Research in behavior change has shown that one way to help move people the direction you want them to go is to have them make a list of benefits. Once they can double their list of benefits, they can move into the next stage of positive behavior.
You may have visitors who don't yet see the benefits to making the changes you are suggesting. They’re the ones who come to your zoo or aquarium on a tour that’s part of a convention and couldn’t care less about your environmental mission. The most effective way to communicate with this audience is to spell out the benefits of a specific environmental behavior, like lowering their electric bills by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Or, maybe some of your members received a membership as a gift but have never used it. Sending a letter listing the benefits of becoming a more active visitor could help nudge them along.
Along those lines, I just received this solicitation to return to Yoga Journal as a subscriber:
The text "SUMMARY OF BENEFITS" is usually found on health-care statements. I thought it was an interesting choice for this magazine. I'm not sure the design of this piece is quite right for this audience, but it's a real-world example of the approach described above.
Tip of the day: Focus on real-world, realistic benefits your business or organization offers, whether that is saving money, quality family time, or supporting their child's education in a safe environment.
Technorati Tags: behavior change, museum, visitor experience
