– The Illusion of Choice: 16½ psychological biases that influence what we buy

Brilliant and a pleasure to read! Following my read and review of The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton, I just had to share my experience of The Illusion of Choice by Richard Shotton. As a professional who's worked in the business of understanding consumer behaviour for over 30 years - working for some of the best global advertising agencies in the business - I've read a great number of books written on behavioural science. Both The Illusion of Choice and The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton are amongst some of the best there is. Praised by well-respected professionals in the industry, a multitude of recommendations for the two books can't be wrong. And they aren’t! Insightful, Informative, Entertaining, Concise, Full of real-world examples, Easy to read, Easy to understand, and Easy to remember. Pick them both up while you can. For the value they hold within, they’re a bargain! I come back to them, again, and again.

This books is a fantastic read. If you like books by Rory Sutherland and Dan Ariely, you'll love this. It's similar in some ways to Dan's book Predictable Irrational as it covers a lot of the mental shortcuts, and seemingly illogical ways we make decisions. One reason I love about this book is that it presents ideas as a story, explains the idea and the gives you actionable tips on how you can use them in your marketing. It's very easy to read, informative and entertaining. Highly recommend it.

I read The Illusion of Choice and was so impressed I immediately bought 12 more copies for my marketing colleagues and CMO clients. Richard Shotton brilliantly unpacks behavioural science and how to apply it to marketing strategies and campaigns in a clear, practical way that's easy to implement. This book a must-read for anyone serious about influencing buyer behaviour in a crowded market.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. Read it in a couple of days and found the findings really thought provoking and can see with further effort that they can be implemented and will improve my businesses marketing. I think this book would be interesting not only to marketers and business owners, but anyone with an interest in human behavioural sciences. Great book. Have ordered the choice factory and two other books from the recommendations at the back.

Read this on holiday and was incredible. Super easy to read and understand (I’m dyslexic so sometimes struggle with books). Shares lots of incredible examples of Behavioural Science in action written as short stories with references and then examples/suggestions of how you can use those biases in your own work/life. My only complaint is I got into trouble with my wife for being a bit late for supper as I wanted to finish another chapter! Highly recommend this book especially if you’re a leader (or want to be) of anything, or work in marketing.

Richard Shotton has done it again. His first book, 'The Choice Factory' demystified the vaunted but often misunderstood field of behavioural science and how it could be applied to marketing challenges. This new tome goes one further by setting out very easy steps to follow to help optimise efforts of marketing teams everywhere. Taking robust and well-tested ideas from psychology is something all marketers will benefit from.

Richard's first book (The Choice Factory) was brilliant & this follows in that mould. Discover the secrets of what makes us buy things and what marketers — and anyone else — can do to make use of this. Also useful for consumers to understand why they might choose to buy things and therefore be aware of their subliminal purchasing decisions. It's well-written, contains lots of stories and practical examples and is a joy to read.

I loved The Choice Factory. This gem continues where that left off. Proving to all of us that the choices we think we make are rarely that! A beautifully written, very accessible read.

A marvelous must read for everyone in marketing and beyond.

It’s so helpful to understand the psychology and research that supports the science behind marketing and sales. Easy read with excellent examples

It doesn’t matter what field you’re in, there are eye-opening facts backed by solid research that will make a difference to how you communicate.

Actionable behavioral sciences. Put Behavioral Sciences to work with easy to understand fundamentals!

I loved Richard’s first book The Choice Factory. It’s required reading in my marketing capstone class. This outstanding new book is the perfect follow up to his behavioral science & branding classic as he teaches 16.5 psychological biases that influence buying. Every day people make hundreds of choices. We know that. These choices might appear to be freely made, but psychologists have shown that subtle changes in the way products are positioned, promoted and marketed can radically alter how customers behave. The Illusion of Choice identifies the 16½ most important psychological biases that everyone in business needs to be aware of today – and shows how any business can take advantage of these quirks to win customers, retain customers and sell more. Like The Choice Factory, this book draws on academic research, previous ad campaigns and his own original field studies to create a fascinating and highly practical guide that focuses on the point where marketing meets the mind of the customer. You’ll learn to take advantage of the peak end rule, the power of precision, the wisdom of wit – and much, much more. A must for all serious marketers looking to be more effective in their work.