Go Prompt

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Go Prompt

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INFLUENCE TACTICS

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Go Prompt

Seize the moment with reminders that prompt action when people are most ready.

What is it:

Taking action when we are highly motivated and have everything we need sounds easy in theory, but in reality, we often find ourselves hesitating. We forget to start or are still waiting for the right moment. Go Prompts acts as a starting pistol for the race, giving people the signal they need to begin. By providing a small reminder, you can help people break through their hesitation and finally take the first step.

When to use it best:

How to use it:

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1. Identify the Target Behaviour

   Define the specific action you want to encourage. Check that the people you're nudging are both motivated and capable of completing this action.

   What do you want people to do?

   Are they prepared and eager to do this?

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2. Analyse the Context

   Understand the environment and timing where the action should happen. Identify any factors that might make people hesitate or distract them.

   Where and when should this action take place?

   What could hold them back?

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3. Design Effective Prompts

   Craft clear, compelling prompts that catch the eye and clearly indicate it's time to move.

   How can your prompts grab attention and guide action?

   Are your signals direct and easy to grasp?

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4. Deliver Timely Prompts

   Make sure your prompts arrive when they can make a real difference, not too early to be forgotten or too late to be useful.

   When is the best moment for these prompts?

   How can you ensure they’re relevant to the situation at hand?

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5. Keep Prompts Simple

   Aim for brevity and clarity in your messages to avoid overwhelming your audience and to keep the path to action clear.

   Is your prompt concise and to the point?

   How can you strip back to the essentials to boost impact?

What’s the science behind it?

• Fogg's B=MAP

  The model explains how human behaviour is influenced by three core elements: Motivation (M), Ability (A), and Prompts (P). According to this model, for a behaviour (B) to occur, an individual must have sufficient motivation, the ability to perform the action, and a prompt that triggers the behaviour. If any of these elements are lacking, the desired behaviour is unlikely to take place.
  Go Prompts addresses situations where people are highly motivated (M) and have everything they need to act (A), but still hesitate to take action. In these cases, the missing element is the prompt (P) that triggers the desired behaviour. The Signal Prompts pattern works by providing the necessary prompt, which could be a small reminder or a signal that indicates it's the right time to act.

• Cue Utilisation Theory

  Individuals utilise cues from their environment to make decisions and judgments. These cues can be external, such as visual or auditory stimuli, or internal, such as thoughts or feelings. The theory suggests that our decision-making processes are influenced by how well we can recognise and interpret these cues, as well as their relevance and importance to the situation at hand.
  It explains why people might hesitate to take action even when they are highly motivated and have everything they need to act. People may not recognise or interpret the cues in their environment that signal the right time to act. In this context, a small reminder, or signal prompt, helps individuals to recognise and utilise the necessary cues, enabling them to move forward and take action.

• Temporal Construal Theory

  This theory suggests that people perceive events differently depending on their temporal distance. When events are distant in time, individuals tend to construe them in more abstract, high-level terms, focusing on the bigger picture. Conversely, when events are temporally proximate, people construe them in more concrete, low-level terms, attending to specific details.
  It highlights the importance of timing when prompting people to take action. When people are highly motivated and have everything they need to act, they may still hesitate if they construe the situation in abstract terms. By providing a signal prompt at the right time, individuals can shift from an abstract mindset to a more concrete one, focusing on the immediate task at hand.

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