Marketing Podcast with Jonah Berger
Most of us believe we are in charge of the decisions we make throughout each day. To some extent we certainly are, but many of the decisions we make – what to wear, what to eat, what to buy, what to say – are driven by forces at the subconscious level.
It can be useful to understand this behavior from a consumer point of view to better understand how and why people decide to buy one product or service over another.
My guest for this week’s episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is Jonah Berger, a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author. His newest book, Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior explores the subtle, secret influences that affect the decisions we make—from what we buy, to the careers we choose, to what we eat.
Having been published in top-tier academic journals and recognized with a number of awards for both scholarship and teaching, Jonah is an expert on word of mouth, viral marketing, social influence, and trends.
Questions I ask Jonah Berger:
- During your research, did you discover some ways that you personally may have been influenced – with or without your knowledge?
- With respect to invisible influence, what role does storytelling play to create influence?
- You dedicated a chapter in your book to “Why favorites are more likely to quit” – can you elaborate on this?
What you’ll learn if you give a listen:
- How to understand the science of influences and ways to use it to your advantage
- How mimicking others can make you more persuasive
- How imitation isn’t always what results from social influence – sometimes there can be reverse effect causing people to avoid your product
Key takeaways from the episode and more about Jonah Berger:
- Learn more about Jonah Berger.
- Read Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior.
- Follow on Twitter.