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Let’s be honest, this stuff is hard. Never in human history has there been a communication medium more competitive than the Internet.
Don’t undercut a great email by hiding it behind a poor subject line. These few words have the power to make or
The needs of supporters at opposite ends of the engagement spectrum are very different. So are the opportunities. If you are tracking your
As changemakers, it’s our job to dream up all the ways our supporters can get involved to help our cause or win
Think of a radio tower. Broadcast signals beaming far and wide. Most people think about email broadcasts this way. Please don’t think
I know what you’re thinking. “Subject lines”. And you’d be right. Subject lines are hailed as the ‘be all and
Most email broadcast systems come packed with standard analytics. Just to be clear, here’s what we care about: Recipient volume This is the
Here’s how the internal dialog usually goes: “We’re torn. We see other organizations sending from individual people but how do we know if
Every time you email your supporter, you’re doing much more than delivering a message. You’re cultivating a relationship. If
Imagine you’ve been asked to have an important conversation with ... ‘someone’. Chances are, you’ll be much happier to have that conversation if
Is email dead? Here’s what the data says... Some people question the relevance of emails in 2026. They ask, “Can’t we just rely
You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter
Imagine you’re at a party. There are plenty of new people you could meet and talk to. There’s a guy talking himself up.
Have you ever visited a website only to notice that ads for that site seem to ‘follow’ you around the Internet? You’ve been
It’s not hard to preach to the choir. Or to mount an argument so agreeable that it won’t offend or challenge anyone. The business of wide-scale change-making affords us neither of these luxuries. Since you’re reading this, let’s assume it’s your job to reach the masses and challenge the status quo. Welcome to fiery opposition hitting you from both sides of the divide.
In a world that is increasingly polarized, the ‘grey area’ can be a challenging place. But that’s where impact lies.
The more polarizing a topic, the more ‘common ground’ techniques will help you reach the fringes of your audience and keep your message (rather than distracting debates) at the centre of attention. Give up now if your aim is to satisfy everyone. (You can’t. But maybe, you can get close).
The idea is simple: find the intersection of what different factions care about. Frame your message around that.
Steps to finding common ground
- Understand the ‘poles’ of your audience. Know their trigger points so you can more effectively navigate around them. Understand what motivates their positions—are there shared values there? If they are argumentative, what ‘need’ are they attempting to satisfy through debate? There may be ways you can proactively meet that need.
- Frame ideas around values. Construct messages in ways that puts values and outcomes (not tactics) at the heart of your narrative.
- Be positive. If parts of your audience are prone to the negative, shift the tone of conversation towards positive, tangible impacts of progress.
- Don’t judge. Model encouragement and support among your audience. Direct any culpability at a common opposition.
- Don’t compromise yourself. Building bridges can reach new audiences and foster greater understanding. But trying to please people can lead to ... people pleasing. If you can no longer deliver your message with authenticity, you’ve gone too far.
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Let’s put these principles to the test. Here are three scenarios where common ground theory can help make messaging more impactful and inclusive:
When it comes to sensitive topics, broadcast audiences are like tinderboxes. Segmentation can help navigate some polarized territories. But it’s no fail-safe. Common ground messaging can help maximize audience reach, minimize triggers and distracting debates, and keep your supporters focussed on effective action.
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Hi there! I’m Karen. I’m on a mission to reach my former self. Had I known 10 years ago what I know today, I could have achieved more good, made fewer mistakes, and had more weekends. Every time we share what works, we win faster. Let’s create digital experiences that move people — that grow our base and fuel our movements. Are you with me? Please share this with someone you know who wants to up their digital game!
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