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You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
For several years, I drove a strategy at Animals Australia to send ‘thank-you’ emails to action takers that were jam-packed with followup
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
The needs of supporters at opposite ends of the engagement spectrum are very different. So are the opportunities. If you are tracking your
A token is a little snippet of encoded data that identifies a supporter and can be attached to links in your email broadcasts.
The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse
Here’s an important piece of digital communication that you’ve probably never read: Few of us pay attention to stuff like
Most organizations want to grow their online audience. Some of us rely entirely on our supporters to fuel actions and fundraising—the organizational
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
We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because
To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices
If you’ve ever been annoyed by a website that stopped you from watching a video because you’re in the ‘wrong’ country ... you’re
A well-placed stat will add weight to your writing—particularly when it’s referenced with a credible source. When working with numbers, all care must
Does this sound familiar? Back up your position with facts; the more reasons you can offer, the more persuasive your argument. Right?
It would be a lie to claim that ‘delivery time’ is a highly influential factor in email open rates. Compared to heavyweights
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.”
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Please, abandon your action lists 
How ‘why’ is the most important question you need to answer 
When to send an email ‘chaser’ 
Say more (by saying less) 
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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