Psychology of Selling and Marketing
Study finds Instagram micro-celebrities can shift brand attitudes and buying intent through direct engagement
A new study of 435 young women finds that a micro-celebrity's level of direct engagement with followers may matter more than attractiveness or expertise in shaping brand attitudes and buying intent.
Salespeople who feel they’re making a difference may outperform those chasing commissions
A three-part study finds that salespeople driven by a sense of purpose, not just money, tend to work harder and adapt better over time, especially younger workers.
Five persuasive approaches and when each one works best for marketers
A review of 45 studies identifies five persuasive communication approaches used in marketing and maps the conditions under which each one is linked to business results.
When salespeople feel free and connected to their boss, they’re less likely to quit
New research links two basic psychological needs, autonomy and relatedness, to stronger salesperson-manager alignment. That alignment, in turn, is tied to lower intentions to quit.
Want your brand to look premium? New research suggests making your logo less dynamic
New research finds that logos conveying stillness make brands seem more premium, while motion-suggesting logos do the opposite. The effect hinges on how psychologically distant a brand feels.
The color trick that changes how you expect products to smell, taste, and feel
New research finds that more vivid product colors lead consumers to expect stronger smells, bolder tastes, and more intense textures, and the reason may be psychological closeness.
A new framework maps how influencers, brands, and platforms all compete for long-term value
A 15-author research team proposes a new framework showing how brands, influencers, and platforms compete and collaborate in a $24 billion industry still struggling to measure its own effectiveness.
Why personalized ads sometimes backfire: A research review explains when tailoring messages works and when it doesn’t
Personalized ads generally boost persuasion, but a major research review reveals they can also backfire, depending on what the match means to the consumer and how deeply they are thinking.
The common advice to avoid high customer expectations may not be backed by evidence
A meta-analysis of 150 studies and nearly 60,000 consumers challenges the long-held marketing belief that high customer expectations lead to disappointment and lower satisfaction.
Personality-matched persuasion works better, but mismatched messages can backfire
A review of 80 studies finds that tailoring persuasion strategies to people's personality traits works far better than generic messaging, and mismatched approaches can actually backfire.