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Let’s be honest, this stuff is hard. Never in human history has there been a communication medium more competitive than the Internet.
To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices
Great communication is not just about what you say but how you say it. Who says it also matters. You won’t always
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.
Not every email you send will find its way into an inbox. Optimal deliverability is needed to give your emails a fighting
Think of digital pipelines as pathways that lead your supporters down progressively deeper levels of engagement. Without designing your pipelines intentionally, your supporters
Technology moves at light-speed. Every day, smart people are pushing the boundaries of digital design, user experience, and communication. If we hope
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
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
Don’t wait for supporter fatigue to set in before creating a plan to mitigate it. Nice idea, right? Most of us only recognize
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 might seem too obvious to mention. But it’s critical that you’ve defined the objective of your email. Often, it’s to lead your
We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because
What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?
Well-designed email templates are greeeat. But even the best layouts can lull readers into complacency over time. Consider mixing up your formatting occasionally
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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