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Does this sound familiar? Back up your position with facts; the more reasons you can offer, the more persuasive your argument. Right?
Cognitive biases are powerful mental distortions that affect the way we think and behave. They are so powerful that they can lead
The moment after someone completes an online action presents a critical opportunity. A well-crafted thank-you email will help cement this action as a
I’m so glad you’re here. While it’s far from the most exciting, retention is arguably the most important factor in the success of
Of all the ‘rules’ out there for writing page headlines, this is the most transformative. If your headline sits on a petition
I know what you’re thinking. “Subject lines”. And you’d be right. Subject lines are hailed as the ‘be all and
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
What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?
Trying something risky and new? These methodologies can save you from diving in head first when it might have been wiser to test
You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
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
Whether your call to action (CTA) is a button or a link, don’t get too clever. Speak directly to your supporter and tell
One of the hardest lessons to learn as a communicator is knowing what not to say. In a medium that forces us
A token is a little snippet of encoded data that identifies a supporter and can be attached to links in your email broadcasts.
For several years, I drove a strategy at Animals Australia to send ‘thank-you’ emails to action takers that were jam-packed with followup
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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