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To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices
Whether you’re seeking donations or actions, the formula for writing an effective CTA is pretty simple. To persuade your supporter to drop
Okay, back up—what’s a ‘value proposition’? Think of your value proposition as the reason your reader should care about investing
On the surface, it looks like the purpose of a title is to introduce the content of a webpage. But of course—you
Most organizations want to grow their online audience. Some of us rely entirely on our supporters to fuel actions and fundraising—the organizational
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.
You are not your audience. Five humbling words that explain why so many messages fall flat, emails flop, and web pages
When you hear of organizations that have amassed millions of online supporters, the first question that often comes to mind is: where
Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your
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
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
The education system taught many of us that long words and complex sentence structures are signs of sophistication. Un-learn this as fast
How does the past experience of people on your list influence their interest in receiving ongoing email from you? It turns out
It might seem too obvious to mention. But it’s critical that you’ve defined the objective of your email. Often, it’s to lead your
Whatever you do—don’t just imagine your headline on your page itself. Consider how your headline performs without the rest of your page to
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 
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You botched an email broadcast. Now what!? 
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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