Convio's Free, Updated Email Marketing Guide Helps Nonprofits Jumpstart or Accelerate Online Programs.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Downloadable Booklet Includes Tips on Email List-Building, Creative Campaigns and Viral Marketing, Plus Advice on Spam From Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation

Convio, Inc. -- the leading provider of software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet for building constituent relationships and driving support -- today announced availability of its free, updated guide to help nonprofits understand and apply email marketing best practices so they can easily launch new email marketing programs or accelerate existing programs.

"The Basics of Email Marketing for Nonprofits: Using Email Communications to Build and Strengthen Constituent Relationships Online" is the latest in Convio's ongoing series of free publications to help nonprofits optimize use of the Internet for fundraising, marketing, advocacy, event participation and more. The email marketing guide is a rich informational resource for the full spectrum of nonprofits -- from regional organizations that do not yet have email marketing programs but want to get started, to larger groups that already are conducting email marketing and want to take it to the next level. To download the guide, please visit www.convio.com/emailguidedownload.

The Basics of Email Marketing for Nonprofits, as well Convio's other free, downloadable guides (available at www.convio.com/resources), provide a wealth of information on the latest online best practices, strategies and tactics in today's increasingly wired world.

"As a pioneer in bringing the power of the Internet to nonprofits, Convio has always proactively shared what we've learned with the charitable sector, and this is especially true about email marketing which is at the heart of any effective online program," said Gene Austin, CEO of Convio. "We've updated our email marketing guide because, as more people move online, there are steps nonprofits can and must take to deliver the right messages to the right people at the right time to motivate them to take action."

The Basics of Email Marketing for Nonprofits will help nonprofit professionals learn how to:

--Build strong email lists;

--Target constituents by interests, geography and other important criteria;

--Personalize content and messaging so emails are highly relevant to recipients;

--Produce and maximize the effectiveness of eNewsletters;

--Utilize "tell-a-friend" or viral marketing tactics to get constituents to spread the word about an organization's cause, event or call-to-action; and

--Use today's advanced online analytical tools to measure effectiveness, e.g., email open and click-through rates, conversion of email recipients to donors, advocates and/or event participants, etc.

The guide also includes an exclusive new section on spam written by Senny Boone, Executive Director of the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation. Creating email messages that get delivered to intended recipients, opened and read has become tougher than ever due to spam filtering technology, which often mistakenly blocks legitimate email. And even when emails get through spam filters, constituents with overloaded email inboxes often do their own filtering and decide which messages to read or delete unopened. Boone provides insight on how the new CAN-SPAM act -- intended to establish regulations for email marketing -- affects nonprofits' email marketing activities and also offers a checklist on what today's organizations have to do to run effective email campaigns while also complying with the law.

"With everyone moving online now, the Internet is an increasingly important part of the direct marketing mix for nonprofits, so there's a huge need for information on how to use email effectively and what the CAN-SPAM act means for organizations," said Boone. "We're delighted that Convio publishes guides to help nonprofits succeed online and we especially appreciate being included in the updated email marketing guide because the prevalence of spam today requires some new approaches."

About Convio, Inc.

Convio is the leading provider of software and services that help nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions use the Internet to build strong constituent relationships to drive support and participation. Convio has online solutions for fundraising and membership, advocacy, special events, volunteer fundraising, Web site management and email communications. All solutions include the Constituent360(TM) platform, a sophisticated, online marketing database that centralizes constituent data and integrates with offline databases. This gives organizations a unified view of constituent interests and motivations -- key for personalized and targeted outreach and communications. Convio also provides services and consulting to help organizations achieve success online.

Convio's clients include the American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, AVON Foundation, Brady Campaign United with the Million Mom March, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Chicago Public Radio, Easter Seals, Farm Aid, Georgetown University, KCET Community Television of Southern California, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Trust For Historic Preservation, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. For more information, please visit www.convio.com.