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You are not your audience. Five humbling words that explain why so many messages fall flat, emails flop, and web pages
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing an email, a blog post, or a tweet—the full gamut of attention-seeking and attention-keeping tactics apply. Social
Here’s an important piece of digital communication that you’ve probably never read: Few of us pay attention to stuff like
Imagine you’re at a party. There are plenty of new people you could meet and talk to. There’s a guy talking himself up.
The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse
What if you could say the right thing, to the right person, at the right time (while you sleep)? The future of communications
Consider the moment before your supporter decides whether to open your email. They must sacrifice something in order to give you their attention.
Knowing how much or how little to say starts with being clear about your objective. Rarely is it our job to turn readers
Cognitive biases are powerful mental distortions that affect the way we think and behave. They are so powerful that they can lead
It would be a lie to claim that ‘delivery time’ is a highly influential factor in email open rates. Compared to heavyweights
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.
Whether your call to action (CTA) is a button or a link, don’t get too clever. Speak directly to your supporter and tell
Great action pages will attract people via social media, search, traditional media, and even word of mouth. This means they’re ideal for list-building.
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
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
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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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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