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Imagine you’re seeing a 25% open rate on your emails. That means whenever you send a broadcast, 3 in every 4 recipients will
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
You are not your audience. Five humbling words that explain why so many messages fall flat, emails flop, and web pages
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 draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?
How does the past experience of people on your list influence their interest in receiving ongoing email from you? It turns out
As changemakers, it’s our job to dream up all the ways our supporters can get involved to help our cause or win
New to SEO? Here’s what works in 2026. If the currency of the Internet is web traffic, then search engine referrals are money
Think of digital pipelines as pathways that lead your supporters down progressively deeper levels of engagement. Without designing your pipelines intentionally, your supporters
It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter
Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t
Well-designed email templates are greeeat. But even the best layouts can lull readers into complacency over time. Consider mixing up your formatting occasionally
Call it what you will. It’s the idea that when we work together, we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. If achieving
Let’s be honest, this stuff is hard. Never in human history has there been a communication medium more competitive than the Internet.
We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because
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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Don’t be a hero (make your supporter the hero!) 
Avoid being an unknown sender 
How NOT to write a thank-you email... 
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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