Unsubscribe any time. We respect your data. View the privacy policy.
Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t
There’s more than one way to build an email list. The various types of digital assets you can use to attract people to
Don’t undercut a great email by hiding it behind a poor subject line. These few words have the power to make or
The education system taught many of us that long words and complex sentence structures are signs of sophistication. Un-learn this as fast
As changemakers, it’s our job to dream up all the ways our supporters can get involved to help our cause or win
Let’s be honest, this stuff is hard. Never in human history has there been a communication medium more competitive than the Internet.
What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?
You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.
One of the hardest lessons to learn as a communicator is knowing what not to say. In a medium that forces us
Consider the moment before your supporter decides whether to open your email. They must sacrifice something in order to give you their attention.
Serious question. Success is more than a number. It’s an outcome. An increase in list size isn’t an end-goal; 1,000
It’s not hard to preach to the choir. Or to mount an argument so agreeable that it won’t offend or challenge anyone.
When it comes to targeting the best supporters for specific activities, many of us are using (or have used) the sub-list model.
A ‘hero’ image is one that carries the most visual weight in your layout. Usually accompanying your headline, this is the image
Call it what you will. It’s the idea that when we work together, we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. If achieving
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.
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:
Passive entry points include:
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.
Was this tip useful?
Like this tip? Share it!
