to elevate your own email strategy and hit your fundraising goals, or want a fresh perspective for your winter campaigns to make every email count, we’d love to chat. Get in touch with us at hello@forwardaction.uk.