#rc12: writing great email action alerts
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
How to write a greataction alert?
Open space session @ #rc12
@p_v_c@ChangeGER
![Page 2: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
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!
![Page 3: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
01. Why is email important?
![Page 4: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
4
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!
![Page 5: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
5
You do not build a list, you build a community!
![Page 6: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
02. When to write an email
![Page 7: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
CRISITUNITY
CRISIS + OPPORTUNITY
THEORY OF CHANGE
CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATION
„When you do this X, Y will change.“
![Page 8: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
8
No F1 in brutal Bahrain
![Page 9: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
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.
9
![Page 10: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
03. Whom to write it to
![Page 11: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
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.)
![Page 12: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
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
![Page 13: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
13
Take care:Write, as if you write a letter to the prime minister.Deine Email ist nichts wert, wenn die Menschen nicht mitmachen.
![Page 14: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
04. How to write it
![Page 15: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
15
„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:
![Page 16: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Anatomy of an Email
![Page 17: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
17
• Subjects• Call-out text• Call-out images
Non body elements (don‘t rush).
![Page 18: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Subjects• Short• Rätselhaft• Relevant
• Urgency / Timeline• Country specific• Alliteration
![Page 19: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
*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.
![Page 20: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Campaign:Tell Angela Merkel to speak
out for Saudi Women
![Page 21: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Call-out Text• Needs to stand on its own
• Tell the complete story• Identify the target and the ask• Avoid confusing acronyms or jargon
![Page 22: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Call-out Image• Look for images that:
• Humanize the issue• Call attention to a
well-known brand or figure
![Page 23: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
23
Optional: (Hook)
Crisitunity
Theory of change
Ask
Delivery (Tying it to the real world)
Movement story
Sources
Body elements.
![Page 24: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Hook• Objective: Catch the reader’s attention
• You have 2-7 seconds to make the reader want more
![Page 25: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Explain the Crisitunity• Objective: Explain the crisis to the reader, highlight our
opportunity, and emphasize the urgency of his or her action.
![Page 26: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
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.
![Page 27: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
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
![Page 28: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
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
![Page 29: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
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
![Page 30: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
05. Testing
![Page 31: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
![Page 32: #RC12: Writing Great Email Action Alerts](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051610/549c4b30b479599b318b46dd/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
For more info, contact:
@ChangeGER
@p_v_c