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Most organizations want to grow their online audience. Some of us rely entirely on our supporters to fuel actions and fundraising—the organizational
Sometimes, the purpose of an email can be simply to inform. But often, we’re trying to get someone somewhere. An action page. A
The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse
One of the hardest lessons to learn as a communicator is knowing what not to say. In a medium that forces us
What if you could say the right thing, to the right person, at the right time (while you sleep)? The future of communications
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
It would be a lie to claim that ‘delivery time’ is a highly influential factor in email open rates. Compared to heavyweights
Your organization and its communication style is unique. Defining it will consolidate expertise, build confidence, and help you and your co-communicators hone an
Imagine you’re seeing a 25% open rate on your emails. That means whenever you send a broadcast, 3 in every 4 recipients will
Of all the ‘rules’ out there for writing page headlines, this is the most transformative. If your headline sits on a petition
The education system taught many of us that long words and complex sentence structures are signs of sophistication. Un-learn this as fast
Most email broadcast systems come packed with standard analytics. Just to be clear, here’s what we care about: Recipient volume This is the
Whether your call to action (CTA) is a button or a link, don’t get too clever. Speak directly to your supporter and tell
You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
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
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. Enter, the chaser email.
This is one of the simplest tricks in the book. And it works. Chasers allow you to resend entire emails, along with a mildly guilt-inducing nudge. Chasers work on two levels:
- They make your readers feel personally accountable for reading your message (because you draw attention to the fact that you noticed that they missed it)
- Repetition suggests importance (so long as you reserve the tactic for priority actions only)
Avoid sending chasers to anyone who has already acted on your original message. Use segmentation to avoid this trap.
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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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