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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
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 not saying don’t do heroic things. Keep that up! But when you’re telling your supporters a story of injustice, there’s only
A ‘hero’ image is one that carries the most visual weight in your layout. Usually accompanying your headline, this is the image
To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices
Most of us have a hard time keeping on top of emails from people we do know, to let alone give a second
The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse
You might know definitively that your call-to-action (CTA) is the single-most strategic thing your supporters can do today to help your cause.
For several years, I drove a strategy at Animals Australia to send ‘thank-you’ emails to action takers that were jam-packed with followup
Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t
Call it what you will. It’s the idea that when we work together, we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. If achieving
Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your
So you’ve cracked the code to writing a great email. The next step is to push it out to as many people
In 2026, more emails are being viewed on iPhones than any other device. The average iPhone affords us a measly 41 characters
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
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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