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94% of consumers said they were willing to pay a price premium for an energy efficient lightbulb, but only one-third actually purchased the product.

This is the problem of “Willingness-to-Pay (WTP)” research, and why not all behavioural studies are the same.

When people are asked a hypothetical, like “would you buy this product?” or “how much would you pay?”, they give you their best guess. As well intentioned as their answer might be, it...

There’s some phrasing we’ve got to stop using because it undermines the point we're trying to make.

See if you can spot the problem:

• “I can’t recommend this paper enough”
• “I would not hesitate to recommend…”
• “Couldn’t recommend anyone more for this”

Do you see it?

Can’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t.

When we start praise with a negative, that’s what people hear.

Instead, when offering praise use:

"I...

Any pathway looks smooth from a distance. Yet, as you walk along it, bumps and cracks appear at your feet.

This phenomenon mirrors our perception of time:

• The future and past appear abstract, blurry, and smooth due to their distance.
• The present is concrete, with details—both good and bad—in high definition.

This insight can inform how you communicate with customers and colleagues:

1. For future events:

   - Use abstract language to describe long-term...

The decisions you make at the end of your day are likely to differ from those you make earlier on.

Even if you are a highly trained doctor.

That’s what researchers discovered when they tracked 204 doctors over 17 months and 21,867 visits.

As the day wore on, the doctors prescribed more unnecessary antibiotics. 5% more, in fact.

Decision fatigue has a bearing on the types of decisions we make.

While researchers have different theories on why and to what extent, as a general rule...

You'll likely encounter three types of painful people in business. Know-it-alls, People Pleasers and Obstinates.

In this 7 minute clip I share how to identify each, and what to do to influence them.

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I've been having serious computer issues recently – repeated crashes and lots of frustrating downtime. 

The immediate cause is iMovie, the video editing software I use. I've been putting up with these problems because I know how to use the software and all my videos are stored there

However, this isn't just a technology issue; it's a behavioural one. 

I'm sacrificing productivity and sanity for the comfort of familiarity. 

By clinging to what I know, even though...

It always surprises me that our eyes are half way down our face. I tend to draw them a little higher, and it turns out I’m not alone. 

It’s called “eye placement bias”, our tendency to place the eyes higher than the halfway point. While more pronounced in younger children, the effect seems to stay with us as adults.

This despite us seeing faces all around us, everyday.

There are various theories as to why, one being the value we place on eyes

We...

“The form in which thoughts occur to a writer is rarely the same as the form in which they can be absorbed by the reader.”  Steven Pinker.

It’s the one quote I keep at my desk, reminding me that a logical narrative does not always result in an engaging one.

Bottom line? We need resolution near the start, not at the end.

Here’s what I mean.

I’ve noticed most of us tend to communicate in the following order: 

Problem – journey –...

Have you ever experienced that bittersweet feeling when you are watching a TV series or reading a book you love?

You don’t want it to end but you also can’t wait to see how it does.

Our customers experience this too.

It’s called the One-Away Mere Completion effect.  In short, people feel most engaged in something just before they complete it.

This is exciting, because it tells us two things:

1 Pay attention to what completion means. For example, would buying this...

Three things you shouldn’t do if you want to influence behaviour.

1. Make things pretty
2. Normalise inaction
3. Don’t ask why

Which of the three surprises you most?

If you want to know exactly what to do in your business, Just Do This.