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If Only Obama had Called Shirin 2 Years Ago
According to Obama’s 2015 executive order, the Federal Government will be using Behavioral Science- the study of how people make decisions- to create more engaging and effective policies.
Behavioral Science builds better outcomes
What’s the use of creating a program if no one signs up? The Federal government uses research from Behavioral Science to improve the chances that programs reach and engage their intended audiences.
Their Social & Behavioral Sciences Team includes leading behavioral scientists who translate findings and methods from Behavioral Sciences into improvements in Federal policies and programs.
Applying Behavioral Science insights has influenced buyer behavior, including:
Doubling the rate at which service members sign up for a savings plan by sending a single email that conveyed the value of small contributions and highlighted the three steps needed to enroll.
9% increase in college enrollment among low-income students by sending eight friendly text messages that reminded them to complete required pre-matriculation tasks.
$1.59 million extra in IFF by asking vendors to sign their names at the top of the form. Pledging to self-report accurately before filing their information led to a $445 higher median increase of reported income.
If only Obama had called Shirin 2 years ago, he could have gotten a running head-start on Behavioral Science, one of today’s most powerful use of psychology in marketing. Not to toot our own horn….but, toot. We’ve been using these cutting-edge research findings on our websites, messaging and design since 2013.
We know that whether you’re designing a website or a public program, if you want to maximize participation and influence consumer behavior, you need to take into account what makes humans engage. Like the Obama administration, we have dozens of examples of how using Behavioral Science can help good companies have a greater impact.
Some of our favorite recent projects that use Behavioral Science:
Working with ShotSpotter to make more communities across the globe safe from illegal gunfire.
Working with the East Side San Jose to give students the real-life skills they need to transform their futures.
Boosting a startup’s leads by 115% so entrepreneurs can keep their focus on delivering the next Big Thing instead of chasing paperwork.
