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Articulate your ‘Theory of Change’

You might know definitively that your call-to-action (CTA) is the single-most strategic thing your supporters can do today to help your cause.

When to send an email ‘chaser’

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.

Don’t be a hero (make your supporter the hero!)

I’m not saying don’t do heroic things. Keep that up! But when you’re telling your supporters a story of injustice, there’s only

Show. Don’t tell.

Your reader trusts their own mind way more than they trust yours. No offense but it’s true. Knowing this, try to avoid

You botched an email broadcast. Now what!?

You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.

How NOT to use bold type...

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

A beginner’s guide to digital profiling

Who are your supporters? And what do they need from you to reach their potential as star advocates or loyal donors? You might

Anatomy of an action email

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

Say more (by saying less)

Knowing how much or how little to say starts with being clear about your objective. Rarely is it our job to turn readers

Beat the curse of knowledge

The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse

This is what happens when you address your reader as a ‘group’

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

A beginner’s guide to email analytics

Most email broadcast systems come packed with standard analytics. Just to be clear, here’s what we care about: Recipient volume This is the

12 proven ways to personalize your broadcast emails

If we want to get the most out of email, we need to make it personal. If every message we send sounds

Please, abandon your action lists

As changemakers, it’s our job to dream up all the ways our supporters can get involved to help our cause or win

How ‘list health’ affects email open rates

How does the past experience of people on your list influence their interest in receiving ongoing email from you? It turns out

Advocacy

Why ‘Busting Myths’ Often Backfires

Quick
Quick Read
Why ‘Busting Myths’ Often Backfires

How tempting is it to ‘bust myths’ and confront your opponent’s ridiculous claims head-on!? Hint: very. Proceed with caution—countering false claims can unintentionally reinforce them.

However, if you can reframe the conversation, you get to own it. With a little linguistic gymnastics, you can force your opponent to use your frame.

When live exporters assert that their trade is “not cruel”, what’s the one thing most people think of? That’s right. Cruelty.

Frame Conceded:

“You won’t miss out on protein and iron by eating these plant-based foods!”

“New live export regulations won’t protect animals.”


Frame Owned:

“These plant-based foods are packed with iron and protein!”

“New live export regulations only reinforce cruelty.”

Karen Nilsen

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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