3 amazing methods for getting participation

Do you ever struggle with getting people to participate?

Often the issue is that we ask for too much participation — or sometimes, too little. Here are three ways to get participation that is just right.

1. Buttons

A button is when you make a request and someone can either do it or not. Just like a button: you push it, or you don’t.

When someone on stage says “raise your hands if…”, that’s a button. So is a CTA saying “click here.”

Buttons are good for getting the first bit of action. The rule is to make them very clear, so that no one needs to ask for clarification.

2. Dots

Dots are a series of buttons joined together — generally between 3 and 7 steps. Like signing up for a class online, or following a recipe. There needs to be a clear outcome that the dots lead to.

3. Containers

We all know that containers are to be filled. When you want someone to pour their creativity into something, provide the container — the boundaries — that give shape to their work.

Any creative knows that boundaries are never bad. They are liberation, because they give you focus.

Containers are for when the outcome is NOT prescribed.

The issue I observe is that people often give containers when they should give buttons. They go too generic, too wide, before they have built a participatory relationship with someone.

We think giving someone a container shows trust and belief in their ability. But most people like the comfort of at least dots, because they give certainty and direction.