The Brainfluence Podcast With Roger Dooley

In this Brainfluence episode, we explore pricing psychology with Leigh Caldwell, a seasoned behavioral economist and pricing strategist. Leigh joins us to shed light on the true essence of pricing – it's more than just numbers; it's about crafting positive customer experiences in a profitable way. In our discussion, we delve into the relationship between cost and value, and how businesses often undervalue their offerings. Leigh reveals effective ways to appeal to diverse customer segments through varied pricing strategies. We also dive into the psychology behind discounts and negotiations, examining the trade-offs customers make for a good deal. We also discuss supermarket strategies. We'll analyze how stores like HEB, Trader Joe's and Aldi use product combinations to catch consumer attention and convey value. Leigh introduces innovative concepts in behavioral economics, including "subjectivity as a factor of production" and the "system three approach," which expands on the conventional intuitive versus consc

In today's Brainfluence episode, we have the brilliant and hilarious entrepreneur, Mike Michalowicz, as our guest. Mike has built and sold multi-million dollar businesses, experienced the trials and tribulations of losing everything, and has since become a successful author, speaker, and entrepreneur. His latest book, Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself - Revised and Expanded, is all about achieving true entrepreneurial success by creating a business that can operate seamlessly without relying solely on the owner. In this episode, Mike explains the importance of taking a four week vacation as a test for a business's ability to run itself, the concept of the Queen Bee Role, and the 4 Ds of building a successful business. Whether you're an entrepreneur or part of a larger organization, this episode offers valuable insights on how to achieve true entrepreneurial success. Tune in now to learn from the brilliant mind of Mike Michalowicz! Show Notes, Resources, Transcript: https://www.rogerdooley.com/mike

In this podcast episode, host Roger Dooley interviews Melina Palmer, author of What Your Employees Need and Can't Tell You, about change initiatives in companies. They discuss the misconception that 70% of change initiatives fail and the importance of approaching change thoughtfully. Melina emphasizes the significance of small, everyday changes and micro-decisions that influence employees' reactions to change. They also explore the impact of employee engagement on successful change, the importance of creating the right environment for change, and the barriers to employee engagement. They touch on Elon Musk's approach to change at Twitter and the power of small steps in achieving change. The conversation also delves into cognitive biases and their impact on the change process, as well as conflicts and stereotypes between different departments within organizations. Melina suggests building connections across departments and fostering a sense of unity to overcome these challenges. Show notes, video, text, resour

In this fascinating episode of Brainfluence, pioneering neuromarketer Dr. Carl Marci discusses how modern technology is impacting our brains. He shares insights from his new book Rewired, explaining how excessive smartphone use and constant multitasking are reducing productivity, increasing anxiety/depression, and rewiring our neural pathways in concerning ways. Marci provides concrete examples of how tech “superstimuli” exploit the brain’s reward system, making constant distraction hard to resist. While acknowledging the benefits of technology, he advocates balancing human connection and focus. Marci offers perspective as both a neuroscientist and psychiatrist, blending the latest research with clinical insights. This is an eye-opening exploration of how we can optimize technology’s advantages while avoiding its potential mental health costs. Show notes, resources, audio, text: https://www.rogerdooley.com/carl-marci-rewired/ REWIRED book: https://amzn.to/3rSNFV9 Dr. Carl D. Marci is physician, neuroscientist

In this podcast episode, Roger Dooley chats with Matt Dixon, author of The JOLT Effect and founding partner of DCM Insights, about the concept of effortful experiences and the impact of customer indecision on sales. They discuss how companies often create friction and wasted effort for customers, despite knowing it is detrimental. Matt shares examples and insights on understanding the impact of customer effort on loyalty and how to fix it. They also delve into the problem of customer indecision in sales, exploring the reasons behind it and providing strategies for salespeople to overcome it. Matt introduces the JOLT framework and discusses key behaviors that can help salespeople close the sale. Show notes, resources, audio, text: https://www.rogerdooley.com/matt-dixon-jolt/  Matt Dixon is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of three of the most important business books of the past decade: The Challenger Sale, The Effortless Experience and The Challenger Customer. He is also a frequent contributor to Ha

"The last, great marketing strategy" is community... In this episode, host Roger Dooley interviews author Mark Schaefer about his new book, Belonging to the Brand. They discuss the importance of community in marketing strategies and the challenges of managing online communities. Mark explains that community involves genuine connection and communion among people, with a unifying purpose. They also touch on the impact of community on mental health, highlighting the responsibility of community managers in fostering a positive culture. They discuss the power of creating a strong brand community and the potential for businesses to create communities around related interests. They also address the question of whether there is a limit to how many communities people can participate in. Resources, video, text version: https://www.rogerdooley.com/mark-schaefer-belonging/ Mark Schaefer is a speaker, consultant, author, and teacher who helps businesses and individuals thrive in the digital world. He has a wealth of exper

On this episode of Brainfluence, host Roger Dooley is joined by Paul Zak, founder of Immersion, a company that uses smartwatches and fitness devices to turn activity data into business insights. They discuss neuromarketing, the limitations of traditional metrics, and the importance of immersion for user experience testing. They also talk about the correlation between immersion and psychological safety, and how their technology can be used to predict mood and energy levels in vulnerable populations. Show notes, resources, audio, and text: https://www.rogerdooley.com/immersion-paul-zak/ Paul J. Zak is a world-renowned neuroscientist, author, and entrepreneur who has pioneered the fields of neuroeconomics, neuromanagement, and neuromarketing. He is a professor at Claremont Graduate University and a TED speaker with over 180 published papers and 19,000 citations. His latest book, Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and the Source of Happiness, reveals the science behind extraordinary experiences and ho

On this episode of Brainfluence, we explore how behavioral science can be utilized in both B2C and B2B marketing. Guest Nancy Harhut shares how campaigns that focus on emotional impact over product features can increase purchase intent. Video, text, and resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/nancy-harhut-behavioral/ We also discuss information gap theory and how marketers can use it to pique interest, availability bias, and autonomy bias. We dive into how giving people choices can increase the likelihood of a buying decision, and how the use of the word "because" can increase compliance. In addition, we cover temporal landmarks, guiding customer choice, and the importance of coming off as engaged and interested in clients' work. Join us as we dive into these fascinating behavioral science principles and their applications in marketing. [00:00:00] Intro [00:00:44] Acceptance of Behavioral Science in Marketing [00:01:20] Skepticism in B2B Marketing [00:06:04] Autonomy Bias in Marketing [00:06:42] The Power of C

In this episode of Brainfluence, host Roger Dooley interviews Sam Tatam, Global Principal and Head of Behavioral Science at Ogilvy Growth and Innovation. Show notes, transcript & resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/sam-tatam-evolutionary/ Tatam discusses his background in organizational and industrial psychology and advertising strategy, as well as his work at Ogilvy, where he and his team develop interventions and shape communications for some of the world's biggest brands and organizations. They also talk about Tatam's new book, Evolutionary Ideas: Unlocking Ancient Innovation to Solve Tomorrow's Challenges. The conversation covers various topics related to behavioral science and marketing interventions, including the power of quantity anchoring, the TRIZ framework, operational transparency, and the concept of choice.

In this episode of Brainfluence, host Roger Dooley interviews AJ Harper, an editor and publishing strategist, about her career as a developmental editor and ghostwriter, her new book, and the importance of understanding the reader as a character in non-fiction writing. AJ shares her insights and experiences in the world of writing and publishing, providing valuable tips for aspiring authors. Show notes & resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/aj-harper-must-read/ During the interview, AJ and Roger discuss their intertwined book origin stories and their experience at a writer's retreat co-hosted by Mike Michalowicz and Michael Port. AJ emphasizes the importance of a transformational core message in non-fiction writing and marketing, and discusses editing for a deeper reader connection. She also encourages authors to do their own developmental editing before handing it off to a professional editor. AJ's expertise in developmental editing and ghostwriting shines through as she provides valuable advice for wr

Tom Peters is an author and legendary business thinker who has written 19 books. His new title is Tom Peters' Compact Guide to Excellence. It's a small book packed with short bites of wisdom curated by Tom to encourage a humanistic approach to business. In this episode, he explains why the most important decisions in business are promotions, and that often managers don't spend enough time on them or know how to do them correctly. He shares a technique for choosing the best candidate he learned in a conversation with an Indian general. The entire episode is packed with Tom's plain-spoken, hard-hitting wisdom. You'll learn why a company's front-line managers are the most important group in the firm. He explains why big companies rarely do things right, and that mid-sized companies are often the most valuable contributors to society and the economy. Show notes, resources, text and video: https://www.rogerdooley.com/tom-peters-compact-excellence/ 

In business, we have a bias for busyness. Doing something is always better than doing nothing, to most of us. Indeed, Brainfluence guest and management expert Tom Peters famously proclaimed "a bias for action" to be a key component of excellence. But, is it possible that doing nothing could sometimes be the best strategy? In today's episode, we welcome Jinny Uppal, who has studied the science of action-taking and discovered that constantly being busy can be counter-productive. Jinny has compiled her research into a book called IN/ACTION: Rethinking the Path to Results, in which she argues that taking breaks and being mindful can lead to more sustainable growth than constantly striving for progress. As a business consultant, investor, author, and speaker, Jinny now helps others achieve their goals without burning out. In this conversation, Jinny shares her own experience of shedding the busyness bias and embracing a more strategic approach to success, and explains the science behind the action bias and how we

Can you be authentically charismatic? Renowned behavioral investigator Vanessa Van Edwards has always been fascinated by the 'science of people'. A (famously) socially awkward person, Vanessa's first book Captivate, covered the problems we face in communicating with other people and provided science-backed ways to overcome them. Now with her new book, Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication , Vanessa helps us level up our communication skills by revealing the secrets behind charismatic communication. Show notes and resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/vanessa-van-edwards-cues/    In today's episode of Brainfluence, Vanessa uncovers the two things that create charismatic personalities – warmth and competence. Competence cues involve the numbers, data, awards, certifications, or degrees that validate your knowledge. Warmth cues involve personal stories, anecdotes, case studies, gifts, funny videos, or the like that add trust, reliability, friendliness, and fondness to your persona. The b

The last time Eric Barker, we spoke about his book, 'Barking Up The Wrong Tree', the Wall Street Journal best-seller that taught us a science-based approach to success. Next, his brand new book called Plays Well With Others, is an invaluable guide that will help you achieve everything you want with your relationships – either by making them work, or helping you fail spectacularly! https://www.rogerdooley.com/eric-barker-plays-well/ Eric Barker uses science and research to explain how our brain understands and makes impressions of people. He gets into everything that wrongly influences our assessment of people, including confirmation bias from first impressions and, believe it or not, criminal profiling. Eric explains how instead to learn about people using values of empathy, similarity, trust, and emotion. He adds that the best way to understand someone is to make them feel connected and comfortable around you. Introducing a little bit of emotion and controversy in conversations, rather than playing safe, hel

For decades, market research consisted mostly of surveys and focus groups. Now we have a host of new tools to track our audiences – what they see, what they read, what they think and how they feel. Today's episode of Brainfluence features neuroscience-based marketing expert Benny Briesemeister. Show notes, links, resources, video & text versions: https://www.rogerdooley.com/benny-briesemeister-neuromarketing/ Benny discusses the science, evolution, growth, scope, and future of neuromarketing. He gets into the details of the most powerful neuromarketing technique, fMRI, its cost concerns, and how the marketing sector can better utilize it. Neuromarketing offers marketers the advantage of understanding the non-conscious drivers of human behavior and decision-making. To get a clearer picture of the transformative power of neuromarketing for business, tune in to this episode. [0:00] Intro [01:17] Large corporations use neuromarketing to increase sales. [03:40] Academic acceptance of neuromarketing [05:46] Del

Choice architecture, the way choices are presented to people, is often overlooked as an important influence on both big and small decisions. One of the world's most recognized researchers on decision-making, Eric Johnson, has studied choice architecture and its effects on behavior. Understanding how we make choices and improving their presentation helps us design better processes for many important situations. We are all choice architects, Eric says. Show Notes, Transcript, Resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/eric-johnson-choice/ Book: https://amzn.to/3Jp7abM  Eric joins Brainfluence to dissect our roles as choice architects and explain how to change our choice architectures to arrive at better decisions. A well-designed choice architecture helps you to look beyond the easiest and most accessible paths or memory-based preferences. Eric also explains how default choices are formed, the 3 E's that make them, and how to not be blinded by them. You'll learn about how choice architecture applies to our most ba

What is “conation?” According to seasoned marketing and strategy leader Sandeep Dayal, conation is incredibly important in the marketing world. It refers to the desire or will of people to perform an action – it helps marketers assess what causes a customer to opt-in or out of a buying decision. Notes & Resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/sandeep-dayal-branding/ Sandeep Dayal joins Brainfluence to explain purchase decisions, brand identity, brand positioning, customer-centricity, and customer experience for brands that want to find and sell to their audiences ethically. He breaks down the process of a customer’s buying decision, the three factors that affect the designing of empathetic brands, and the three principles of self-regulation for marketers, among other things. Recognition of the need to optimize customer experience continues to grow. As Sandeep explains, the better a customer’s mind is familiar with your brand’s offerings, the better the chances are they would buy from you. Make an effort to

Businesses today face the challenge of balancing their core values with the realities of the digital age — an age that has customers expect 24/7 access to brands. Surprisingly, the brands that put their customers first have survived even the worst phases of the pandemic, according to best-selling author and returning guest on Brainfluence, John Jantsch. Notes & Resources: https://www.rogerdooley.com/john-jantsch-engine/ John advocates customer-centric marketing and brings us lessons from his most recent book, The Ultimate Marketing Engine: 5 Steps to Ridiculously Consistent Growth. He talks about the importance of focusing less on generating “more” leads. Rather, you should enhance the buying experience of your existing customers to generate organic referrals and leads. He explains how strategically (and authentically) partnering with your top 20% customers does your business more good than investing in lead generation. John also reveals his 5-step marketing process that helps discover and map businesses

Dorie Clark joins us today on Brainfluence discuss her new book, The Long Game and  to explain why a long-term strategy is essential to help us achieve our goals in life. In this era of instant gratification, it’s hard to wait until a business strategy works or the results of practice start showing results. But, Dorie notes, success is a product of long-term consistency for example, a one-percentage daily improvement (as James Clear explained in Atomic Habits). This approach requires you avoid frequent changes. Rather, you must keep going and stick to a strategy that works for you. Creating mental space is essential on your path to success. If you stuff all your hours with work, not heeding the long-term implications of constant jam-packed days, you will never know if you’re heading where you want to. Listen to today’s conversation as Dorie and Roger discuss many more topics, including why you must create room for whitespace in your calendar and how to do that even if you don’t have schedule flexibility. Show