Here’s what we discovered this week, with my own new content below:
This may not be the most important new study, but it’s certainly one of the stranger ones. Research by professors at the University of California – Riverside found that Wide-faced men negotiate nearly $2,200 larger signing bonus. I suppose plastic surgery would be a bit extreme, but perhaps we should all stretch our profile pictures horizontally by a few pixels?
Kissmetrics (@KISSmetrics) compiled a great list of 39 Resources for Understanding the Science & Psychology Behind Great Marketing. We’re happy to see that Brainfluence made the list, but there are 38 other resources for you to check out too… Here’s your Amazon shopping list and weekend reading, all in once place!
Want more clicks and shares on your tweets? Why You Clicked on That Tweet: The Psychology of Twitter Engagement by Lanya Olmsted (@lanyaolmsted) analyzes popular tweets from HubSpot’s tweet stream to identify why. You’ll find psychology-based strategies for crafting the perfect tweet, from cognitive dissonance to extrinsic motivation. We’d like to see more examples, but this is a start.
The previous post may have been brief, but here’s a massive and well-illustrated guide to building better landing pages. Three of the smartest people in the business come together in 20 Landing Pages Torn Apart by Rand Fishkin, Oli Gardner and Peep Laja, with Amanda Durepos (@amandadurepos) turning their thoughts into this long and very useful post.
Here’s a good example of why I never miss an episode of Mitch Joel‘s (@mitchjoel) podcast. He features Dr. Howard Moskowitz‘ (@HowardMoskowitz) and Stephen Rappaport (@steverappaport) in Cognitive Economics And Consumer Choice. They discuss the concepts behind predicting consumer choices and focus on Moskowitz’s simple methodology for gaining profound insights into what consumers want and will pay for. Find out how he “invented” zesty pickles and chunky tomato sauce, and how you can do the same in your space!
My Stuff
Big website redesign projects are dead. Or, someone should drive a stake through their hearts if they are still alive. Never Redesign Your Website Again – Really! features insights from my conversation with conversion expert Chris Goward. Chris thinks big “flip the switch” redesign projects present enormous risks, and tells you the right way to approach the process.
Your customers want lower prices. Your salespeople tell you they could sell more with bigger discounts. But, every penny you drop your price has a much bigger impact on net profit. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make your prices appear lower to customers without actually cutting margins? Actually, you can – find out how in A Super-Simple Way to Make Your Prices Seem Lower… With One Catch.
I’ve been a huge fan of Nancy Duarte (@nancyduarte)’s work for years, and it was an absolute delight to chat with her on the Brainfluence Podcast. We talked to Nancy about persuasive presentations and a lot more. We started with a few thoughts from her first best-seller, Slideology, and moved on to her next business blockbuster, Resonate. For that, and a discussion of Nancy’s new, free ebook about “SlideDocs,” catch Ep #16: Presentation Persuasion with Nancy Duarte. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.
If you were on vacation last week, check out my compilation from seven days ago. You’ll learn killer presentation strategies from 007 (via Dr. Nick Morgan!), practical ways to apply Cialdini’s 6 Principles, and even how to improve self-control without increasing your willpower. That and lots more is in Be Like Bond, Use Persuasion Psychology, and More – Roger’s Picks!
Did you find content worth sharing this week? Drop a link in a comment!
