Using the “Convince ___ That ___ Because ___” Strategy for Focused AI Responses

A long time ago, I learned a fun trick to help focus your content strategy. It’s a tool, kind of like the mad-libs of every GenX’s childhood. It goes like this: “Convince [your audience] that [what you need from them, donations] because [the key thing you’ll do with the funds].”

Imagine you’re telling a story. You want people to do something because there’s a good reason. For example, if you want your friends to play a game with you, you might say, “Convince my friends that playing this game is fun because we will laugh a lot.”

Now, let’s use this idea to ask people to help. If you want people to buy squares on your Sapling Giving Grid,  you might put say, “Convince donors that buying squares is important because it will fund our critical first year.”

This exercise helps you make emails and messages really clear and simple. After-all, you don’t want to write long letters that are hard to understand. Short and clear is best because people get a lot of messages every day.

So, try this out! Write down different ideas and reasons. See which one you like best. This will help you tell people what you want in a way that’s easy for them to understand.

Key Points:

1. Help AI understand your goal clearly:
   1. Using the “Convince That Because” structure helps in creating clear and focused communication that AI systems can process effectively.
   2. It aids in generating better prompts and messages by providing specific and concise information.
2. Example Usage with Sapling:
   1. Aimed at convincing donors to take specific actions, such as buying squares on a giving grid to reach a fundraising goal.
   2. Sample statements include:
   3. Convince donors that purchasing squares will help reach a financial goal (e.g., $5,050) or support specific projects (e.g., tuition assistance for students).
   4. Alternative examples focus on building community support or enhancing facilities.
3. Benefits of the Strategy:
   1. Encourages the creation of succinct and clear communication.
   2. Helps avoid overwhelming recipients with lengthy emails or confusing messages.
   3. Focuses on delivering a single, specific reason to motivate action.
4. Practical Tips:
   1. Write multiple “Convince That Because” statements to find the most compelling one.
   2. Keep communication brief and to the point, considering the information overload faced by audiences.
   3. Use the strategy to create engaging and persuasive content, potentially experimenting with different tones or styles.

Action Items:

• Sapling users are encouraged to apply the “Convince “donor” That ____ Because ____” method to draft their communications and test various versions to determine effectiveness.
• Explore using the strategy in different mediums, such as emails or text messages, and tailor the tone as appropriate.