How to Write an Email

Hi, I’m Lauren. I write email.

What can email do for you?

Reach people quickly & cheaply

Activate people to take action

Enhance what you’re doing everywhere else

A few key principles

It’s about everything else you’re doing

It’s about story telling

It’s about number crunching

So how to I write an email?

Basic structure of an email

1st sentence: Attention grabber

Try to keep it to one sentence. One line if possible.

Basic structure of an email

2nd paragraph: Summary. Why are you sending this email?

Avoid too many facts, figures. That’s what the rest of the email is for.

Basic structure of an email

3rd-4th paragraph: Take Action.

What do you want people to do?What is the theory of change?

Basic structure of an emailLinks

Stand-alone (separate from paragraphs)Should you hyperlink text or write out urls? It dependsDon’t just use picture links

Basic structure of an email

After the link2-4 more paragraphs with background info, quotes, bullets, etc.Repeat your theory of change, action, link

10 tips for better emails

1. Keep it short.People don’t want to read a long essay.

2. Think about your subject line.

Be concise (5-7 words)Grab attention, but don’t cry wolfBe creativeDon’t be too wonky

Good Subject LinesCan I dial you in? (DCCC)For your eyes only (YES to Fairer Votes)I agree with George W. Bush (Howard Dean)Missing you (Kiva.org)We’re 54.7% sure… (Families USA)Spill baby spill (Brave New Films)

Bad Subject Lines

The ____ UpdateJune 2011 NewsletterTell your Senators to vote no on S. 2191Urgent FEC DeadlineMaryland GOP Calls for End to New Poll Tex for Absentee Ballot Voters

3. Keep it conversational.

Snarky is ok. A formal letter isn’t.Have voices, personalities in your email.

4. Never send an email without an action…

All you can do is unsubscribe.

Sign a petitionWrite a letterTell a friendWatch a videoFollow us on Facebook or Twitter

Call CongressMake a donationShare your storyGive us your feedbackAttend an event

4b …But don’t ask people to do a million things.

Multiple actions confuse/overwhelmSplits the returns of your actionsBetter solution: Segmentation & Daisy Chain

5. Ask people what they want.

Find out more about your listSolicit new ideasMake your members feel like they’re part of the team

Surveys are good for you and your list.

6. Treat new supporters differently.

Send an intro message describing your org & what you’ll be asking them to do.Don’t ask for money – but don’t wait too long.

Make a good first impression.

7. Keep formatting simple.Use images sparingly.

Compelling buttons can help action ratesMost don’t matterDon’t hold up an email for an imageDon’t make your whole email an image

7. Keep formatting simple.Avoid fancy formatting.

You are not writing direct mailFancy formatting distracts from links

8. Timing is everything.

Sometimes it’s better to be the 1st than to be the best.

General wisdom: Tuesday-Thursday late morningIn reality: Whenever something urgent happens

9. Checklist your emails.One bad mistake can ruin your email.

Ask someone who didn’t write it to proofread itAsk someone to click every link & take every action

10. Test & Segment Your emailsTests:

Sender name/formatSubject linesTime of dayImages (including headers)LengthLinksLanding pages

Segments:GeographyDonation historyPast actions takenSignup dateWhatever you’ve got

Landing Pages

Landing Pages: Keep it simple.

Make sure it’s clear what you want people to doLimit the number of:

DistractionsFieldsClicks

Landing Pages: Daisy Chain

You don’t have to just send people to a “thank you” pagePrioritize based on what you need most:

Tell a friendDonateEventsOther actions

Writing Workshop

Wal-Mart wants to build its first store in Washington DC.

A store in DC would hurt local businesses. Wal-Mart underpays its employees and doesn’t provide adequate health care.

Write an email to a local coalition email list, encouraging them to sign a petition against the new Wal-Mart. It will be delivered to the next city council meeting.

How to Plan a Calendar

Why plan emails?

To avoid the blank page/blinking cursor problem.

To make them part of a larger campaign.

To have more time to write better emails.

To have get better content.

To get something done!

1. What are you trying to do?

What is your goal(s)?

Online goals:

List growth?

Fundraising?

User generated content?

Twitter/facebook followers

Offline goals:

Pass a bill?

Save the (puppies, seals, unicorns)?

Events?

Volunteers?

Press attention?

Drive a news story?

2. What do you have to do it?

What are your resources?

Email list?

Volunteers on the ground?

Friendly bloggers? An organizational blog?

A technology platform?

Allied organizations/partners?

Online advertising budget?

Video capabilities?

Other technology abilities?

3. What are your key moments?

What are your online and offline milestones?

Internal news

External news

Media

Personal stories

Holidays/Days of Importance

Other solicitations

Is this a long or short campaign?

Are there deadlines you must meet?

Moments along the way that you can highlight?

4. What are your segments?

Do you need different emails for different

people?Action takers/non-action takersGeographyInterestHow they joined the listDonation historyDemographicsSuperactivists vs. Lurkers

4. What can people do to really help?

What is your theory of change?

Get a grid.

Plug in your offline activities/milestones as

the base.Petition: When will you be delivering it?

Events: Should we invite them? Ask them to donate or share? What can people do if they can’t attend?

Videos/ads/offline materials: Can the list contribute content? Money? Share?

Reports/research: Can they comment? Debunk it? Share?

Fill in the rest.

Kicker messages

Follow-up results messages

Donation messages

Other creative things you can give people to do

How much email is too much email?

How often do you have something urgent and meaningful to say?

Quarterly Monthly Weekly

TYPICAL

Daily

Probably too much

Almost certainly too

little

Credit: Idealware

Sample Campaign: Debbie Shank has paid enough

Debbie Shank has paid enough

Goal: To stop a lawsuit.

Resources: 100,000 person email list. Petition & Speakout technology. Contact with the family.

Timing: Debbie’s well-being was in jeopardy

Segments: People who signed/didn’t sign petition; frequent letter-writers; Facebook followers

Theory of change: By shaming Wal-Mart, they’d drop the lawsuit.

What did we do?

Launched a petition (email and Facebook)

Wrote letters to Wal-Mart’s top management

Wrote to news outlets to cover the story

It worked.

www.neworganizing.com@neworganizing

Thanks!Questions?@laurenm