JDMS Creations

Email communications and marketing is a key tool in reaching the SJCC community. In 2019 when I arrived at SJCC, we made an effort to focus on our email marketing.

In 2019, our open rate for an email database of 18,000 was below 15%. We had a stretch of communications that dipped below 10%. At the time there was no strategic plan or coordinated schedule to communicate the more than 200 annual events and programs.

We made an effort to clean our email lists, establish email segments, and set a consistent schedule, which targeted select groups within our community.

As of Nov. 1, 2023, our email list has grown to more than 27,000 and our open rate currently averages 47%. Our open rate never dropped below 44% in 2023 while sending record 125 email campaigns (nearly a total of a million emails sent). The numbers:

Email Reports: 2023 • 2022

Email Campaign Examples:

• SJCC Fundraiser Registration (Jan. 3, 2023)
• Get Ready for Summer J Camp (Jan. 17, 2023)
• Purim Festival (Jan. 31, 2023)
• Seattle Jewish Film Festival Tickets On Sale (Feb. 8, 2023)
• Amazing March at the J (Feb. 23, 2023)
• SJFF Begins Sunday (March 8, 0230
• Happy Passover (Apr. 4, 2023)
• Member Update (May 25, 2023)
• SJCC July E-Newsletter (July 13, 2023)
• Community August E-Newsletter (Aug. 9, 2023)
• J Kids + Family Update (Sept. 12, 2023)
• Annual Impact Report (Oct. 12, 2023)

How we got there: We created a guideline to help us achieve our goals.

• Email Segments:
  • Arts + Ideas (11,000): Those who subscribe to this list or anyone who has purchased tickets/passes to arts + ideas events
  • Frequent User/Community (8,000): Those active with the SJCC – have done something with the J since 2022, and also includes ECS, members, J Kids programs, Arts, swim participants, fitness, etc.
  • Kids/Families (3,200): Those who have subscribed to our kids/family email list or anyone who has done something with our kids, camps, ECS, family programs (including Arts) 
  • Daily User – Fitness/Swim/Member (2,600): Members or those involved in fitness, aquatics or member programs
  • ECS (300): Active ECS families
  • SJCC List (11,000): All emails related to SJCC (not Arts)
  • Full Database (24,000): All emails, including Arts
• Email Schedules:
  • Arts + Ideas: Every other week as well as week of an event
  • Community: Two to Three times per month
  • Kids/Families: Every other week
  • Fitness/Swim/Member: Once a month (last Tuesday of each month). Communications about building impact, schedule changes, etc. This includes ECS as they are members.
  • ECS: ECS controls this mail list and frequency. We will send roughly one per quarter depending on upcoming events6.
  • Global: Once per month, usually third week of month
• Notes:
  • We try to send emails based on Mailchimp recommendations for time of day to enhance open rates
  • We try to avoid Monday + Friday emails as open rates are low.
  • We don’t send after 4 pm Friday until Sunday mornings (Shabbat). ONLY emergency communications will be send at that time.