Behavioral Communication & Messaging: A Science-Based Path to Persuasive Communication

The High Stakes of Effective Communication

In business and public policy, communication is the lifeblood of decision-making and action. Whether a company is launching a new product or a government is rolling out a public health initiative, success often hinges on how well the message resonates with its audience.

Research shows that employees spend up to 88% of their working hours communicating in some way (The Atlantic, 2023) ​– via emails, meetings, calls, and messages. With so much time devoted to communication, even small inefficiencies or misunderstandings can snowball into big problems. Indeed, ineffective communication costs U.S. businesses as much as $1.2 trillion annually, equating to about $12,500 wasted per employee every year​  (The Atlantic, 2023). A seminal survey of large companies found an average loss of $62.4 million per company per year due to inadequate communication between employees (SHRM, 2016). Conversely, organizations that excel in communication see tangible benefits: one McKinsey study found that productivity improves by up to 25% in companies with connected, well-informed employees​. Beyond the dollars, the human impact is also significant – 58% of knowledge workers report better team relationships and higher job satisfaction when communication improves​. Little wonder, then, that communication skills have topped LinkedIn’s list of most in-demand skills for multiple years in a row (Wells, 2024)​. In business leadership, “communicating clearly and persuasively” is frequently cited as a critical driver of influence and trust (Harvard Business Review, 2023)​. Whether it’s aligning a team around a strategy or engaging customers, effective messaging is not a “soft skill” – it’s a core competency with high stakes outcomes.

Yet mastering communication is challenging because human beings are not perfectly rational receptors of information. We are influenced by subtle factors in how a message is delivered – tone, timing, framing, social context – often more than by the content itself. Missteps in communication (an unclear email, a poorly framed proposal, a tone-deaf campaign) can lead to lost sales, disengaged employees, or public backlash. In contrast, a well-crafted message can inspire action, change behavior, and build loyalty. As Harvard Business Review notes, no communication skill is more critical than the ability to frame an issue effectively (Raffoni, 2009)​ – defining the narrative so it resonates with the audience’s values and biases. The evidence is clear: communication done right is a powerful lever of performance, and done poorly it’s a costly liability. This reality has prompted forward-thinking organizations to seek more scientific, evidence-based approaches to communication, going beyond guesswork or intuition. One such approach is the Behavioral Communication and Messaging (BCM) framework, which applies insights from behavioral science to craft persuasive communication. Developed by the Center for Behavioral Decisions, BCM offers a structured, science-backed path to improving how we communicate, internally and externally. Before diving into real-world examples of its impact, let’s unpack what BCM entails and why it works.

What is Behavioral Communication & Messaging™ (BCM)?

Behavioral Communication and Messaging (BCM) is a strategic framework for crafting communication based on how people actually think and behave, rather than how we assume they do. Developed by the Center for Behavioral Decisions, BCM bridges behavioral science and practical messaging tactics. It recognizes that human decision-making is often driven by cognitive biases, emotions, and social influences. Instead of viewing communication as simply transmitting information, BCM treats each message as a behavioral intervention – an opportunity to nudge the audience toward a desired belief or action using scientific principles.

At its core, BCM is grounded in years of research from psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience. It draws on the rich findings popularized by behavioral scientists like Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, Robert Cialdini, and many others, translating those findings into actionable guidelines for communicators. The framework was born from the understanding that people do not always respond to messages in rational, predictable ways. We are all prone to mental shortcuts, biases, and context-dependent perceptions. BCM provides a systematic way to account for these human factors when designing communications – whether it’s a marketing campaign, an employee memo, a public service announcement, or a customer service script.

BCM was developed by the Center for Behavioral Decisions as a practical toolkit. The Center observed that many organizations were struggling to connect behavioral science insights with day-to-day communication challenges. BCM fills that gap. It offers communicators – from marketers to HR leaders to policymakers – a science-based playbook for messaging. By following BCM’s approach, one can increase the likelihood that a message will be noticed, understood, and acted upon by the target audience. In essence, BCM is about being intentional with communication: every word, format, and channel choice is informed by evidence on human behavior. This leads to messaging that not only conveys information, but actually influences attitudes and behaviors in predictable ways.

Behavioral Science Principles Underlying BCM

BCM is built on several key principles from behavioral science. Understanding these principles helps explain why certain messages persuade while others fall flat:

• Framing: The way information is presented (the “frame”) strongly influences how people interpret and respond to it. The same fact can elicit very different reactions depending on context and wording. For example, describing a glass as “half full” vs. “half empty” invokes a positive vs. negative frame, even though the quantity is identical. Effective communicators deliberately frame messages to align with their goals – emphasizing either gains or losses, highlighting certain aspects and not others. As one Harvard Business Review author, Melissa Raffoni, noted, the ability to frame an issue effectively is perhaps a manager’s most critical communication skill​ (Raffoni, 2009). In practice, framing might mean stressing benefits instead of features, leading with the most emotionally resonant point, or setting a comparison point (anchor) that shapes perception. Behavioral science shows that people rely on the frame as a reference: for instance, a price can seem cheap or expensive depending on what it’s compared to. BCM teaches how to choose frames that make the desired interpretation feel natural to the audience.

• Heuristics and Cognitive Biases: Human brains use mental shortcuts, known as heuristics, to make decisions and judgments quickly. Rather than analyzing every detail logically, we often default to rule-of-thumb thinking. These heuristics (like “familiarity means good” or “if many people choose it, it’s probably right”) are efficient but can lead to systematic biases in how we process information (Cherry, 2024)​. For example, the availability heuristic means people judge an event as more likely if examples come easily to mind – which is why vivid stories often persuade more than dry statistics. BCM recognizes these cognitive biases and leverages them. If people tend to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs (confirmation bias), a message will be more persuasive if it acknowledges their viewpoint and then gently reframes it, rather than outright contradicting it. If people are prone to anchoring on the first number they see, a pricing communication might start with a higher reference price to make the actual offer seem more attractive. By designing messages that work with, not against, our mental shortcuts, BCM increases the odds that the communication sticks. Importantly, BCM emphasizes ethical use of these tactics – the goal is to inform and guide decisions, not to trick people in ways contrary to their interests.

• Social Norms and Influences: Human behavior is profoundly influenced by what others do and expect. We are social creatures who take cues from peers, trends, and cultural norms. Social proof – the idea that people look to others’ behavior to decide their own – is a powerful lever in messaging. Behavioral research confirms that telling people what most others are doing can spur compliance and behavior change (Calvo-González, 2018)​. BCM incorporates this by weaving social norms into communications. For instance, an internal email advocating a new work process might mention that “already, 75% of our team has adopted this approach” to signal that the behavior is common and approved. In public campaigns, framing a desired action as the popular, socially expected choice often works better than emphasizing the negative consequences of not acting. A classic example: informing households that “9 out of 10 of your neighbors pay their taxes on time” proved more effective in boosting tax compliance than standard warning letters​ (Calvo-González, 2018). BCM also considers social identity and belonging – people are more receptive to messages that come from within their in-group or reference community. This is why tailoring tone and language to the audience’s identity (e.g. using local cultural references, or an authoritative voice from their industry) can significantly increase persuasion. In short, messages that tap into our social instincts – desire to fit in, follow trusted leaders, help our community – tend to be more compelling.

• Emotion and Storytelling: While not explicitly mentioned in the initial brief, another cornerstone of BCM is recognizing the role of emotion. Facts and logic are important, but emotions drive action. Behavioral science shows that people often decide based on feelings and then back-rationalize with logic. Thus, BCM encourages using narratives, imagery, and emotional appeals to complement data. A well-told story that exemplifies the message can be far more memorable than a list of bullet points. Emotions like fear, excitement, pride, or empathy can create urgency and personal relevance, as long as they are used sincerely. For example, to promote a workplace safety program, sharing a brief personal story of an employee who avoided an injury by following the protocol can strike a chord that pure statistics won’t. The key is to remain authentic and align the emotional appeal with the audience’s values (for some, an altruistic angle works; for others, competitiveness or fear of loss may be more motivating).

• Practical Simplicity: Finally, BCM is grounded in the simple but crucial idea that easy is effective. Behavioral research on cognitive load tells us that if a message is too long, complex, or demanding, people tune out. Every additional step or interpretive leap required is an opportunity for drop-off. So BCM stresses clarity, brevity, and clear calls-to-action. It employs techniques like chunking information, using headlines or visuals to emphasize key points, and providing short, specific action steps. A core mantra is: make the desired behavior the path of least resistance. This might involve designing forms or messages that default to the recommended option (a concept borrowed from “nudge” theory), or phrasing requests in a way that feels effortless. For instance, an email asking employees to complete a training might include a one-click link and a pre-filled calendar invite, removing friction. In public messaging, encouraging people to “Join 20,000 others in taking a 1-minute survey” implies that it’s quick and popular, thus lowering mental barriers. By reducing friction and ambiguity, BCM-aligned communication increases follow-through rates.

Together, these principles – framing, heuristics, social norms, emotion, and simplicity (among others) – form the scientific bedrock of the BCM framework. What sets BCM apart is not the novelty of each individual concept (many are well-known in academic circles), but rather the integrated, practical way it applies these concepts to real-world messaging challenges. It provides a structured lens to evaluate and improve any communication: Are we using the right frame? Have we accounted for biases? Can we invoke positive social pressure? Is the tone engaging emotionally? Is it easy to act on? By systematically checking these boxes, organizations can transform bland or ineffective communications into persuasive messages that drive behavior change.

Real-World Applications Across Sectors

Behavioral Communication & Messaging is not just theoretical—it has effectively shaped communication strategies across various sectors. The principles of BCM have proven impactful in marketing, employee engagement, public policy, customer experience, and change management, demonstrating broad potential for organizations committed to effective communication.

Marketing and Consumer Engagement

Companies successfully apply BCM principles such as personalization, social proof, and emotional framing in marketing strategies to create deeper consumer connections. Personalized messaging makes consumers feel individually recognized, boosting engagement and loyalty. Social proof, such as emphasizing popularity or widespread usage, taps into consumer tendencies to follow others. Emotional appeals further drive consumer decisions by creating memorable and impactful experiences, converting passive recipients into active participants who engage, share, and advocate.

Employee Engagement and Internal Communication

Within organizations, BCM principles enhance employee communication and engagement. Behavioral strategies such as leveraging social norms (highlighting how many colleagues have already adopted a desired behavior), framing messages positively (focusing on benefits rather than obligations), and reducing friction (making tasks easy to complete) significantly boost participation in internal initiatives, training programs, and wellness activities. By shaping messages that resonate personally and socially, organizations improve employee satisfaction, productivity, and morale.

Public Policy and Social Impact

Public organizations use BCM to improve compliance and participation in policies and initiatives by integrating social norms, clear framing, and simplified messaging. Informing citizens that the majority of their peers engage in desirable behaviors (such as timely tax payments or energy conservation) significantly increases compliance. Additionally, clear, simple, and emotionally resonant messages enhance public understanding and engagement with critical issues, from healthcare participation to environmental actions, resulting in more effective public outreach and societal benefit.

Customer Experience and Service Design

In customer-facing scenarios, BCM principles help businesses enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty through thoughtful communication. Techniques such as positively framing interactions, clearly setting expectations, providing customers with a sense of control, and empathetically addressing service failures significantly improve customer experiences. Behavioral design elements, like clear progress indicators and easy-to-follow communication, reduce customer frustration and build trust, leading to stronger brand loyalty and repeat business.

Change Management and Organizational Transformation

Organizations navigating significant change use BCM strategies to successfully communicate transformations and reduce resistance. Effective change communication leverages clear framing of the reasons behind change, positive social proof (highlighting support from peers and leadership), and empathic, two-way dialogue that addresses concerns and incorporates feedback. This approach helps align employee attitudes with organizational objectives, enhancing adoption rates and smoothing transitions.

Across all sectors, the BCM framework empowers communicators to craft messages that resonate deeply with their audiences, effectively influencing behavior and achieving meaningful results. By embracing behavioral science, organizations can consistently achieve stronger, more persuasive communication outcomes.

Conclusion: A Science-Backed Path Forward

In today’s noisy, fast-changing environment, simply communicating more is not the answer – we must communicate smarter. The stakes are high, but as we’ve seen, even small tweaks in messaging can yield large returns: millions of dollars saved or earned, behaviors shifted en masse, engagement and trust built where it was lacking. By applying principles like framing, social proof, and simplicity, any organization can tilt the odds of their communication success in their favor.

Importantly, adopting a BCM approach doesn’t require a complete overhaul of existing processes. It often starts with a mindset change: being willing to test different messages, learn from behavioral data, and iterate. It means breaking silos between communications teams and behavioral specialists, or if those specialists are not in-house, consulting the rich body of research that exists. The Center for Behavioral Decisions, which developed the BCM framework, specializes in helping organizations make this shift. Through training, workshops, and project partnerships, the Center brings expertise in behavioral science right to the front lines of marketing campaigns, HR programs, customer experience design, and policy communications. By partnering with such experts, leaders can ensure their important messages are not just heard, but truly influence and inspire their audiences.

In closing, the art of communication is now powerfully enhanced by the science of behavior. Organizations that embrace this union – art and science, creativity and evidence – stand to gain a formidable edge. Whether the goal is to boost sales, engage employees, serve the public, delight customers, or drive change, Behavioral Communication & Messaging offers a proven framework to get results. In a world where every word and impression matters, crafting communications that align with how people really think and feel is not just advantageous – it’s essential. As we move forward, those who communicate with insight and empathy will build deeper connections and achieve more sustained influence. The path is clear: harness the science, and your communications can truly change behavior – and by extension, change outcomes for the better. The Center for Behavioral Decisions invites organizations to take this path, leveraging BCM to turn high-stakes communication challenges into opportunities for positive, measurable impact. With the right messaging strategy, grounded in behavioral science, persuasion becomes a skill that can be mastered, and effective communication becomes a repeatable win.