The PRIDE in my decision-making!

First in the series on “Engineered Word of Mouth.”

<My writing is mainly in the first person. That “I” could very well be “You”!>

I sat there wondering what to do with my weekend. I had much time. Yet, there were things to do and miles to cover!

What can I do? What’s on my list? I sit at my table with a pen and paper, sometimes lost in thought. A cup of tea arrives miraculously, and I send up a silent thanks.

“I will go watch the movie.

I will HAVE to buy this product.

I AM going to read this book.

I WILL join this exercise group and be regular.”

I write it all.

And I look at it.

“So many “I” s.

So many decisions.

A feeling of pride crept in from the side.

The other half of my brain wakes up and asks me, "Why? Why should I feel proud? What have I done?"

“Perhaps of making a decision, yes.”

“How did I arrive at these decisions, though?

BECAUSE someone in my circle introduced, recommended, or referred it.”

Thinking back to the events of the week:

“The book, from a book club.

The movie, from a friend who is a movie buff.

The product, because I saw an acquaintance use it.

The exercise group, all my connections are in it. Why will I not join?”

I REALIZE:

“All the above decisions were influenced by someone or some brand I know.

Consciously, and in most cases, sub-consciously.”

The?room seemed to lighten and brighten up as I arrived at a realization:

However much we pride ourselves on making decisions, ALL our choices are influenced.

A bold statement and I stand by it.

“That is the power of WORD OF MOUTH recommendations. They stay on in our minds and prop up when we need to evaluate.

These recommendations are part of our ‘consideration set’, implanted in our brains.”

“At times, these recommendations take a life of their own.

We MUST have it, and so we do: rationality be damned!”

“With social media, word of mouth has been amplified.

It has positive and negative connotations.”

Waves of ‘likes,’ ‘shares,’ and ‘comments’ echo in the background, sometimes lapping my feet before rolling back into the ocean!

“I am exposed to so many views, thoughts, products, hundreds per day at the very least!

I am bombarded with advertisements and inducements.”

“I only click those that appeal to me. And those that have been recommended.

‘Pravin, you’ve just got to check this out.’

‘Did you hear about this new book? I loved it.’”

**

“As professional speaker Andy Lopata says, there is a ‘Transfer of TRUST’.

This trust is vital in the success of a word-of-mouth movement.”

**

I like you

And so I listen to you.

I try and ape you

Mimic your actions

And take your advice to heart.

So,?

monkey show or monkey see,

Monkey do.

(And blindly so, ironically!)

I have a network

in which there are a few

whom I respect and trust

whose advice I try and follow.

As the network evolves,

So do my choices.

The shortest path to decision making

is relying on the shoulder of experts.

Those who know a bit more than I do.

and have shown/said/demonstrated.

Some introduce to new concepts.

Some refer good products.

A very few insist and recommend

that I MUST do something.

So if they say I should do

I do.”

SO WHAT do I do?

Be aware:

• Influence Persists:?Despite our belief in independent choices, all decisions bear an imprint of influence—often from trusted sources—shaping our preferences.
• The Echo of Recommendations:?Word-of-mouth recommendations wield unparalleled power, creating lasting imprints in our minds and driving choices, even when rationality wavers.
• The Trust Factor:?Trust forms the backbone of successful word-of-mouth dynamics. Paying attention to expert insights can significantly simplify decision-making and steer us toward outcomes we really need.”

Book Recommendation: The Outlier Marketer recommends "UNMARKETING" by Scott Stratten & Alison Kramer

Review:

A good book for someone who is new to marketing filled with resources and key learnings.

Every chapter is short and will have one message per chapter. A nice flip through type of book when one has the time

Rating:

Clarity of thought - 4

Connect - 4

Uniqueness of Topic - 3

Outcome - 4

Research - 4

Writing style - 4

Author credibility - 4

Book cover - 4

Title of the book - 5

Author website/resources - 5

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