contagious: 6 reasons things catch on - jonah berger

Which is tastier?

How tasty is the way we engage our audience?

…doesn’t always win.

The “best” stuff

To get things to catch on, we need to understand customer behavior

How can we make our communications tastier?

Help our products and services catch on?

Better engage our audiences (and show ROI)?

Prof. Jonah BergerJonahberger.com

@j1berger

“Word of mouth generates more than twice the sales of advertising”

--McKinsey & Company

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Psychology > Technology

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Six keySTEPPS

Social Currency

Triggers

Emotion

Public

Practical Value

Stories

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%

B2C

B2BB2P

Social Currency

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Choices communicate information

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(1) How can we make people feel like insiders? Smart, special, and in-

the-know?

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Customer Advisory Boards

Invite Only Events and Webinars

Awards and Recognition

(2) Find the Inner Remarkability

Surprising, novel, or interesting

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Triggers

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Triggers

Top-of-mind means tip-of-tongue

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Peanut butter and ___________Rum and ________

“weekends are made for Michelob”

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4 Key Questions

Who do we want to be triggered?

When do we want them to think of us?

What is around them at that time?

How can we link to that thing?

Live the healthy way, eat 5 fruits and veggies a day

Each and every dining hall tray, needs 5 fruits and veggies a day

Emotion

When we care, we share

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Public

Built to show, built to grow

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Practical Value

News you can use

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Rule of 100

$5 off$20

$2000 $500 off 25% off

25% off

Stories

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Maui Jim has great customer service

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Trojan Horse Story

Kernel (Brand or Key Attribute)

Engaging Story

Panda cheese

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Six key STEPPS to word of

mouth

Social Currency

Triggered

Emotion

Public

Practical Value

Stories

Jonahberger.com@j1berger

Two Key Next Steps

1) Find Your Kernel

2) Apply the STEPPSFree Crafting Contagious Guide Jonahberger.com/resources

Thank you.

Jonahberger.com@j1berger

jberger@wharton.upenn.edu