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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
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.
You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
Let’s be honest, this stuff is hard. Never in human history has there been a communication medium more competitive than the Internet.
You are not your audience. Five humbling words that explain why so many messages fall flat, emails flop, and web pages
On the surface, it looks like the purpose of a title is to introduce the content of a webpage. But of course—you
Don’t wait for supporter fatigue to set in before creating a plan to mitigate it. Nice idea, right? Most of us only recognize
The education system taught many of us that long words and complex sentence structures are signs of sophistication. Un-learn this as fast
Imagine you’ve been asked to have an important conversation with ... ‘someone’. Chances are, you’ll be much happier to have that conversation if
In 2026, more emails are being viewed on iPhones than any other device. The average iPhone affords us a measly 41 characters
If we want to get the most out of email, we need to make it personal. If every message we send sounds
You might know definitively that your call-to-action (CTA) is the single-most strategic thing your supporters can do today to help your cause.
Here’s an important piece of digital communication that you’ve probably never read: Few of us pay attention to stuff like
Most of us have a hard time keeping on top of emails from people we do know, to let alone give a second
There’s more than one way to build an email list. The various types of digital assets you can use to attract people to your list are your list building entry points. Choosing the right entry points can either set you up for long term success or agonizing frustration.
Define the terms of your relationship
The very first touchpoint that brings someone to your email list is defining. That moment is responsible for establishing the terms of the relationship they will have with you. Will the interaction position them as an action taker? Or a spectator? Consider how supporters can best help your organization achieve its mission, and then design list-building entry points to mirror that.
Active entry points include:
- Signing a petition or other online action
- RSVP’ing for an event or rally
- Donating or buying merch
Passive entry points include:
- Generic e-mail list signup form
- Asset offers (recipes, literature, e-books, etc.)
Simply put, if your core list-building strategy relies on passive entry points, it’s going to be harder to mobilize your supporters into action. You’ll find plenty of digital agencies keen to push passive entry points because they’re easily applied in a commercial environment. However, we have something more valuable to work with. So play to your advantage—optimize online action pages such as petitions and advocacies to fuel your list building strategy. Prioritize your active entry points. These highly-sharable assets will build audiences faster than generic signup forms every time.
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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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