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Most email broadcast systems come packed with standard analytics. Just to be clear, here’s what we care about: Recipient volume This is the
How tempting is it to ‘bust myths’ and confront your opponent’s ridiculous claims head-on!? Hint: very. Proceed with caution—countering false claims can unintentionally
SPOILER: it’s not good. Sure—you know you’re writing an email to 5,000 people. But your task is to make your reader feel 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.
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.
Not every email you send will find its way into an inbox. Optimal deliverability is needed to give your emails a fighting
Who are your supporters? And what do they need from you to reach their potential as star advocates or loyal donors? You might
What’s the magic number of emails you need to send to maximize supporter engagement and minimize fatigue?The answer is “five”. Kidding. It would
If you’ve ever been annoyed by a website that stopped you from watching a video because you’re in the ‘wrong’ country ... you’re
Think of split testing (or AB testing) like a deathmatch for ideas. It’s the best tool we have for figuring out what works
So you’ve cracked the code to writing a great email. The next step is to push it out to as many people
To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices
Consider the moment before your supporter decides whether to open your email. They must sacrifice something in order to give you their attention.
Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t
Have you ever visited a website only to notice that ads for that site seem to ‘follow’ you around the Internet? You’ve been
Sometimes, the purpose of an email can be simply to inform. But often, we’re trying to get someone somewhere. An action page. A donation form. A video...
When your email has a destination, be protective of the pathway that leads people there
The instant someone clicks on a link in your email, they’re not coming back. Consider your email narrative finished. In other words, you get one chance to lead someone to a web page with your email. Make it count.
The truth is, the more options we offer—the more links we include—the more asks we make—the less likely it is that our supporters will do the one thing we most need them to do. The best action emails have a crystal clear, singular goal. Be conscious that every link that points somewhere other than your ultimate destination will dilute your conversion rate.
Think of your email like a hiking map. Every link in your email is a crossroads with a signpost that points to a destination of interest. If you don’t want supporters wandering off into the wilderness, then don’t lead them astray.
If you want to maximize engagement and neutralize choice paralysis, then limit your asks to a single call to action per email. It’s fine to repeat your CTA, but try your best to make all links point to a single destination.
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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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