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What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?
I’m so glad you’re here. While it’s far from the most exciting, retention is arguably the most important factor in the success of
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
There are plenty of reasons people struggle to complete online actions. Poor page layouts, confusing language, onerous forms, and too many (or too
Is email dead? Here’s what the data says... Some people question the relevance of emails in 2026. They ask, “Can’t we just rely
Don’t wait for supporter fatigue to set in before creating a plan to mitigate it. Nice idea, right? Most of us only recognize
We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because
Think of a radio tower. Broadcast signals beaming far and wide. Most people think about email broadcasts this way. Please don’t think
The needs of supporters at opposite ends of the engagement spectrum are very different. So are the opportunities. If you are tracking your
Serious question. Success is more than a number. It’s an outcome. An increase in list size isn’t an end-goal; 1,000
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
Here’s an important piece of digital communication that you’ve probably never read: Few of us pay attention to stuff like
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.
Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t
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. 
What you need to know about ‘deliverability’ 
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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