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Every time you email your supporter, you’re doing much more than delivering a message. You’re cultivating a relationship. If
It’s not hard to preach to the choir. Or to mount an argument so agreeable that it won’t offend or challenge anyone.
If your action email has one job—to get your supporter to click through to a destination—then what’s the quickest way to get
Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t
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
Trying something risky and new? These methodologies can save you from diving in head first when it might have been wiser to test
Well-designed email templates are greeeat. But even the best layouts can lull readers into complacency over time. Consider mixing up your formatting occasionally
It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter
Most email broadcast systems come packed with standard analytics. Just to be clear, here’s what we care about: Recipient volume This is the
The needs of supporters at opposite ends of the engagement spectrum are very different. So are the opportunities. If you are tracking your
A ‘hero’ image is one that carries the most visual weight in your layout. Usually accompanying your headline, this is the image
Most of us have a hard time keeping on top of emails from people we do know, to let alone give a second
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
You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
Of all the ‘rules’ out there for writing page headlines, this is the most transformative. If your headline sits on a petition
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. Sometimes there really is a lot to say. Still, there are better options than trying to say everything in one interaction. Readers will find it hard to retain dense information. And rarely do we need to place this much pressure on ourselves.
Pace yourself
Whether you’re communicating through your email list or your social media feed, remember that you’re in an ongoing relationship with your audience. You don’t just get one shot at this. When there’s a lot to say, try saying it over a series of linked emails, web pages, or social media posts. Break up your content into bite-sized ideas and deliver them over time to deepen impact. This will reach more people and give each idea its own time and space to resonate.
Think of digital communications like conversations, not lectures. Be the conversation partner that your supporter wants to come back to.
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Don’t let these ‘cognitive biases’ hurt your conversion rates 
One email. ONE ASK. 
How (and when) to build a geo-fence 
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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