1. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Anne T. Melvin
Director of Training and Education
Harvard University

2. Yes. 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive – Robert B
Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive – Robert B. Cialdini

3. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’
Social Proof – We look to what others do to guide our behavior
Reciprocity – We feel obligated to return favors performed for us
Commitment and Consistency – We want to act consistently with our stated commitments and values
Authority – We look for experts to show us the way
Scarcity – The less available the resource, the more we want it.
No, seriously, this is it.
You’ll see this slide again and again. No need to copy it.

4. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’

5. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’
Social Proof – We look to what others do to guide our behavior

6. Social proof – the art of testimonials
If you’re the North Shore Animal Rescue League, don’t use your posh, stuffy Board Chairwoman as your testimonial or face, use a normal person if you’re trying to reach normal people.
Close as possible to audience you’re trying to reach

7. Social proof – the art of the box chart

8. Social proof – the art of the bequest ask
“Mrs. Hu, thank you for your generous gifts over the years. You’ve been such a loyal and tremendous supporter of our organization. You know, many donors who give as regularly as you have put our organization in their will; what are your thoughts about doing that?”
How can you use social proof in your AVERAGE bequest ask.
Reminding her of COMMITMENT AND CONSISTENCY (we’ll talk about that later!)
Using SOCIAL PROOF

9. AVOID Negative Social Proof
“Only 8% of classical music listeners give to WCMU radio station…. Please give….”
Up in Michigan this summer and my favorite Public Radio station has a fund drive. This is what they start repeating over and over again….
I’m yelling at the radio “This is negative social proof! Of course no one gives! Because no one ELSE gives! Don’t tell them that!”
Tell them about the motivations of the listeners who DID give. WHY they gave. Give things for the audience to IDENTIFY WITH. “I give because I’m a summer resident and I enjoy it up here. Only fair that I give.” Don’t mention the numbers. Tout the successes.

10. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’
Social Proof – We look to what others do to guide our behavior
Reciprocity – We feel obligated to return favors performed for us
We’ve done Liking and Social proof. Let’s move on to Reciprocity
Simply: We feel obligated to return favors performed for us.
Lets jump right into the science.

11. Reciprocity: pump up the volume
Significance (two is better than one)
2. Unexpected (candy after turning away)
3. Personalized (‘I’m giving you this second candy because you were a really nice customer”)
Diner in Tilton, NH…..tootsie rolls in bowl in corner where waitress could get to them.

12. Reciprocity – the art
Visit bequest donors. Bring box of Harvard Chocolates.
12 chocolates with the Harvard College shield. Very personalized to their college
“I want to Thank you for your bequest. I know we don’t have it yet, and I hope we won’t for many years to come, but I want to say thank you in advance of receiving it”
Hard for them to remove Harvard from their will after they’ve taken a gift from me: reciprocity

13. Reciprocity – the art Photos
We like to take professional pictures of our donors at events and frame them in inexpensive CVS frames and give them to them. Especially if they’re with a loved one, or a university official, it recalls good times or it reminds them of our mission.

14. Small, personalized gifts
Reciprocity – the art
Small, personalized gifts
California…..Carmel……2.5 hour drive from SF……agricultural lands……..visiting a spiritual woman…..4 artichokes……simple gift from the land…..so appreciative, delighted and surprised.
Doesn’t have to be expensive.
Think what they might LIKE. Who ARE they. What might speak to them.

15. Final advice on reciprocity!
Favors act like WINE (CLICK) for the doer: they get better with ago…..seem more valuable the longer ago they are
Favors act like BREAD (CLICK) for the recipient…..they get stale with age.
Do a favor for a prospect right before you want to ask her to do something. Make a gift. Volunteer for a job. Don’t wait.

16. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’
Social Proof – We look to what others do to guide our behavior
Reciprocity – We feel obligated to return favors performed for us
Commitment and Consistency – We want to act consistently with our stated commitments and values
We’ve done Liking, Social Proof and Reciprocity
Commitment and Consistency. My FAVORITE ONE. One of the most powerful for fundraising.

17. Commitment and consistency – the art
Written pledges
“Can you please respond to this with a 'yes' that it's your intention to make the $500 gift we discussed?"
Firm up a gift once you get a pledge by asking for it in writing.
Doesn’t need to be complex and formal: they can do a message in a bottle for all I care. (CLICK)
The written pledge is not important: the fact that they make the pledge is what creates the INTERNAL commitment to make the gift. They’ll hold themselves to it; you won’t have to.
Heck, Harvard takes a “yes” to an (CLICK)

18. Commitment and consistency – the art
Advisory groups –written report
Volunteers – talk about your org to a friend
Other ways to get commitment
By writing a report and working on it together and really refining their thoughts, they become more invested in the project. If it’s something like whether your org should buy a new building, getting the advisory committee to put their thoughts into writing can lead them to become the lead donors
Talking to a friend about your org will make them refine their own thoughts, crystallize what they like best about your non profit and solidify their own commitment to it.

19. Commitment and consistency – the art
Ask volunteers to write a fundraising letter to their friends and follow up with phone calls
Other ways to get commitment
Write a letter explaining why it’s personally compelling to them. Solidify THEIR commitment and give YOU insight into what clicks with them so you can work that into a solicitation
Ask them to host a party. Give them exposure to your Ex. Director. If they’re doing all this work, they must support you will be their take away.
Ask a low-level supporter with potential to host a dinner party/cocktail party

20. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’
Social Proof – We look to what others do to guide our behavior
Reciprocity – We feel obligated to return favors performed for us
Commitment and Consistency – We want to act consistently with our stated commitments and values
Authority – We look for experts to show us the way
I’m going to go over Authority VERY BRIEFLY since I think the other principles carry more weight, but this is a good one to keep in the back of our minds.

21. The Art (and Science) of Persuasion
Liking – We say ‘yes’ to people we like. The more we like them, the more we want to say ‘yes.’
Social Proof – We look to what others do to guide our behavior
Reciprocity – We feel obligated to return favors performed for us
Commitment and Consistency – We want to act consistently with our stated commitments and values
Authority – We look for experts to show us the way
Scarcity – The less available the resource, the more we want it.

22. Scarcity – the art Same message, different emphasis
"John, if you make a gift of $100,000, you will qualify for the scholarship matching challenge, making a total campaign gift of $200,000."
“John, only 20% of the challenge match funds are left. Several other donors are thinking about using the match. If they do, I can’t guarantee there will be any match left for you. Will you make a gift of $100,000 now to qualify for the match?”
Very subtle changes can amp up your persuasive power:
You COULD say “"John, if you make a gift of $100,000 for scholarships, you could qualify for matching funds from the scholarship challenge, making a total campaign gift of $200,000."
Here is John. He’s pretty bored with your ask.
Or you could invoke scarcity and say…….
…and here is John, texting his banker to wire you the $100,000. SCARCITY GIVES URGENCY to your ask.
LOSS AVERSION: the fear of loss is even greater than the anticipation of gain

23. Scarcity – the art planned giving context
"Cynthia, right now, you and John qualify for a 6.0% charitable gift annuity. In three months, we expect the gift annuity rates to drop, and I'll only be able to offer you and John a rate of 5.7%. If you act before January to establish the annuity, we can set up the annuity at the higher 6.0% rate."
LOSS
AVERSION
“Cynthia, you and John qualify for a 6.0% charitable gift annuity.”
How about invoking scarcity the next time you know gift annuity rates are dropping?
(CLICK) You visit Cynthia and tell her: “Cynthia, you and John qualify for a 6.0% charitable gift annuity.”
(CLICK) And here she is saying “well, that’s nice, Anne, but we really need to think about this.” This means NO .
(CLICK) Or you could invoke Scarcity by tweaking it when you know rates are dropping with this: "Cynthia, right now, you and John qualify for a 6.0% charitable gift annuity. In three months, we expect the gift annuity rates to drop, and I'll only be able to offer you and Harold a rate of 5.7%. If you act before January to establish the annuity, we can set up the annuity at the higher 6.0% rate."
(CLICK) And here she is saying “John, get your arms off of me and go write this nice woman a check Now, John”
LOSS AVERSION once again. One of the most powerful motivating forces in social psychology - a little bit of FEAR

24. Perceptual Contrast
Things look different, depending on how they are presented to you.

25. Perceptual Contrast
Rienzi P. and the
CRUT

26. Making perceptual contrast work FOR you
Present not-so-good choice first
Present best choice next and last
Don’t present too many choices
Think the CGA is best for an 80 year old couple?
Present CRUT first….income can grow over time, but it can drop and be variable… (CLICK)
You MIGHT want to do the CGA! High rate of income at 9% and income won’t ever drop for the rest of your life!
Don’t present too many choices or you’ll get into FLUENCY problems….

27. Fluency
A message that is difficult to decode, pronounce, understand, is less CONVINCING than one that is easy.
Ex: “If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit!”

28. Fluency Use a rhyme and your gifts will climb
If this abandoned dog could speak, she’d tell you
“The fixed rate supports the Haight!”
If you’re an animal shelter in the Haight-Ashbury section of SF…try this for a direct marketing appeal for a Gift Annuity

29. Fear: Fight…or Freeze?
Research shows that fear-arousing communications motivate audience to TAKE ACTION to reduce the threat….
Except when it describes a danger and the audience isn’t told how to reduce that danger.
Block out the message
Freeze

30. Commitment and consistency – the art of the ask
What I'm hearing from you, Tze, is that it's important that we're able to keep attracting the best students, even if they, like you, have a father who wasn't there for most of their childhood, and that it’s important that Harvard is able to provide a full ride for students, like you had. Is that correct? That's Harvard’s goal too. I’d like for you to consider making that possible for the next generation of students with a gift of $250,000."
USE their stated commitments and values in your solicitations. Write down quotes when you meet with prospects.
His VALUES as stated are the truest form of philanthropic intent. Call out to them, put them on the table in the solicit, and he will want to be consistent with his stated commitments.