What if We?
What If We? is a new podcast about advocacy, persuasion, and the messages that move us. Hosted by Kaitlin Funaro from advocacy agency RALLY, each episode features real talk with advocates and strategists working on issues like marriage equality, education equity, climate action, racial justice, and many others. Follow wherever you get your podcasts, and reach out to us at pod@wearerally.com.
What if We?
The Art & Science of Persuasion: How We Change Minds
What does it mean to be persuaded? And why do so many of us resist the idea of changing our minds?
Persuasion isn’t just about convincing—it’s about influence, connection, and building shared understanding. And in today’s polarized world, it might be one of the most important tools advocates have.
This episode kicks off a special series on persuasion. Over the next six episodes, we’ll explore the principles that make persuasion possible—how identity shapes who we listen to, how emotions matter more than facts, and how we can use connection and storytelling to bridge divides and make progress on sticky issues.
Today, Kaitlin talks with research director Sheri Klein and Dr. Nichole Argo, social psychologist and founder of the TogetherUp Institute. They unpack what persuasion really means in advocacy today, why going on the attack often backfires, and what the research tells us about how people actually change their minds. From sacred values to the power of community, they explore how communicators can use persuasion to build a “bigger we.”
In This Episode:
- What persuasion really is—and why it’s more common in daily life than we think
- The three M’s of persuasion: message, messenger, and medium
- How authentic connection, curiosity, and listening can move people more than logic
- Lessons from deep canvassing: why persuasion often works best when you’re not trying to persuade
- The importance of building a “bigger we” in advocacy and communications
To hear more conversations about community and belonging, check out the podcast Reimagining Us with Nichole Argo & Scott Hutcheson.
About RALLY:
RALLY is an advocacy communications firm that works with foundations, nonprofits, businesses, and campaigns to change the way people think and act around today’s biggest social and political challenges.
Where you can find us:
- wearerally.com
- Follow us on LinkedIn
- Follow us on Instagram
Do you have an idea for an episode or want to connect with us? Say hello at pod@wearerally.com.