#rc12: writing great email action alerts
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
How to write a greataction alert?
Open space session @ #rc12
@p_v_c@ChangeGER
01 Intro - Why is email important?
02 When to send an email?
03 Who to write it to?
04 How to write an action alert?
05 Testing!
01. Why is email important?
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Why it’s still a revolutionary form of communication: It’s cheap.
It’s timely.
Actionable, and flexible.
Everyone uses it.
Measureable.
Email is a great engine!
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You do not build a list, you build a community!
02. When to write an email
CRISITUNITY
CRISIS + OPPORTUNITY
THEORY OF CHANGE
CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATION
„When you do this X, Y will change.“
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No F1 in brutal Bahrain
TOC
Red Bull is the biggest team in racing and has a sensitive brand.
As consumers, we have power over that brand.If we convince one brand not to race in Bahrain, others will folllow.
It will send shock waves to the brutal government of Bahrain.
Signing this petition now helps the people of Bahrain.
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03. Whom to write it to
The Audience• Don’t assume our audience has a shared
ideology. (Even within a certain cause category.)
• Don’t assume our audience has knowledge of a specific issue. (Even if they’ve taken action in that cause category before.)
The Audience• Hint: Email to your Mama trick
• Personal stories are more powerful than talking points
• Use a friendly, familiar tone• Don’t assume knowledge or use acronyms or
jargon• Avoid sarcasm, memes, internet jokes he won’t
understand
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Take care:Write, as if you write a letter to the prime minister.Deine Email ist nichts wert, wenn die Menschen nicht mitmachen.
04. How to write it
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„The policy paper“ email.Often, emails are an in depth explanation of the
sender‘s policy.
„The email with no asks. Or too many asks.“
One ask per email!
Main #failures:
Anatomy of an Email
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• Subjects• Call-out text• Call-out images
Non body elements (don‘t rush).
Subjects• Short• Rätselhaft• Relevant
• Urgency / Timeline• Country specific• Alliteration
*Subject Line Derby*
• Time: 2 minutes
• Activity: Individual brainstorm of as many creative, compelling subjects as possible for a given campaign.
• Goal: Practice thinking through different kinds of subject lines.
Campaign:Tell Angela Merkel to speak
out for Saudi Women
Call-out Text• Needs to stand on its own
• Tell the complete story• Identify the target and the ask• Avoid confusing acronyms or jargon
Call-out Image• Look for images that:
• Humanize the issue• Call attention to a
well-known brand or figure
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Optional: (Hook)
Crisitunity
Theory of change
Ask
Delivery (Tying it to the real world)
Movement story
Sources
Body elements.
Hook• Objective: Catch the reader’s attention
• You have 2-7 seconds to make the reader want more
Explain the Crisitunity• Objective: Explain the crisis to the reader, highlight our
opportunity, and emphasize the urgency of his or her action.
Theory of Change• Objective: convince the reader his or her
action is necessary and will matter.
• A cause-and-effect sequence that begins with something the reader can do and ends with the resolution of the crisis.
Theory of Change• “Girls like Mina Johnson
won’t be able to play football unless school administrators change their minds. Sign our petition to demand they let girls play.”
• Theory of change: MISSING
Theory of Change• “Rick Santorum uses
racist language when talking about immigration on the campaign trail and during Republican debates. Sign this petition to tell him to stop attacking migrants.”
• Theory of change: IMPLAUSIBLE
Make an Ask• Objective: Get the reader to click the petition
link
• Ask statements should be direct, simple, and come as early in the email as possible.
• Hint: Ask yourself if each piece of information is worth delaying the first link.
• 2 times don‘t matter
05. Testing
For more info, contact:
@ChangeGER
@p_v_c