Here are a few ways to offer money tips

Those who are “good with money” often want to help friends and family who struggle. Many of us remember the timely money tip that made all the difference: when a co-worker suggested we contribute to the company’s 401(k), for example, or that time a relative warned us off an investment that really was too good to be true.

So I turned to Moira Somers, author of “Advice That Sticks: How to Give Financial Advice That People Will Follow.” Some ideas:

Who’s your audience?

Even people who pay for money advice can have trouble following it. Somers learned about something called “non-adherence” while working in health care, and she now trains financial planners in some of the same techniques that doctors use to help patients follow treatment plans.

A key principle: The person being treated needs to “buy in,” or agree that the suggested treatment is right for them.

Watch your tongue

Some celebrity money gurus revel in shaming people who turn to them for advice. But warmth, encouragement and empathy are better ways to reach people, Somers says. Even if you haven’t been in the same position, you’ve undoubtedly made mistakes with money, so you can tap into that to understand how they might feel.

“People need to feel encouraged and buoyed,” Somers says.

Reduce the friction

Once you know a person’s challenges, you can look for ways to reduce the friction that keeps that person stuck.

That could mean breaking a task down into simpler steps. To help overspending clients, for example, Somers first asks them to turn off one-click ordering on all their devices. When they confirm they’ve done that, she asks them to get online access to all their bank accounts. When that’s done, she asks them to start reviewing their transactions each day. This 1-2-3 approach works a lot better than telling people they have to track their expenses for a month.