Data from 13M+ emails across 201 associations using PropFuel
Last year, we released our first-ever Email Engagement Benchmarking Report, where we analyzed nearly 13 million emails sent by 201 associations to uncover what’s actually working in member email engagement and what’s not. We're breaking down key stats and takeaways from the report, which was built specifically for bold, curious marketing and membership pros looking to turn emails into action.
💬 From Broadcasts to Conversations
- Traditional “eblasts” are giving way to conversational engagement—starting with segmented audiences and asking simple, human questions. The result? More responses, deeper connections, and better data.
📊 The Power of Response Rates
Unlike clicks, responses reveal intent— reflecting genuine member engagement, providing actionable insights into preferences and needs.
- Average PropFuel Response Rate: 8.1%
- Industry Average Click Rate (nonprofit): 2.7%
🎯 Size Matters: Smaller Campaigns, Bigger Impact
Smaller, segmented campaigns deliver tailored messaging that’s more likely to resonate and prompt action.
📅 Timing & Reminders: Two Easy Wins
Less inbox competition + a second chance to respond = better engagement
- While 57.2% of emails are sent mid-week, small and medium-sized campaigns sent on weekends achieved the highest combined response rate of 10%.
- For small and medium-sized campaigns, response rates improved from 5.9% without reminders to 8.6% with reminders.
🧩 Campaign Types: Response Rates Breakdown
❓ Which Questions Perform Best?
Keep it simple. The fewer the choices, the higher the engagement.
🧠 Real-World Success Stories
- VECCS: A campaign offering a free Headspace subscription achieved a 15% response rate, doubling benefit usage.
- NEHRA: Their 12-step automated onboarding campaign saw response rates between 20% and 36%, setting a new standard for member interaction.
- Pennsylvania Medical Society: A simple yes/no question about membership renewal garnered 918 responses, with 64% indicating intent to renew.propfuel.com
Take Your Email Engagement to the Next Level
Looking to boost response rates and build stronger member connections? By making your emails more conversational and member-focused, you can spark meaningful interactions and uncover valuable insights.
📥 Download the Full 2024 Benchmark Report to explore the full data, trends, and strategies.
Dave Will
While working for SAP, a multi-billion dollar software company, nearly 20 years ago, Dave Will was advised to "Walk faster and smile less, because perception is reality." Dave took this feedback to heart and started a business based on the antithesis of this advice. Fourteen years later, Dave successfully sold Peach New Media, a Learning Management System for associations, which is now part of Community Brands.
Since then, Dave and his leadership team from Peach built an engagement platform called PropFuel, the first Conversational Engagement platform designed specifically for member based organizations to improve member engagement using the Ask, Capture, Act methodology.
Dave lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with his 3 boys, 3 boy dogs and his formidable wife, Nicole. He's an endurance runner and pretends to work from his boat in Buzzards Bay, MA as much as possible all summer long.