Appealing to humans' basic instincts to increase influence, buy-in and results Survival of the species comes down to three basic instincts, say behavioural research strategists Dan Gregory and Kieran Flanagan fear, self-interest and simplicity. These basic human behaviours come into play in all types of relationships, including those between businesses and customers. Selfish, Scared and Stupid: Stop fighting human nature and increase your performance, engagement and influence, demystifies these behaviours and examines the psychology behind why even the best ideas sometimes fail. This book helps businesses design their organisations for reality rather than perfection, and also offers strategies to head off unprecedented levels of disengagement within, and outside, the business. It answers baffling questions around why the public sometimes fails to engage despite overwhelming data suggesting otherwise, why so many new products end up on clearance shelves and why so many great salespeople often fall short of their monthly targets. Learn how the survival of the species plays into business, including delusionary realities and the reasons ideas can fail Discover how to offer customers strategic rewards, thereby making the buying process more attractive to selfish natures Examine the link between fear and the unknown, including strategies for quelling fears and turning them into action Learn to use a simple mindset to create low-involvement products, helping appeal to instinct and making products hard to resist This provocative book is built on the idea that businesses must return to a more human engagement methodology in order to succeed. It is an informative read for anyone interested in improving influence, growing business reach, improving sales figures or understanding the complexities of human behaviour.

Appealing to humans' basic instincts to increase influencebuy-in and resultsSurvival of the species comes down to three basic instincts, saybehavioural research strategists Dan Gregory and KieranFlanagan--fear, self-interest and simplicity. These basichuman behaviours come into play in all types of relationshipsincluding those between businesses and customers. SelfishScared and Stupid: Stop fighting human nature and increase yourperformance, engagement and influence, demystifies thesebehaviours and examines the psychology behind why even the bestideas sometimes fail.This book helps businesses design their organisations forreality rather than perfection, and also offers strategies to headoff unprecedented levels of disengagement within, and outside, thebusiness. It answers baffling questions around why the publicsometimes fails to engage despite overwhelming data suggestingotherwise, why so many new products end up on clearance shelves andwhy so many great salespeople often fall short of their monthlytargets.* Learn how the survival of the species plays into businessincluding delusionary realities and the reasons ideas can fail* Discover how to offer customers strategic rewards, therebymaking the buying process more attractive to selfish natures* Examine the link between fear and the unknown, includingstrategies for quelling fears and turning them into action* Learn to use a simple mindset to create low-involvementproducts, helping appeal to instinct and making products hard toresistThis provocative book is built on the idea that businesses mustreturn to a more human engagement methodology in order to succeed.It is an informative read for anyone interested in improvinginfluence, growing business reach, improving sales figures orunderstanding the complexities of human behaviour.

About the authors xiAcknowledgements xiiiIntroduction xvPart I: We are all selfish, scared and stupid1 A matter of survival 32 The Happy Delusion 173 Why failure happens 31Part II: Think selfish4 Tell me WIIFM 515 Offer a reward 676 Make it enjoyable 81Part III: Think scared7 Flip the fear 978 Link it to the known 1119 Show them they're not alone 125Part IV: Think stupid10 Make it simple 13911 Make it easy (lazy) 15512 Make it hard not to 169Selfish, scared and stupid in the real world 183The Impossible Institute(TM) 189Index 191