Psychology of Selling and Marketing
The generative AI apology: better than a human’s, sometimes
New research finds generative AI outperforms human agents at handling minor service failures, but loses its edge when initial fixes fail, unless empathy or compensation is added.
The overlooked reason customer collaboration pays off
A survey of 301 U.S. managers finds that value co-creation improves firm performance partly by making employees feel more respected — but heavy knowledge-sharing may weaken that effect.
Why inclusive sales teams may quietly boost the bottom line, especially for newcomers
New research on 274 B2B salespeople links diverse and inclusive workplaces to lower anxiety, better mental health, and stronger sales performance, with the benefits landing hardest on early-career salespeople.
New research shows exactly where virtual avatars fall short of human spokespeople
Virtual influencers can sell excitement about as well as humans can. But when the emotion is gratitude, hope, or pride, digital endorsers fall short, unless audiences already share their values.
What makes a B2B salesperson resilient? Six factors identified
A survey of 469 B2B salespeople finds that resilience is linked to a greater ability to juggle service and selling, with the effect strongest under pressure from demanding customers.
The pronoun trick that makes virtual influencers feel more human
New research finds that virtual influencers seem more human, and more persuasive, when they address audiences directly with "you" instead of narrating personal stories with "I."
When a “green” surcharge backfires: Why donating fees to charity can undermine the policies they support
A study across a lab experiment and a subway field trial finds that donating surcharge proceeds to charity can substantially weaken the policy's ability to change behavior, unless payers get to pick the beneficiary.
Do glowing words really sell? An economist finds a small but real puffery effect on Airbnb
An analysis of $2 billion in Airbnb bookings finds that vague, subjective claims like "charming" and "luxurious" boost reservations about as much as factual details do, without hurting guest ratings.
What CrossFit reveals about how brands really earn loyalty
A two-year study of CrossFit proposes that some brands earn devotion not by building communities or telling myths, but by supplying consumers with a full script for reinventing themselves.
Who buys Bitcoin, and why? Researchers examine the traits behind the decision
A survey of 305 people finds that confidence and enjoyment predict crypto investment intentions more strongly than the pursuit of profit — and that risk-takers are motivated mainly by external rewards, not curiosity.