Blue Hens Learn the Art of Persuasion and Giving

Persuasion is a foundational piece of the marketer’s toolkit, learning how to influence others to achieve your goal. In one marketing course at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, students took their newly learned persuasive techniques to the streets of Newark, Delaware this fall. Instead of using these skills for their own benefit, they used them to raise funds for charity.

This fall, 82 Blue Hens raised $638 in Associate Professor of Marketing Michal Herzenstein’s Introduction to Marketing, BUAD301 course, the most money that this project has yielded to date. Students tested four different persuasive techniques for raising money for a charitable cause during one class period. Herzenstein then matched the amount, bringing the total class donation to $1,200 for Kind to Kids, a local foundation that supports children in foster care.

Herzenstein explained the four persuasion techniques the students tested:

1. Foot in the Door

This is based on the principle of consistency and appearing consistent in thoughts and actions. First, the persuader asks for a small amount of money and, if the recipient says “yes”, then asks for a larger donation. To test how effective this method is, one should compare how many people say “yes” to the larger request with and without first asking for the smaller amount.

2. Door in the Face

The students asked for a large donation and, if the person said “no”, they then asked for a smaller amount. The name of this concept comes from the idea that if a persuader starts with an unreasonable request, it is expected that the recipient will say no and metaphorically slam the door in the persuader’s face. The persuader then makes a concession, amending to a more reasonable request, which may be more difficult to deny.

3. Reciprocity

Students gave away candy and, in return, asked for a donation. This technique builds upon the idea that if you do something for or give something to someone, then they feel the need to return the favor.

4. Wild Card

Students had the opportunity to choose another technique from the course to use for their fourth attempt. According to Herzenstein, many used flattery (complementing potential donors), while others used guilt (saying the money will go to buy Christmas presents for children who otherwise wouldn’t get anything.)

Which technique yielded the best results? Herzenstein noted that, “The candy worked best, then foot in the door. Most donations actually came from passersby who were not students–like parents on tour and other adults during lunchtime on Main Street.

“One cool thing to note about the parents on tour: they donated and, in exchange they got to ask questions about UD, my class and this assignment,” Herzenstein added. “So that’s also reciprocity.”

These persuasive lessons have proven to be valuable to students beyond this one project and class. One of Herzenstein’s students, Julia Burnbaum, UD Class of 2023 psychology major with a minor in business administration, is hoping to put her new persuasive skills to use in her volunteer work as a representative for the annual UDance fundraiser benefiting the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.

“I loved today’s class! So excited to use these techniques,” Burnbaum shared. “One of our [UDance] fundraising techniques is something we call ‘canning’ and it’s the same fundraising as we did today. [Representatives] are always asking for different ways to ‘can’ besides saying ‘donate for the kids (FTK)’ which is our usual approach. I’m going to share with the other representatives some of the techniques we used today.”

 

Graduate Student Stories: Tosin Idowu-Kunlere

Tosin Idowu-Kunlere is from Nigeria and is pursuing a dual MBA and M.S. in Business Analytics and Information Management at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. As a member of the Class of 2025, Tosin brings a strong background...

Lerner Offers Grad Scholarships, AI Programs for Fall 2025

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has expanded its graduate offerings for Fall 2025, including three new scholarship opportunities and three programs focused on artificial intelligence. Applications for Fall 2025 are open...

Lerner College Honors Six Outstanding Alumni at 2025 Awards

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics recognized six distinguished graduates during the 2025 Lerner Alumni Awards ceremony, held on Friday, June 6, in the Lerner Hall Atrium. Part of UD’s annual Alumni Weekend, the event honored...

Three SWUFE-UD Students Become First to Graduate from Newark

The more than 1,400 Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics graduates of the Class of 2025 have each travelled a long road to reach graduation. But three have travelled more than most. China natives Yihong Chen, Tingyu Zhang and Ruolan Zhi are the first...

Lerner Among 10 Undergrad Business Schools to Watch by P&Q

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has been included among the 2025 10 Undergraduate Business Schools To Watch by Poets&Quants. Lerner recently jumped up 13 places this year to No. 52 in Poets&Quants’ annual ranking of...

UD Lerner names Markus Schuckert chair of HSBM

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics Dean Oliver Yao has announced the appointment of Markus Schuckert as chair of the Department of Hospitality and Sport Business Management (HSBM), effective Sept. 1, 2025. Schuckert will also...