Hello, Changemaker!

Karen Nilsen

Hi I’m Karen. I want to share with you the tactics I’ve used to build digital power and engage a supporter base of millions. Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Say More (by Saying Less)

Knowing how much or how little to say starts with being clear about your objective. Rarely is it our job to turn readers into subject-matter experts. Mostly, we’re in the business of motivating people to action. If...

2 minute read

Knowing how much or how little to say starts with being clear about your objective. Rarely is it our job to turn readers...

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Email Preview Text: What You Need to Know

Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t have the same pull as a subject line, it does give you a ‘second...

3 minute read

Preview text appears in most email clients in the form of a few words after or below a subject line. While it doesn’t...

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Beat the Curse of Knowledge

The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse to infect your writing, you may unwittingly leave supporters feeling confused an alienated. To...

2 minute read

The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that leads us to overestimate the knowledge of our audience. If you allow this curse...

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Anatomy of an Action Email

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 supporter directly to a specific page. Let’s work with that. Make your action...

3 minute read

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...

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Don’t Say Everything All at Once

Take your time. In the pursuit of saying more with less, I’ll admit—not every big idea can be reduced to a snappy soundbite. Sometimes there really is a lot to say. Still, there are better options than trying...

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Take your time. In the pursuit of saying more with less, I’ll admit—not every big idea can be reduced to a snappy soundbite...

Learn this
Learn this
11 Ways to Give Subject Lines Consequence (with Examples)

Consider the moment before your supporter decides whether to open your email. They must sacrifice something in order to give you their attention. Either, they’ll need to delay the thing they were about to do next, or...

4 minute read

Consider the moment before your supporter decides whether to open your email. They must sacrifice something in order to give you their attention...

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