Get a free digital strategy tip of the week:

Name Email
privacy policy.

We respect your data. View the privacy policy.

Unsubscribe any time. We respect your data. View the privacy policy.

Why people don’t complete online actions (and what to do about it)

There are plenty of reasons people struggle to complete online actions. Poor page layouts, confusing language, onerous forms, and too many (or too

You botched an email broadcast. Now what!?

You sent 100,000 emails to the wrong list... You directed people to last year’s action... You addressed everyone as “Jane”... It happens.

Choose the right messenger

Great communication is not just about what you say but how you say it. Who says it also matters. You won’t always

Engage your reader’s emotional brain

Inboxes aren’t often exciting places. Neither are the majority of web pages, if we’re honest. This can work to your advantage. Your

When to tell your ‘movement story’

Call it what you will. It’s the idea that when we work together, we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. If achieving

What you need to know about ‘deliverability’

Not every email you send will find its way into an inbox. Optimal deliverability is needed to give your emails a fighting

How ‘list health’ affects email open rates

How does the past experience of people on your list influence their interest in receiving ongoing email from you? It turns out

Picture this when writing your next headline...

Whatever you do—don’t just imagine your headline on your page itself. Consider how your headline performs without the rest of your page to

Dominate Social Media

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

7 traits of a clear writing style

The education system taught many of us that long words and complex sentence structures are signs of sophistication. Un-learn this as fast

A beginner’s guide to email analytics

Most email broadcast systems come packed with standard analytics. Just to be clear, here’s what we care about: Recipient volume This is the

Here’s why you should be a rule breaker

Technology moves at light-speed. Every day, smart people are pushing the boundaries of digital design, user experience, and communication. If we hope

A beginner’s guide to segmentation

So you’ve cracked the code to writing a great email. The next step is to push it out to as many people

A beginner’s guide to digital pipelines

Think of digital pipelines as pathways that lead your supporters down progressively deeper levels of engagement. Without designing your pipelines intentionally, your supporters

One email. ONE ASK.

Sometimes, the purpose of an email can be simply to inform. But often, we’re trying to get someone somewhere. An action page. A

List Building & Retention

Are You Prioritizing the Right List Building Entry Points?

2
Minute read
Are You Prioritizing the Right List Building Entry Points?

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.

From: A beginner’s guide to list building

Karen Nilsen

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!