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!

Articulate Your ‘Theory of Change’

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. But don’t expect anyone to take your word for it. Make the effort to...

4 minute read

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...

Learn more
Learn this
How NOT to Write a Thank-You Email...

For several years, I drove a strategy at Animals Australia to send ‘thank-you’ emails to action takers that were jam-packed with followup asks. This is not an uncommon approach. And on the surface, it’s easy to...

2 minute read

For several years, I drove a strategy at Animals Australia to send ‘thank-you’ emails to action takers that were jam-packed with followup...

Keep reading
Keep reading
How ‘Why’ Is the Most Important Question You Need to Answer

What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated? Why do you exist? The answer to all these questions is the same. And...

4 minute read

What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?...

Find out more
Learn this
What Makes a Good ‘Hero Image’?

A ‘hero’ image is one that carries the most visual weight in your layout. Usually accompanying your headline, this is the image that greets your reader when they hit your page. If your page doesn’t have...

7 minute read

A ‘hero’ image is one that carries the most visual weight in your layout. Usually accompanying your headline, this is the image...

Find out more
Learn more
This Is What Happens When You Address Your Reader as a ‘Group’

SPOILER: it’s not good. Sure—you know you’re writing an email to 5,000 people. But your task is to make your reader feel like you’re writing only to them. When ‘broadcasting’ language slips into our writing,...

4 minute read

SPOILER: it’s not good. Sure—you know you’re writing an email to 5,000 people. But your task is to make your reader feel like...

Read this
Find out more
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 be the best vehicle for your message. It helps to know when someone else...

5 minute read

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

Learn this
Keep reading