Building an Email Program and Content Strategy from Scratch

From a dormant account to ~7,200 contacts and newsletters averaging 25-27% opens

Marketing Manager | Promise Resource Network | January 2026 to present | Tools: Network for Good, WordPress, Meta Business Suite, Canva

[Click to view newsletter sample]

The Challenge

When I joined, PRN had a dormant Network for Good account and no email program. Contact data was scattered, with no regular communication to the peers that the organization serves, partners, or supporters. Success stories from the individuals being served also were not being collected or shared in a meaningful way.

My Approach

• Rebuilt the list: consolidated contacts from a legacy Excel spreadsheet and the dormant Network for Good account

• Launched a monthly newsletter and campaigns: a consistent format that mixes peer stories, program news, events, and ways to get involved

• Drove signups: promoted the newsletter across every channel and added a signup pop-up to the website, which brings in new subscribers every day

• Tracked and improved: reviewed performance every month and adjusted messaging and communication pathways

• Storytelling: established a regular way to gather stories from the organization's programs and used them to drive content which saw large increases in impressions and engagement

• Consistent branding: ensured all content was clean, eye-catching and adhered to brand standards while also using proper language for the organization

Inside Each Newsletter & Post

Each newsletter issue follows a clear structure: a welcome and recap, peer stories told in their own words (with video links as needed), program news such as graduations from trainings, a call to partner or donate toward a specific need, and a calendar of events at both hubs. Content was designed around the same stories/needs/events. Every newsletter section and post caption links to a clear next step with a CTA.

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Results

• Contact list grew from ~2,500 to ~7,200

• Open rates rose from 11% in July to 27% in October, with ~3.5-3.7% click rates (~14% click-to-open) in the last two months

• New subscribers every day through the website signup

• Facebook, Oct 2025 vs. Oct 2026: views up 136% (~7K to 16.7K), viewers up 116% (~1.8K to 3.9K), interactions up 123% (~250 to 555) Instagram: viewers doubled (~260 to 518), interactions up 179% (~92 to 257)

  Source: Meta Business Suite.

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