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Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your
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 how the internal dialog usually goes: “We’re torn. We see other organizations sending from individual people but how do we know if
Take your time. In the pursuit of saying more with less, I’ll admit—not every big idea can be reduced to a snappy soundbite.
Imagine you’re seeing a 25% open rate on your emails. That means whenever you send a broadcast, 3 in every 4 recipients will
Great communication is not just about what you say but how you say it. Who says it also matters. You won’t always
Call it what you will. It’s the idea that when we work together, we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. If achieving
Trying something risky and new? These methodologies can save you from diving in head first when it might have been wiser to test
It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter
Is email dead? Here’s what the data says... Some people question the relevance of emails in 2024. They ask, “Can’t we just rely
On-page videos can be your best friend and your worst enemy. At the same time. Know the pros and cons so you
I know what you’re thinking. “Subject lines”. And you’d be right. Subject lines are hailed as the ‘be all and
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
To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices
Most organizations want to grow their online audience. Some of us rely entirely on our supporters to fuel actions and fundraising—the organizational
Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your content will stand out when you can reach your supporter’s emotional brain. This is where motivations are fueled. It’s where decisions are made. It’s where attention spans expand.
Whether you’re writing for an email, a webpage, or a post for social media, emotion is the fuel that will drive actions, inspire shares, and commit important ideas to memory.
Anything that will stir emotions will work here—surprise, intrigue, shock, sadness, joy... Find space for a mix of positive and negative emotional responses across your communications. Avoid focussing solely on negative emotions such as sadness, outrage, and anger—this will fatigue most audiences before long. Remember to replenish your supporter’s emotional reserves with stories of hope and aspiration. Telling your movement story is a great way to do this with authenticity.
Focus: scale
Millions upon millions of chickens raised for meat will die from lameness before they even reach slaughter age. Birds who can’t walk may suffer painful lesions from contact with feces soaked litter, and may starve without the ability to reach food or water.
Focus: individual
In her short life, a ‘meat’ chicken will struggle to carry the weight of her unnaturally large body. There’s a very real chance her legs may collapse—leading to painful ‘breast blisters’ from constantly lying in feces. Unable to reach food or water, she faces a slow death by starvation.
Visual storytelling can also emote more strongly when the focus of a photo or video allows the viewer to connect with an individual. Choose hero images that draw focus to individuals through composition, closeups, or eye contact. Combine individual-centric visuals with individual-centric messaging to multiply this effect.
There’s a reason we teach children important lessons through stories. We’re hardwired to pay attention to them. For thousands of years, this is how we’ve passed on intergenerational information. And our appetite for books, television and movies proves that this is something we never grow out of.
Great stories do more than document ‘what happened when’. Sometimes recounting events in chronological order is the least compelling way to tell a story. Consider how different structures can reveal insights, heighten tension, and build emotional investment in the fate of your subject.
The most memorable stories in human history (such as ‘ the hero’s journey’) are repeated in modern culture again and again and again. This is a story you can tell, too. Inspire actions by writing your supporter into your narrative and turning them into the hero of change stories.
Purely aspirational stories lack consequence; purely negative ones lack hope. A story that connects both outrage and hope will create a ‘pull’ in your reader that you can use to drive action, support, and sharing. By stretching the emotional range in your narrative, you can enhance emotional persuasion.
Facts and statistics will struggle to move your audience. That’s because people’s decisions (and opinions) are largely driven by emotions. When making an emotionally persuasive argument, lead with emotional narrative and follow with facts. Facts will rarely convince your reader, however, they will help your reader rationalize and cement their position.
What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated? Why do you exist? The answer to all these questions is the same. And...
4 minute readWhat draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?...
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