Cognitive biases are powerful mental distortions that affect the way we think and behave. They are so powerful that they can lead people to act against their own best interests. If you understand them, you can...

I know what you’re thinking. “Subject lines”. And you’d be right. Subject lines are hailed as the ‘be all and end all’ of email open rates—understandably. But they don’t act alone. To maximize the...

Every time you email your supporter, you’re doing much more than delivering a message. You’re cultivating a relationship. If your organization relies on—or hopes to rely on—a digital audience to sustain its work,...

Most organizations want to grow their online audience. Some of us rely entirely on our supporters to fuel actions and fundraising—the organizational mission depends on it. In this case, list building is literally mission critical. You...

Imagine you’re seeing a 25% open rate on your emails. That means whenever you send a broadcast, 3 in every 4 recipients will be unfamiliar with what you sent last time. Some recipients will be new to...

Imagine you’re at a party. There are plenty of new people you could meet and talk to. There’s a guy talking himself up. You know—all the work he has to do; his accomplishments; how great everyone thinks...