Get a free digital strategy tip of the week:
Unsubscribe any time. We respect your data. View the privacy policy.
Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your
Don’t undercut a great email by hiding it behind a poor subject line. These few words have the power to make or
It might seem too obvious to mention. But it’s critical that you’ve defined the objective of your email. Often, it’s to lead your
SPOILER: it’s not good. Sure—you know you’re writing an email to 5,000 people. But your task is to make your reader feel like
You’ve sent your action or appeal broadcast. It went okay. But you’re not satisfied that enough supporters noticed it or recognized its urgency.
On the surface, it looks like the purpose of a title is to introduce the content of a webpage. But of course—you
In 2026, more emails are being viewed on iPhones than any other device. The average iPhone affords us a measly 41 characters
You are not your audience. Five humbling words that explain why so many messages fall flat, emails flop, and web pages
Don’t wait for supporter fatigue to set in before creating a plan to mitigate it. Nice idea, right? Most of us only recognize
Bolding the odd word or phrase can help skim readers catch key ideas you don’t want them to miss. It’s also great for
On-page videos can be your best friend and your worst enemy. At the same time. Know the pros and cons so you
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
Imagine you’re seeing a 25% open rate on your emails. That means whenever you send a broadcast, 3 in every 4 recipients will
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing an email, a blog post, or a tweet—the full gamut of attention-seeking and attention-keeping tactics apply. Social
Knowing how much or how little to say starts with being clear about your objective. Rarely is it our job to turn readers
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.
Unlock more digital strategy secrets.
Free eBookPut it into practice
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.
Was this tip useful?
This little trick will increase your conversion rates 
Do you know why you’re building an email list? 
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!
Like this tip? Share it!
