Campaign Email
- 1. Welcome! We will be starting the training session shortly. If you are experiencing technical difficulties, please visit www.CandidateProject.org/help to read frequently asked webinar tech questions.
- 2. EMAIL CAMPAIGNING Presented by Lauren Miller, Elizabeth Warren for MA
- 3. INTRODUCTIONS NOI On Demand You Norms
- 4. FOLLOWING THE LAW ELECTIONS.NEWORGANIZING.COM
- 5. FOLLOWING THE LAW WWW.AFJ.ORG
- 6. Presenter: Lauren Miller New Media Director Elizabeth Warren for MA @laurenm
- 7. OBJECTIVE Learn best practices, tips & tricks to write awesome emails and run an excellent email program.
- 8. AGENDA Why email is important Theory of change Basic structure of an email 10 tips for better emails Questions
- 9. WHAT CAN EMAIL DO FOR YOU? • Enhance what you’re doing offline • Quick, cost effective communications to supporters • Rapid response to breaking news • Activate and empower your members • Raise money 9
- 10. A FEW KEY PRINCIPLES • Email is part of a larger communications strategy • It’s about telling a story over time • Plan ahead • Email is results driven 10
- 11. THEORY OF CHANGE A cause-and-effect sequence that begins with something the reader can tangibly do and ends with the resolution of the moment. OR How does the action you are asking your supporters to take lead to the change you want to see? Key: authentic and plausible.
- 12. THEORY OF CHANGE #1: College football won't have a true national champion until there is a playoff system. Sign our petition to demand a playoff. Theory of Change: MISSING
- 13. THEORY OF CHANGE #2: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is pursuing a radical anti-worker agenda. Call his office and tell him to stop. Theory of Change: IMPLAUSIBLE
- 14. THEORY OF CHANGE › #3: Puppy mills are more concerned with their bottom line than the health and well being of the dogs in their care. Americans for Puppies Everywhere is rallying day and night to stop them. Theory of Change: Contribute now to TRUST ME keep us going.
- 15. OK, ENOUGH TALK. HOW DO I WRITE AN EMAIL?
- 16. BASIC EMAIL STRUCTURE • 1st Sentence: Attention Grabber • Try to keep it to one sentence -- one line, if possible
- 17. BASIC EMAIL STRUCTURE • 2nd Sentence/Paragraph: Summary of why you’re sending the email • Don’t include too many details, facts, quotes, etc -- that’s what the rest of the email is for
- 18. BASIC EMAIL STRUCTURE • 3rd-4th Paragraph: Take Action • Explain what you want people to do • Remember to explain your theory of change • LINK (before the fold)
- 19. BASIC EMAIL STRUCTURE • Links should be stand-alone links (not as part of another paragraph) • Should you use hyperlink text or written-out url’s? It depends. • Don’t just have picture links
- 20. BASIC EMAIL STRUCTURE • After the First Link (if needed) • 2-4 paragraphs with more background information, blockquotes, details, etc. • Another explanation of why it’s so important for people to take action, and another link. • Repeat if necessary
- 21. SO HOW OFTEN CAN I SEND THESE AWESOME EMAILS?
- 22. WELL, IT DEPENDS…. How often do you have something urgent, important and interesting to say? Quarterly Monthly Weekly Daily TYPICAL Almost Probably too certainly too much little Credit: Idealware
- 23. 10 TIPS FOR BETTER EMAILS
- 24. 1. KEEP IT SHORT • People don’t want to read a long essay. They’re skimming what you write.
- 25. 2. THINK ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT LINE It’s the most important part of your email. Be concise (5-7 words) Grab attention, but don’t cry wolf Be creative & mix it up
- 26. GOOD SUBJECT LINES • Reality 2, Bush 0 (John Kerry) • I agree with George W. Bush (Howard Dean) • Did you get my email? (MoveOn.org) • I have a confession to make (Courage Campaign) • Spill baby spill (Brave New Foundation)
- 27. BAD SUBJECT LINES • The McCain Update (John McCain) • Tell your Senators to • vote NO on S. 2191 (Eagle Forum) • Urgent FEC Deadline (Mitch McConnell) • Maryland GOP Calls for end to new poll tax for absentee voters (Maryland GOP)
- 28. 3. KEEP IT CONVERSATIONAL How do you sound when you write an email to coworkers? • Snarky is ok. A formal letter isn’t. • Have voices, personalities in your emails. It keeps things from getting stale.
- 29. 4. NEVER SEND AN EMAIL WITHOUT AN ACTION… All people can do is unsubscribe. Sign a petition Call Congress Write a letter Make a donation Tell a friend Give us your feedback Watch a video Attend an event Remember your theory of change!
- 30. 4. NEVER SEND AN EMAIL WITHOUT AN ACTION… …But try not to have more than one action per email. Don’t confuse people. • Multiple actions/links overwhelm people • Splits the returns of your action • Better solution: Daisy-chain your actions • Exception: PS Message
- 31. 5. ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT Surveys are good for you and your list • Find out who your audience is, what they’re interested in • Solicit new ideas without hiring a new staff member • Make your supporters feel like they’re a part of the team
- 32. 6. TREAT NEW SUPPORTERS DIFFERENTLY Make a good first impression. • Send an introduction/auto-response email, describing the group/org and what they can do • Trying to raise money? Don’t ask immediately – but don’t wait too long to ask
- 33. 7. USE IMAGES SPARINGLY & AVOID FANCY FORMATTING Don’t use images just for the sake of using images. • Simple buttons that clearly explain the action can help action rates • Compelling images can help grab attention • Don’t hold up your email just for an image • Don’t make your whole email an image
- 34. 8. TIMING IS EVERYTHING Sometimes it’s better to be the first than be the best • General wisdom: Tuesday Thursday late morning send best • More important: Getting an email out when news breaks, something happens • If you’re waiting 3 days for policy experts to fact-check your brilliant email, you’re too late.
- 35. 9. CHECKLIST YOUR EMAILS One bad mistake will ruin your otherwise excellent email • Ask someone who didn’t write it to proofread it • Ask someone to look at a test message to read every sentence, click every link, and take every action.
- 36. 10. TESTING AND SEGMENT Figure out best for your own list Test: Segment: • Sender: name/format • Donors/non-donors • Subject lines: long/short, punchy, • Highest previous contribution snarky, questions, current events themed, “invite” or “video” • Geography (including stories) • Time of day (tough to implement) • Past actions • Images: yes/no, upper right vs. • Signup date across, header or no header, simple • Whatever info you’ve got! vs. artistic, colors, language • Email length: full email vs. up to 1st link • Link style: hyperlinked text vs. urls • Landing pages
- 37. QUESTIONS?
- 38. WWW.NEWORGANIZING.COM/TOOLB OX
Editor's Notes
- #4: NOINOI on DemandIntroduce Hope who will do the polls and manage the chat box, 45 min + Q&A, use chat-As you can see from our poll we have folks from lots of different organizations on this webinar. Some from party committees or candidate campaigns, some from labor, some from 501(c)3 non profit organizations.-There are different laws that apply to different types of campaigns, and each state also has its own laws for elections. What that means is that nothing we say on this webinar is legal advice for your specific campaign or organization. We recommend to every campaign and organization that you hire your own legal counsel, someone who is familiar with election law in your state. If you're even in doubt, ask your lawyer!-Here are some additional resources that can help you. (Introduce OGEA for state laws, and Alliance for Justice for 501(c)3 organizations in particular to make sure whatever their campaign activities that they are following the law to protect their tax status.)
- #5: Hire legal adviceAlliance for Justice (c3)OGEA
- #6: Hire legal adviceAlliance for Justice (c3)OGEA