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Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Drive Customer Action and Loyalty by Prompting Instinctive Responses
National Indie Excellence Awards 2023 - Marketing & Public Relations
Business Book Awards 2023 - Smart Thinking
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2023 - Business
Increase engagement, response rates and the ROI of marketing initiatives with this step-by-step guide to harnessing hardwired consumer behavior and instinctive responses.
Using Behavioral Science in Marketing shows how to apply behavioral science principles in key areas of marketing, including marketing communications, email, direct mail and ad campaigns, social media marketing and sales funnel conversion strategies. Highly practical and accessible, it includes case studies and examples from AT&T, Apple, Spotify and The Wall Street Journal showing how these approaches have been used in practice.
Using Behavioral Science in Marketing also reveals how to increase consumer involvement and engagement, convey exclusivity and desirability, and prompt customer action and loyalty with scientifically proven principles such as autonomy bias, storytelling, and the Von Restorff effect.
Featuring common mistakes to avoid and key takeaways at the end of each chapter, it's also accompanied by downloadable checklists and an interactive template to use in practice. In a highly competitive space, where even an incremental advantage can result in significant uplifts, this is a crucial resource to create stand out and successful marketing-especially for marketers in highly regulated or highly competitive environments.
Business Book Awards 2023 - Smart Thinking
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2023 - Business
Increase engagement, response rates and the ROI of marketing initiatives with this step-by-step guide to harnessing hardwired consumer behavior and instinctive responses.
Using Behavioral Science in Marketing shows how to apply behavioral science principles in key areas of marketing, including marketing communications, email, direct mail and ad campaigns, social media marketing and sales funnel conversion strategies. Highly practical and accessible, it includes case studies and examples from AT&T, Apple, Spotify and The Wall Street Journal showing how these approaches have been used in practice.
Using Behavioral Science in Marketing also reveals how to increase consumer involvement and engagement, convey exclusivity and desirability, and prompt customer action and loyalty with scientifically proven principles such as autonomy bias, storytelling, and the Von Restorff effect.
Featuring common mistakes to avoid and key takeaways at the end of each chapter, it's also accompanied by downloadable checklists and an interactive template to use in practice. In a highly competitive space, where even an incremental advantage can result in significant uplifts, this is a crucial resource to create stand out and successful marketing-especially for marketers in highly regulated or highly competitive environments.
288 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2022
115 people are currently reading
768 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 17, 2023
Loved the content but wish it was half the length. The studies and behavioral science terminology were helpful, but I could have done without all the case studies and anecdotes.
December 29, 2024
Man atrodo, kad atradau bombinę knygą apie vartotojo elgseną tiems, kurie iki šiol veikė pagal intuiciją, o ne patikrintas rinkodaros schemas. Pasitelkiant psichologijos ypatybes ir sujungus jas su rinkodaros galimybėmis, pavyksta daryti reikšmingą įtaką žmonių pasirinkimams.
Vartotojo elgsena – tai atskiras mokslas, kuris, panašu, man tampa vis įdomesnis. Galima sakyti, kad toks mokslas leidžia manipuliuoti žmonėmis, ir tai būtų tiesa. Bandome pergudrauti patys save.
Tampa aišku, kad daugiau parduoda tie, kurie remiasi vartotojų elgsena, testuoja savo svetaines, vizualus. Todėl, kaip tekstų kūrėjai, ši knyga man tapo lobynu, nes mano mintyse dažnai kyla šie klausimai:
• Kaip sukelti susidomėjimą?
• Kokie komunikacijos būdai didina lojalumą ir įsitraukimą?
• Lengvi būdai padidinti pardavimo pajamas.
N. Harhut knyga „Using Behavioral Science in Marketing“ yra „sukramtytos“, veiksmingos ir plačiai naudojamos vartotojų elgsenos taktikos, kurias lengvai pritaikysi savo komunikacijoje. Čia aiškiai ir struktūruotai pateikiamos rinkodaros taktikos, o kiekvieno skyriaus pabaigoje rasite praktinius patarimus, kaip taikyti pateiktą informaciją.
Negana to, pridėta koncentruota reziumė su svarbiausiomis mintimis – tiems, kurie norėtų grįžti prie esmės kiek vėliau.
Temos, kurios aptariamos knygoje:
• Emocijos vs racionalumas
• Išskirtinumo principas
• Visuomenės nuomonės svarba
• Istorijų pasakojimas
• Tekstų akcentų patarimai
• Praktiniai patarimai el. svetainėms
Po kiekvienos iš šių temų laukia išsamus literatūros sąrašas, tad bus lengva sužinoti dar daugiau! Pavyzdžiui, aš nusprendžiau į telefoną įsikelti R. Shotton knygą „Choice Factory: 25 Behavioral Biases That Influence What We Buy“.
Stovi eilėje? Įsijunk knygą telefone!
https://kaciapaskaicius.lt/?p=3079
Vartotojo elgsena – tai atskiras mokslas, kuris, panašu, man tampa vis įdomesnis. Galima sakyti, kad toks mokslas leidžia manipuliuoti žmonėmis, ir tai būtų tiesa. Bandome pergudrauti patys save.
Tampa aišku, kad daugiau parduoda tie, kurie remiasi vartotojų elgsena, testuoja savo svetaines, vizualus. Todėl, kaip tekstų kūrėjai, ši knyga man tapo lobynu, nes mano mintyse dažnai kyla šie klausimai:
• Kaip sukelti susidomėjimą?
• Kokie komunikacijos būdai didina lojalumą ir įsitraukimą?
• Lengvi būdai padidinti pardavimo pajamas.
N. Harhut knyga „Using Behavioral Science in Marketing“ yra „sukramtytos“, veiksmingos ir plačiai naudojamos vartotojų elgsenos taktikos, kurias lengvai pritaikysi savo komunikacijoje. Čia aiškiai ir struktūruotai pateikiamos rinkodaros taktikos, o kiekvieno skyriaus pabaigoje rasite praktinius patarimus, kaip taikyti pateiktą informaciją.
Negana to, pridėta koncentruota reziumė su svarbiausiomis mintimis – tiems, kurie norėtų grįžti prie esmės kiek vėliau.
Temos, kurios aptariamos knygoje:
• Emocijos vs racionalumas
• Išskirtinumo principas
• Visuomenės nuomonės svarba
• Istorijų pasakojimas
• Tekstų akcentų patarimai
• Praktiniai patarimai el. svetainėms
Po kiekvienos iš šių temų laukia išsamus literatūros sąrašas, tad bus lengva sužinoti dar daugiau! Pavyzdžiui, aš nusprendžiau į telefoną įsikelti R. Shotton knygą „Choice Factory: 25 Behavioral Biases That Influence What We Buy“.
Stovi eilėje? Įsijunk knygą telefone!
https://kaciapaskaicius.lt/?p=3079
July 20, 2024
Disappointment - Definitely not worth its very high price level
Nancy Harhut’s “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing” aims to serve as a comprehensive guide, covering all the main techniques of behavioral science applicable in marketing. In this respect, the book excels, offering a thorough overview that could be quite useful as a handbook for marketers.
However, the book falls short in several critical areas. The majority of examples and case studies are drawn solely from the author’s professional background with lesser-known, local insurance companies, retirement plan providers, or local banks. This reliance on examples from her professional background is a limitation, especially considering that it would be ridiculous to think that industry giants like Apple, Tesla, Facebook, LinkedIn, 3M, Oracle, or Microsoft do not use these techniques. It is difficult to understand why examples from these major companies and industry leaders were not included, which undermines the book’s authority and impact.
Moreover, the book predominantly uses examples from financial service providers and insurance companies. This focus raises questions about why more diverse industries that also employ these techniques were not represented, given the vast array of sectors that use behavioral science in marketing.
Another significant issue is the length and structure of the chapters. They are overly long, with an abundance of examples followed by extensive case studies. This affects the readability of the book, making it a cumbersome read.
The book’s price is another point of contention. At 30 USD, it is considerably more expensive than similar books by industry experts such as Robert Cialdini, Al Ries, Richard Shotton, Martin Lindstrom, and Roger Dooley, which typically range from 12 to 18 USD. The use of behavioral science to justify its higher price point seems ironic and leaves readers feeling that the book is overrated and not worth the investment.
Furthermore, some of the case studies presented are quite vague, making bold claims such as a 12 percent increase in sales without providing substantial evidence or identifying the companies involved. This lack of transparency diminishes the credibility of the book.
In summary, while my overall experience with the book was not entirely negative, the lengthy chapters, narrow industry focus, and lack of substantial case study evidence made it a challenging read. It’s a decent introduction to the use of behavioral science in marketing but falls short of its promise and does not justify its high price point.
Nancy Harhut’s “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing” aims to serve as a comprehensive guide, covering all the main techniques of behavioral science applicable in marketing. In this respect, the book excels, offering a thorough overview that could be quite useful as a handbook for marketers.
However, the book falls short in several critical areas. The majority of examples and case studies are drawn solely from the author’s professional background with lesser-known, local insurance companies, retirement plan providers, or local banks. This reliance on examples from her professional background is a limitation, especially considering that it would be ridiculous to think that industry giants like Apple, Tesla, Facebook, LinkedIn, 3M, Oracle, or Microsoft do not use these techniques. It is difficult to understand why examples from these major companies and industry leaders were not included, which undermines the book’s authority and impact.
Moreover, the book predominantly uses examples from financial service providers and insurance companies. This focus raises questions about why more diverse industries that also employ these techniques were not represented, given the vast array of sectors that use behavioral science in marketing.
Another significant issue is the length and structure of the chapters. They are overly long, with an abundance of examples followed by extensive case studies. This affects the readability of the book, making it a cumbersome read.
The book’s price is another point of contention. At 30 USD, it is considerably more expensive than similar books by industry experts such as Robert Cialdini, Al Ries, Richard Shotton, Martin Lindstrom, and Roger Dooley, which typically range from 12 to 18 USD. The use of behavioral science to justify its higher price point seems ironic and leaves readers feeling that the book is overrated and not worth the investment.
Furthermore, some of the case studies presented are quite vague, making bold claims such as a 12 percent increase in sales without providing substantial evidence or identifying the companies involved. This lack of transparency diminishes the credibility of the book.
In summary, while my overall experience with the book was not entirely negative, the lengthy chapters, narrow industry focus, and lack of substantial case study evidence made it a challenging read. It’s a decent introduction to the use of behavioral science in marketing but falls short of its promise and does not justify its high price point.
November 7, 2024
The research from this book is well done. It uses a lot of good studies that are relevant to the point that she makes. However, I will say two things:
1. It is way too long for what it should be. We don't need personal life stories to prove every single argument. It should be about half the length, and because of that, it is boring at times. On the other hand, the uses of studies and references to people like Kanheman or Berger are contextual and it adds a lot to the quality of the content.
2. Sometimes, the arguments are extrapolated from the outcome of one study that is often not contextual. It feels like it justifies the performance of something because of that one piece of study that said this behavior should change; but it does not account for the fact that context, product, environment, etc are all different from what the original study found. Because of this, at times, it made me feel like I was reading a sales pitch. Like if the use of social proof could singlehandedly increase performance by 600%. The conclusion of an argument was often that the sales of her client skyrocketed because of that one behavioral technique. I have 10 years of experience in growth marketing, I used most of these techniques in the past, and never did one single change multiplied sales this way.
Marketing is contextual and it compounds over time.
The most important thing that I get from this book is to identify the problem and understand the context. Then, work to solve it.
All those techniques or strategies will be pointless if you don’t identify your problems first because all the solutions in this book apply to specific situations that the author understood. She acted to the best of her knowledge based on what she thought would serve the situation better. Without identifying the problem, this is impossible.
1. It is way too long for what it should be. We don't need personal life stories to prove every single argument. It should be about half the length, and because of that, it is boring at times. On the other hand, the uses of studies and references to people like Kanheman or Berger are contextual and it adds a lot to the quality of the content.
2. Sometimes, the arguments are extrapolated from the outcome of one study that is often not contextual. It feels like it justifies the performance of something because of that one piece of study that said this behavior should change; but it does not account for the fact that context, product, environment, etc are all different from what the original study found. Because of this, at times, it made me feel like I was reading a sales pitch. Like if the use of social proof could singlehandedly increase performance by 600%. The conclusion of an argument was often that the sales of her client skyrocketed because of that one behavioral technique. I have 10 years of experience in growth marketing, I used most of these techniques in the past, and never did one single change multiplied sales this way.
Marketing is contextual and it compounds over time.
The most important thing that I get from this book is to identify the problem and understand the context. Then, work to solve it.
All those techniques or strategies will be pointless if you don’t identify your problems first because all the solutions in this book apply to specific situations that the author understood. She acted to the best of her knowledge based on what she thought would serve the situation better. Without identifying the problem, this is impossible.
April 8, 2024
This year I made a "New Year's Reading Resolution" where I find titles that help my personal and professional development. This was the second book of the year, and it did not disappoint. As a matter of fact, it blew away all expectations and is probably one of best book I've ever read related to marketing. Every marketer should have this book in their library and should considered it "required reading."
I cannot speak highly enough of "Using Behavioral Science in Marketing." Nancy's combination of exposition and personal story telling make this book not only educational, but relatable and highly enjoyable. After every chapter I found myself incorporating what I had just read into my current projects. It's actionable information that you can use immediately.
Take note, reading this book is like learning the magician's secrets to their show. You'll find yourself recognizing the tips and techniques marketers use on you every day to influence your actions; knowledge that is helpful both personally and professionally.
I will absolutely read this book again (with a highlighter in hand next time). I'll share it and constantly use it as a reference for all future projects. When creating a new marketing message, I now ask myself "WWND?" (What Would Nancy Do?)
I cannot speak highly enough of "Using Behavioral Science in Marketing." Nancy's combination of exposition and personal story telling make this book not only educational, but relatable and highly enjoyable. After every chapter I found myself incorporating what I had just read into my current projects. It's actionable information that you can use immediately.
Take note, reading this book is like learning the magician's secrets to their show. You'll find yourself recognizing the tips and techniques marketers use on you every day to influence your actions; knowledge that is helpful both personally and professionally.
I will absolutely read this book again (with a highlighter in hand next time). I'll share it and constantly use it as a reference for all future projects. When creating a new marketing message, I now ask myself "WWND?" (What Would Nancy Do?)
November 16, 2024
This was a decent book. I like the idea of the science and numbers behind the marketing campaigns. However, this book was hard to read. There was a lot of repetition and rewording. A pet peeve of mine lately with these books is quoting the works of other authors or speakers. Soooo many quotes from others. At that point, it leaves me thinking "the author just found people saying the same thing as them and said, 'see? If all these other people say it, I am right'".
The chapters that made me think the author was credible were the ones with cases studies at her own firm. She technically could say whatever and embellish the details, but I felt they were genuine. You could tell with the care and pride she wrote those portions. That being said, it would have been nice to point out the behavioral concepts in ad campaigns in other industries. This was very focused on the industries she targets, which seems to be insurance or financial services related.
I felt the strategies were more for B2C models. You can take some and modify to fit B2B, but that is on you to figure out.
If you pick up this book, I recommend an audiobook version to go along with the book so that you can see the graphs and illustrations.
The chapters that made me think the author was credible were the ones with cases studies at her own firm. She technically could say whatever and embellish the details, but I felt they were genuine. You could tell with the care and pride she wrote those portions. That being said, it would have been nice to point out the behavioral concepts in ad campaigns in other industries. This was very focused on the industries she targets, which seems to be insurance or financial services related.
I felt the strategies were more for B2C models. You can take some and modify to fit B2B, but that is on you to figure out.
If you pick up this book, I recommend an audiobook version to go along with the book so that you can see the graphs and illustrations.
May 24, 2023
Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Drive Customer Action and Loyalty by Prompting Instinctive Responses is, hands down, an indispensable book for marketers or anyone else looking to influence customer behaviour. It sits on my desk right next to my coffee and I thumb through it multiple times a day. It's chock full clear and practical guidance with examples littered throughout. As a marketer who's been interested in behavioural science for a number of years now, this book has quickly risen to the top as my go-to resource when thinking about how to engage with a target audience. Thank you Nancy!
January 19, 2024
I'll read 50 or more books this year, but I'm certain I'll not read a better one than Nancy Harhut's Using Behavioral Science in Marketing. This is an absolute treasure of a read, blending strong academic research with real world pragmatism. Even though I've previously gorged on Daniel Kahneman, Dan Ariely, and Robert Cialdini, who get lots of attention in this book, it never felt repetitive or stale. Brilliantly done and a terrific early year surprise!
May 13, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyable and accessible book if you’re looking to understand how to implement customer behaviour thinking into your marketing strategy. Accessible examples and a great chapter structure mean this can be considered a textbook that you can jump around within its pages to find the technique you’re looking to implement. Nice little personal stories from Nancy to connect with her career and how she’s used behavioural science in marketing.
October 9, 2022
Air information in the book is not new however I enjoyed refreshing it. The structure is very good for shaping marketing messages based of behavioral aspects of consumer actions. There are good case stuff I support theoretical material. Overall the book should be in the table to refer once needed. I like the fullness the information that can be applied for different product and services.
August 17, 2024
Il libro è una perfetta sintesi dei principi di economia comportamentale più celebri. Non solo, Nancy li spiega in modo molto semplice e con numerosi esempi. E non solo, ogni concetto viene applicato al Marketing con casi esempi concreti che si possono utilizzare fin dall'inizio. Di facile lettura, questo libro è un must have.
January 17, 2024
Everyone who is in marketing should read this book! Nancy Harhut puts forth 25 strong behavioural science principles that are proven to work. Loaded with real world examples and references, this is a must read for sales and marketing professionals.
September 9, 2024
A must read for anyone in marketing.
February 18, 2025
Very useful book where everything is explained well. Also, the structure of the book is excellent with lot of examples and summaries at the end of the chapter.
October 25, 2022
If you are in marketing, then you should read this book. Nancy brings together 25 principles which you can use in your marketing to help create desire in your prospects and customers.
For example, what does it mean that people make decisions both emotionally and rationally? What on earth is loss aversion and the endowment effect? How can you create urgency? Reciprocity, etc
The book is easy to read and Nancy backs up the principles with data and case studies to really bring the points alive. This is now one of my “must read” recommendations to people who are in marketing.
For example, what does it mean that people make decisions both emotionally and rationally? What on earth is loss aversion and the endowment effect? How can you create urgency? Reciprocity, etc
The book is easy to read and Nancy backs up the principles with data and case studies to really bring the points alive. This is now one of my “must read” recommendations to people who are in marketing.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews