Giving Compass' Take:

• Jesse Scinto offers an addition to the Elaboration Likelihood Model: The Message Strategy Matrix. This is a model for understanding how to approach different audiences and appropriately target your messaging. 

• How can foundations and nonprofits use this information? 

• Learn about the difference between successful and unsuccessful social movements. 

For nearly a century, social scientists have attempted to unlock the secrets of persuasion. They’ve produced dozens of captivating theories—from classical conditioning to cognitive dissonance.

Given the richness of the literature, it can be hard for practitioners to know which theory to apply when. That’s where the Elaboration Likelihood Model, or ELM, comes in.

Simply put, the ELM describes how likely it is for an audience to devote careful thought to a message. “Elaboration” refers to the thoughts generated in response to persuasive appeals, which may be either complementary or clashing. “Likelihood” refers to the probability of us doing any thinking at all.

I propose a new way of visualizing the ELM that makes it easier to use. The Message Strategy Matrix helps practitioners segment audiences based on involvement and gives suggestions for persuasive approaches. It has two dimensions. The first is involvement, or how motivated the audience is to think about your message. The second is predisposition, or whether their prior attitude is favorable or unfavorable.

Predisposition is important, because it’s hard to change people’s minds. Even when communicators are successful in the short term, audiences often revert to their prior attitudes in the long run. And because people tend to seek out information that confirms what they already believe (confirmation bias), predisposition also affects what they hear. This doesn’t mean you should avoid those who strongly disagree. But, with limited resources, it does mean you should pick your battles—and your approach—wisely.

Read the full article about audience and message by Jesse Scinto at Stanford Social Innovation Review.