Proof positive that the right words matter. Here are the results of a fascinating field study: Which of the following four messages was most successful at persuading hotel guests to reuse their towels (thus saving water) vs. requesting new, freshly washed ones?

A) Help save the environment (like the picture above)

B) Help save resources for future generations (stressing energy conservation)

C) Partner with us to save the environment (with the phrase “partnering” refering to hotel management)

D) Join your fellow citizens in helping to save the environment (followed by information that most guests elect to reuse towels

If you guessed B - “future generations” - that would be a good guess, because they are words that work. But in this case, the winning message was D - “most other guests are reusing their towels, so why don’t you.”

How much better was it? 34% better. That comes to 72,000 gallons per year for a 150 room hotel.

Even before I came across this study, I’d been thinking I need to amend the words that work list to try to include more terms that reflect people’s responsiveness to peer pressure. I have have one term on there now – “working together” — but I’m thinking that may not be enough. Any suggestions?

Source: Dr. Robert Cialdini of Arizona State University relayed these fascinating findings in his testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology back in September. Download it here.