Brainfluence

A lot has changed on the web since today's guest was first on the show - and even more so in the five years since she published her now-classic book on web psychology. Have marketers gotten better at applying our knowledge of psychology to their online endeavors? And what's around the next curve? Nathalie Nahai has these answers, and more.

In this episode, we talk about the uptick in psychological marketing on the internet and the ethics discussions its spurred. Nathalie summarizes some new insights about personality and how they're used to target the right audience. We also debate the idea that technology is addictive, and imagine the future of a more seamless, less screen-dominated future.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2obfu90 

Direct download: BRAINFLUENCE156.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Challenging the long-established science of interpreting facial expressions, facial coding, is just one of the surprises in this episode. The belief that the brain is divided into rational and emotional components is an ancient one, and hard to dispel. But our guest today, Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, and her team are doing work that debunks many of the old stereotypes we have about emotion, facial expressions, and rationality. She joins us to talk about her new book How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain and shares some of its most groundbreaking insights.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2nzthFE 

Direct download: BRAINFLUENCE155.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Many of us think of creativity as an isolated incident - a flash of brilliance that inspires a bold painting or a perfect business decision. Yet research increasingly finds that discipline is key to fostering creativity. 

Erik Wahl begins this interview by sharing his love of art and the core mission of his book - to dispel the idea that creativity is a fleeting, singular moment rather than a daily practice. We talk about the coexistence of strict routine and freedom of mind, and how artists and successful businesses alike apply these principles to their work. Erik also shares his thoughts on why it's okay to keep a day job to protect your ability to create without commoditizing your work.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2mQDLjx 

Direct download: BRAINFLUENCE154.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

It seems like the term "addiction" gets thrown around quite often when we discuss technology: we're "addicted" to screens, to Facebook, to likes, and so on. But one of my first-ever guests on the show, Nir Eyal, is back to talk about why blaming technology for our behavior is misguided and counterproductive.

We kick things off by discussing the difference between habits and addiction and why Nir intentionally won't work with companies that aim to capitalize on the latter. We also talk about how new frontiers in the tech world relate to what Nir taught us in his book Hooked, and what the future of voice interfaces might be like.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2mTd8e6 

 

Direct download: BRAINFLUENCE153.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Now more than ever you need to stand out and be recognized as an expert in your field. Today's guest, Mark Schaefer, joins us to share some critical insights and personal branding advice from his new book KNOWN: The handbook for building and unleashing your personal brand in the digital age

Mark and I begin by recalling his prediction (made three years ago) that content marketing would cease to be effective, which we're starting to see today. We then chat about his book, why he wanted to write it now, and how it's different from other personal branding how-tos. Mark offers some great tips for finding your niche, making sure it's sustainable enough to build a platform on, and what he learned from well-known, successful people across many fields. 

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2luBSVF 

Direct download: BRAINFLUENCE152.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

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