Get a free digital strategy tip of the week:
Unsubscribe any time. We respect your data. View the privacy policy.
Think of a radio tower. Broadcast signals beaming far and wide. Most people think about email broadcasts this way. Please don’t think
Sometimes, the purpose of an email can be simply to inform. But often, we’re trying to get someone somewhere. An action page. A
Great communication is not just about what you say but how you say it. Who says it also matters. You won’t always
Have you ever visited a website only to notice that ads for that site seem to ‘follow’ you around the Internet? You’ve been
The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse
You’ve sent your action or appeal broadcast. It went okay. But you’re not satisfied that enough supporters noticed it or recognized its urgency.
We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because
A token is a little snippet of encoded data that identifies a supporter and can be attached to links in your email broadcasts.
Think of digital pipelines as pathways that lead your supporters down progressively deeper levels of engagement. Without designing your pipelines intentionally, your supporters
Trying something risky and new? These methodologies can save you from diving in head first when it might have been wiser to test
Whether your call to action (CTA) is a button or a link, don’t get too clever. Speak directly to your supporter and tell
Okay, back up—what’s a ‘value proposition’? Think of your value proposition as the reason your reader should care about investing
How does the past experience of people on your list influence their interest in receiving ongoing email from you? It turns out
Serious question. Success is more than a number. It’s an outcome. An increase in list size isn’t an end-goal; 1,000
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
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.
Was this tip useful?
Don’t let these ‘cognitive biases’ hurt your conversion rates 
How ‘why’ is the most important question you need to answer 
Write your own communications guide 
How much data do you really need to make segmentation work? 
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!
Like this tip? Share it!
