ARE YOU PLANNING TO ATTEND?

 

Though a basketball team had a big support base, the supporters never bothered to attend their games. In order to  motivate the fans to attend the games of the team, they thought the most persuasive message would come from the team itself.

Emails were sent to the fans with quotes from players and coaches about how part of the home crowd advantage stems from the energy of a packed house of cheering fans. 

It had no effect. The attendance was dismal.

Then they changed the track. 

Emails were sent with just one question.

"Are you planning to attend?"

The attendance climbed to 85 percent.

The question had given the fans freedom to make their own case for going.

The rationale is, psychologists have long found that the person most likely to persuade you to change your mind is you. 

You get to pick the reasons you find most compelling and you come away with a real sense of ownership over them.

We don't have to convince them we are right. We just need to open their minds to the possibility that they might be wrong. 

Their natural curiosity would do the rest

Adam Grant

THINK AGAIN