Shane Donnellan, senior behaviour change specialist, Changeworks Visit the CharityComms website to view slides from past events, see what events we have coming up and to check out what else we do: www.charitycomms.org.uk

1. Delivering positive low carbon living
Behavioural Science for
Communicators
Small charities communications conference 2019

2. Introduction
Shane Donnellan, Senior Behaviour Change Specialist
Consultancy Team
Clinical Psychology X Human Factors

3. Changeworks

4. Centre of Best Practice for
Behaviour Change
‘Applying best practice behavioural knowledge to improve all
sustainability outcomes’
Aims
1. Greater impacts in delivery
2. Staff culture of considering behaviour
3. Evaluation
4. Real world applications
5. Beacon of exemplar working
6. Support stakeholders with behaviour change

5. Behaviour is a broad term
• Take an action (Sign up)
• Stop doing something (@ing us)
• Change how to do something (Calling in to chat)
• Start/ stop/ maintain/ change a habit (open e-newsletters)
• Remembering (to attend events)
• Doing something the right way (complete forms)
• Doing something at the right time (register for events)
• Share (tell your friends)
• …..

6. Behavioural Science

7. • Nudges: Cues which can influence a person’s decision, but
don’t remove their personal choice for action.
• Has become the public image of all things related to behaviour
change. These cues based on the same principles used in more
complex interventions
• Nudges may be in our physical environment, digital, how
choices are presented to us, written etc.
Nudges

8. Examples of nudges
Pic: Cancer Research UK

9. Pic: Hubbub

11. Shoves

12. Tools (nudges) for Comms and
Engagement
1.Make it easy
2.Social norms
3.Avoiding losses
4.Anchoring

13. • Make a change in behaviour easy and hassle free for customer
•
• Bit.ly/make_it_simple
• Pre-populated fields
• ….?
• Language used can influence how we feel and how much we fit
into the story
✔support, tips, views, community, local, homes…
✘Householders, struggling, communications, publications…
1. Make it Easy

14. Make it Easy
• Tax Rebates
• Go to our website to get our phone number
• Promote our event with #ThisHashTagIsTerrible2019
• Double Clicks v single clicks
• To enter just enter your name, contact details, age and favourite
colour
• …

15. We tend to do what those around us are already doing (or
what we think they are)
1. If the norm is desirable, let people know about it.
2. Relate the norm to your target audience as much as
possible.
3. Be careful when dealing with undesirable norms.
2. Social Norms

16. Norms in the Wild
Vid: Youtube

17. Social Norms: Example Phrases
• Most people…
• 60% of people…
• Thanks to everyone who has already…
• Only 20% have still to…
• We are expecting a big turnout so…
• …?

18. Thanks to everyone who has
already donated – your
generosity will help house
people in your area. To join
our network of donors, call….
The survey is being sent to
you and our other members,
so that we can deliver the
service you want! Let us
know your views now by
clicking…

19. Behavioural research shows that people can be more motivated to avoid a
loss, than gain something.
E.g. Saving money or protecting the environment (both ‘gains’) V.
Avoiding wasting energy/ managing your home better / putting you more in
control of your home (to avoid waste)
3. Avoiding a loss

20. Avoiding a loss
Example phrases:
“This would help you spend £25 less on your bills”
“By ticking GiftAid, you ensure we get the full amount you have
donated”
“Sign up to avoid disappointment”
Other examples?

21. Talking about loss
Closing your windows in
winter saves energy. We
would generally advise doing
this. On average people who
do this save £100 a year.
Fifers! Windows left open in
winter wastes heat and
money. We’d recommend that
you close them. This could
help put £100 back in your
pocket every year.

22. Anchoring
We don’t always make the rationally optimal choices, but draw
on contextual cues often unconsciously.
Often the choices we don’t want can influence the ones we do…
Particularly relevant for options involving numeracy/ financial info

23. Pic: Ryanair.com

24. Pic: Fundraising.co.uk

25. How else could anchoring be applied in your
comms or engagement?
Any potential challenges or risks?

26. Language!
Behavioural Science/
Behavioural insights/
Behaviour change/
Behaviourally-informed/
Nudge….
Funders/ Partners/ Clients
“Behavioural Insights eh? Say no more!”

27. Applied Example

28. Background
householders who had received free wall insulation. Meter
readings needed to evaluate. Low response rate
What we did
➢Made it simple
(bit.ly link, less jargon, clear calls to action)
➢Framing
(expectation, thank you in advance)
➢Norms
(references to other householders submitting readings
Outcome
Q1 - 50 responses
Q2 - 88 responses

29. Thanks for Listening
Questions?
Keep in Touch
sdonnellan@changeworks.org.uk
0131 538 7955

30. Small Charities
Communications Conference
10 July 2019
London
#CCsmallcharity
Sponsored by

31. Visit the CharityComms website to view
slides from past events, see what events
we have coming up and to check out
what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk