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When you hear of organizations that have amassed millions of online supporters, the first question that often comes to mind is: where
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
It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter
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
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
When it comes to targeting the best supporters for specific activities, many of us are using (or have used) the sub-list model.
Let’s be honest, this stuff is hard. Never in human history has there been a communication medium more competitive than the Internet.
Well-designed email templates are greeeat. But even the best layouts can lull readers into complacency over time. Consider mixing up your formatting occasionally
A token is a little snippet of encoded data that identifies a supporter and can be attached to links in your email broadcasts.
It’s not hard to preach to the choir. Or to mount an argument so agreeable that it won’t offend or challenge anyone.
Your reader trusts their own mind way more than they trust yours. No offense but it’s true. Knowing this, try to avoid
Think of digital pipelines as pathways that lead your supporters down progressively deeper levels of engagement. Without designing your pipelines intentionally, your supporters
Have you ever visited a website only to notice that ads for that site seem to ‘follow’ you around the Internet? You’ve been
In 2026, more emails are being viewed on iPhones than any other device. The average iPhone affords us a measly 41 characters
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
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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