Money-Back Guarantees Read online I love this ad. "If the soles wear out before 3,000 miles, we'll replace the shoes free." Customers have become so used to false promises and unrealistic claims that a money-back guarantee like this really stands out. But does it work? The Evidence In 2011, a paper published in the Journal of Retailing studied money-back guarantees¹. 200 consumers saw ads for eight different products. Sometimes the product had a money-back guarantee, plus a guarantee logo....

Social Proof Read online Incredible marketing can be incredibly simple. In 2007, two Chinese researchers ran an experiment at 13 Beijing restaurants¹. Some diners were sat on tables with a plaque listing the most popular dishes. Others were sat at tables with no plaque. Did the plaque change what people choose? Diners who saw the most popular dish plaques were 18% more likely to order one of those dishes, even at a higher price. That's not all. Customers who ate a "most popular dish" rated it...

Labour Looks Smarter Read online Last week I shared one of my unhinged theories with you Many of you rightly pointed out that one study from 2011 is hardly enough to draw lofty conclusions. Fair enough, I've gathered some more evidence. Starting with an imaginary story from my barbers. A good barber is a slow barber Imagine you go to your local barbershop. Your normal barber is on holiday, so you're assigned to someone new. Typically your barber spends 45 minutes cutting your hair. He's not...