483: The Illusion of Choice with Richard Shotton

My guest this week is making his first—and hopefully not his last—visit to the Read to Lead Podcast, and on the eve of the show’s 10th birthday, no less.

richard shotton

His name is Richard Shotton. He’s written a followup to his amazingly well-received The Choice Factory. It’s called The Illusion of Choice: 16 1/2 psychological biases that influence what we buy.

I devoured this book in a single day. It’s just over 190 pages with short, to-the-point chapters. Each one lays out plainly a psychological bias, shares what recent studies have shown about it (some of which are Shotton’s own), and then proceeds to show you, step-by-step, several ways you might consider applying what you’ve learned to your business.

It doesn’t get much more practical than that.

Richard draws on academic research, previous ad campaigns, and (as mentioned) his own original field studies to create a fascinating and highly practical guide that focuses on the point where marketing meets the mind of the customer.

You’ll learn to take advantage of the peak end rule, the power of precision, the wisdom of wit – and much, much more.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Richard and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

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In today’s episode, I ask Richard:

  • What marketers need to understand about habit formation, and how they might apply that knowledge to successfully persuade
  • The effectiveness of asking questions in your copy
  • Why it’s a mistake to attempt to improve the perception of your intangible attributes, like trust or quality, head on
  • And lots more!

Order Richard’s Book

You can order your copy of The Illusion of Choice: 16 1/2 psychological biases that influence what we buy In right now!

Consider Ordering My Book Too!

Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career. There, you can also download the introduction and first chapter for free!

Note-Making Mastery Cohort or the Read to Lead Community

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Richard in Action

Books (and Authors) Richard Recommends

Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

The works of Malcolm Gladwell

The works of Jonah Berger

The works of Daniel Kahneman

Check Out These Additional Resources

Grab a copy of Richard’s book now.

Find out more about Richard at his website.

Consider inviting Richard to speak to your group or organization.

Connect with Richard personally on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Finally, thanks for listening and remember, “Leaders read and readers lead.”