Introducing: Nudge Unit
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Episodes
Nudge
Ever noticed how the smallest changes can have the biggest impact? On Nudge, you'll learn simple evidence-backed tips to help you kick bad habits, get a raise, and grow a business. Every bite-sized 20-minute show comes packed with practical advice from admired entrepreneurs and behavioural scientists. Nudge is fast-paced but still insightful with real-world examples that you can apply - this is not your average business podcast.
Episodes
Why most bestselling business books are BS
Business books are everywhere, offering seemingly simple solutions to complex problems—but are they truly helpful? In this episode, Alex Edmans explores the biases that make us fall for oversimplified advice and why many popular business books fail to deliver. You’ll learn: How black-and-white thinking fuels the success of books like Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution and Start With Why. Why confirmation bias leads us to believe unproven claims (feat. Simon Sinek’s “Why” theory). The dangers of ignorin...
Can 10,000 hours of practice make you great?
I explore the truth behind the famous 10,000-hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. Today, Prof Alex Edmans uncovers why the rule persists despite its flaws and dives into the psychological biases that make misinformation so believable. You’ll learn: Why the 10,000-hour rule isn’t as universal as it seems (feat. insights from Alex Edmans). How confirmation bias shapes beliefs—from the Atkins diet to Deepwater Horizon. The dangers of narrative fallacy in explaining success (feat. 1975 Barry ...
What sets top negotiators apart?
Neil Rackham’s groundbreaking research uncovered what separates skilled negotiators from the average. Drawing insights from real-world negotiation sessions involving union disputes, management decisions, and high-stakes contracts, this episode unpacks the actual behaviour of skilled negotiations. You’ll learn: The specific ways skilled negotiators prepare differently from average negotiators (feat. 48 skilled negotiators). Why immediate counterproposals can ruin a negotiation (feat. insight from...
Can you see the invisible gorilla?
75% of us expect to spot the unexpected. But we’re wrong. Today on Nudge, Dan Simons shares his results from perhaps the world’s best-known psychology experiment: the Invisible Gorilla. Listen, and you’ll take part in our own audio version of his experiment, and I'll dig into research papers to learn how Dan’s findings apply to marketing. Dan’s book Invisible Gorilla: https://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/ Dan’s book Nobody’s Fool: https://dansimons.com/NobodysFool.html Outdoor Advertising Recall ...
Francesca Gino Scandal: What Really Happened
The Francesca Gino scandal shook the academic world, exposing fraudulent research practices at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, Harvard Business School. This episode unpacks the details of the case, from the initial discoveries to the implications for science. You’ll learn: How a PhD student uncovered data manipulation in a high-profile study (feat. Zoe Xani’s investigation). The critical role of whistleblowers in exposing fraud (feat. Data Colada’s analysis). Key findings from ...
Can I fool veteran marketers with my AI fakery?
I put AI to the test at one of the world’s largest marketing conferences, Inbound 2024. This episode dives into the surprising results of my experiment and what they mean for the future of marketing. You’ll learn: Why AI-generated content is seen as error-free (feat. 2022 study by Henestrosa et al.). How AI compares to humans in persuading consumers (feat. 2023 meta-analysis). Why strong positioning, like Wistia’s, is key to beating AI at its own game. The marketing tasks most at risk of being t...
The experiment every marketer should know
From curing scurvy to shaping billion-dollar business strategies, this is the story of the most important experiment in science and its profound impact on our world. ---- Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ ---- Inspired by the insights and storytelling of May Contain Lies How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases – An...
The best of Nudge in 2024
I spoke to the leading behavioural science authors, researchers and practitioners in 2024. Here are their top lessons. It features insights from Tali Sharot, Todd Rodgers, Rory Sutherland, Prof. Sarah Moore, and Chris Voss. Plus, some big news for 2025. You’ll learn: Why our happiness fades, no matter how good life gets (feat. Tali Sharot). How shorter emails can drastically improve response rates (feat. Todd Rogers). Why our behaviours often shape our attitudes—rather than the other way around ...
Every trick Steve Jobs used to persuade in 68 minutes
I’ve scoured his 38-year career and documented every persuasion tactic he’s used. Here’s how Steve Jobs became the most successful CEO of all time. Sign up to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Subscribe to Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast
I changed one sentence and got 20% more views
I tested a fairly unknown persuasion principle on 96 loyal Nudge listeners. It made my message 20% more effective. To hear how and why, listen to the latest episode of Nudge with the fantastic Bas Wouters, best-selling author and CEO of the Cialdini Influence. Bas’s book Online Influence: https://www.onlineinfluence.com/book-online-influence/ Cialdini’s latest edition of Influence: https://tinyurl.com/2sdz9524 Join the Nudgers: https://forms.gle/wyKZB9SrHKnFks7G6 Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Ne...
This Harvard prof made my emails 3.5x better
I’ve spent weeks writing handwritten letters rather than emails. I’m running an experiment inspired by today’s guest, Harvard Professor Mike Norton. Mike’s the scientist behind the IKEA Effect, and in today’s Nudge, he explains how that bias could help me gain more reviews. Did it work? Find out on today’s episode of Nudge. Mike’s book Ritual Effect: https://tinyurl.com/mwbvws3n Watch Nudgestock: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgestock Control emails: https://im.ge/i/Control-emails.fEPKZW Handwritte...
17½ persuasion tactics in 28 minutes
This is one of my favourite interviews of the year. Listen, and you’ll learn why you should go last in a job interview, why you should pay incentives out in regular but smaller sums, and how you should always list your benefits in threes. Steve’s book: https://tinyurl.com/23u5aysv Steve’s website: https://influenceatwork.co.uk/ Subscribe to the Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
I watched 300 TV ads: Here’s how they nudge you
I spent four hours watching 300 ads back to back. Today, I reveal how they use psychological principles to persuade you. Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
The Psychology Behind a Perfect (SaaS) Website
The world’s best websites follow psychology-backed rules. Today’s guest, Thomas McKinlay, has read over 500 scientific marketing papers to figure out how to create a perfect website. On this episode of Nudge, he shares all the secrets. Thomas’s newsletter: https://www.sciencesays.com Subscribe to the Nudge newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Get the bonus episode: https://nudge.ck.page/2a6d523eea
Can I create a viral YouTube video?
In today’s episode, I use a marketing psychology principle to try to go viral on YouTube. Did it work? Listen to find out. Effortful YouTube video: https://youtu.be/L6ueaBYDop8?si=5kHrlW66Fdzk6yTb Effortless YouTube video: https://youtu.be/bhMCGaRsyUQ?si=LSXqZExxOZX7gIji Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
I shrunk Britain’s #1 bread. Did anyone notice?
I shrunk Britain’s favourite bread and showed it to a dozen Brits from Bolton. I was experimenting with shrinkflation. Companies shrink the size of their products without changing the price, benefiting from a psychological bias that means we struggle to notice small changes. Today, chatting with Grace Forell from Which?, I figure out the psychology behind shrinkflation, why it works, and I test if anyone notices my shrunken loaf of bread. Methods of Persuasion: https://www.kolenda.io/books Grace...
Can I persuade 20 strangers to listen to Nudge?
Today, I try to persuade 20 total strangers to listen to Nudge. To help, I’ve asked Brain Ahearn for advice. Brian’s Tedx talk on pre-suasion has been viewed by over 1 million people. He teaches tactics that anyone can use. So, I put his advice to the test. I’ve found 40 strangers and asked them if they’d listen to Nudge, but for 20 I used Brian’s ‘pre-suasion’. Did it work? Tune in to find out. Brian’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfahearn/ Brian’s website: https://influencepeople....
Lessons from the longest study on human happiness
What makes us happy? This question generates wildly different answers. I asked four Nudge listeners and got four different answers. Being the behavioural science nerd I am, I’ve always wondered if there is a scientific answer to this question. Is there a study that reveals the secrets behind the good life? Yes, there is. It’s the longest study on human happiness ever conducted. Today, I spoke to Marc Schulz, the associate director of that study, and he shared the results. What causes a happy lif...
Is the “godfather of influence” still relevant?
Robert Cialdini is known to most as the godfather of influence. But is his 40-year-old book still relevant? Today, with Bas Wouters, best-selling author and CEO of the Cialdini Influence, we debate whether Cialdini’s 1984 findings still apply. How I persuaded 8 influencers to promote Nudge: https://tinyurl.com/y8dvy9xk Bas’s book Online Influence: https://www.onlineinfluence.com/book-online-influence/ Cialdini’s latest edition of Influence: https://tinyurl.com/2sdz9524 BBC’s Bickman experiment: ...
Did Nintendo Brain Training make me smarter?
I’ve spent hundreds of hours playing Nintendo Brain Training. I’ve always thought it’d make me smarter. Most people agree. I asked 25 Brits, and 24 said it “helps their memory.” And yet, my guest on Nudge, Prof Dan Simons, thinks we’re all wrong. So, does Nintendo brain training work? Well, in today’s episode of Nudge, I find out. First, I analysed the dozens of ads Nintendo had put out. I share the psychological nudges they used to persuade us and how they made their game so popular. Then, I ru...
Everything I know about creativity is false
This advice has changed the way I work. Professor Adam Alter covers the science behind creativity, Bob Dylan’s songwriting tricks, Pfizer’s profitable pivot, Pixar’s crowd-based wisdom, and one study that changed my perspective on creativity. Adam’s book: https://adamalterauthor.com/anatomy Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Mike Temple’s Blowin’ cover: https://youtu.be/tFgohZ8xtnI?si=z0LYO9E2qX5PCEEw
This professor increased my sales by 6x
Professor Danny Zane told me to slightly change how I promote my products. His advice increased my sales by 600%. Today, on Nudge, I reveal what he told me. Danny’s webpage at Lehigh: https://business.lehigh.edu/directory/daniel-zane The email engagement results: https://im.ge/i/The-email-engagement-results.fEAXyX The sale results: https://im.ge/i/The-sale-results.fEAos9 Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
This is why your boss makes bad hires
Tesco is the largest UK employer. They conduct almost 1 million interviews a year, yet I think they might be pointless. Today, I will share psychological studies showing common interview flaws. I explain why so many of us are bad at predicting what others think and suggest a better way to conduct interviews. Thinking Fast and Slow: https://tinyurl.com/msd3kz9b Talking to Strangers: https://tinyurl.com/yewvrwb5 Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
The trade secrets con men don't reveal
Fraudsters use four common tactics to con you. These tactics have been proven to work in scientific labs, adopted by the world’s best marketers, and used by scammers to manipulate and persuade. Are you being conned? Find out on today’s episode of Nudge with Dan Simons. Dan's book: https://www.dansimons.com/NobodysFool.html Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
How Messi Used Psychology to Become Great
There’s a strange ritual Messi does at the start of every game that helps make him great. This ritual also helps job candidates succeed in interviews, sketch comedians create better jokes, and helped A-ha write Take On Me. To hear what it is, listen to bestselling author Adam Alter teach me the science behind beating procrastination. Adam’s book: https://adamalterauthor.com/anatomy Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
This Harvard Professor Studies Our Weird Rituals
Whether clinking a glass with a friend, blowing on a cake, touching wood for good luck or tapping the plane before boarding, most of us have at least one weird ritual. Today’s guest, Harvard Professor Mike Norton, studied them for years. In today’s Nudge episode, he shares his findings. It turns out that those odd rituals are more important than we think. Mike’s book Ritual Effect: https://tinyurl.com/mwbvws3n Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
How I persuaded 8 influencers to promote Nudge
I didn’t pay them. I didn’t force them. I didn’t even try to persuade them. No, to convince these 8 influencers I used an extremely powerful psychological bias. This same bias has been used to sell one thousand pounds of cheese in three hours, turn greedy bankers into charitable donors, and (potentially) save us from nuclear war. Listen to find out how I persuaded 8 influencers to promote this podcast. The (free) Science of Persuasion course: https://nudge.ck.page/persuasion-course The Science o...
21 Psyc-Tips to Increase Sales (with Nick Kolenda)
I interviewed a (former) mind reader. He still reads minds today, but not for gimmicks. Instead, he uses his powers to help companies increase their sales. Today on Nudge, he shares 21 psychology-inspired tips that are proven to increase revenue. Nick's newsletter: https://www.kolenda.io/ Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile
Can Charles Duhigg Make Me Popular?
The bestselling author of The Power of Habits and Supercommunicators shared his top communication advice. Today, on Nudge, I tested Charles Duhigg's advice on four strangers. Will his advice make me more popular? Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.ck.page/72cea6802d Charles's book Supercommunicators: https://tinyurl.com/447wkpmz Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile