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What you need to know about ‘deliverability’

Not every email you send will find its way into an inbox. Optimal deliverability is needed to give your emails a fighting

Excite yourself

(Not in that way). Do you ever find yourself staring at your screen, wishing the thing you are trying to write was done

12 proven ways to personalize your broadcast emails

If we want to get the most out of email, we need to make it personal. If every message we send sounds

A beginner’s guide to split testing

Think of split testing (or AB testing) like a deathmatch for ideas. It’s the best tool we have for figuring out what works

Don’t say everything all at once

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.

Engage your reader’s emotional brain

Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your

How ‘why’ is the most important question you need to answer

What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?

Can you name your headline’s ‘value proposition’?

Okay, back up—what’s a ‘value proposition’? Think of your value proposition as the reason your reader should care about investing

Why you need to stop talking about yourself

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.

A beginner’s guide to digital profiling

Who are your supporters? And what do they need from you to reach their potential as star advocates or loyal donors? You might

3 design cues that prime supporters for action

It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter

6 ways to make page titles click-worthy (not click-baity)

On the surface, it looks like the purpose of a title is to introduce the content of a webpage. But of course—you

Show. Don’t tell.

Your reader trusts their own mind way more than they trust yours. No offense but it’s true. Knowing this, try to avoid

Don’t let these ‘cognitive biases’ hurt your conversion rates

Cognitive biases are powerful mental distortions that affect the way we think and behave. They are so powerful that they can lead

Should you send emails from your ‘organization’ or an actual person?

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. 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.

From: Say more (by saying less)

Karen Nilsen

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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