I just finished Charlies Duhigg’s new book, “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business,” and I found the content to be incredibly valuable both personally and professionally.
Duhigg simplifies the patterns that surround our habits and points out the cues that elicit our behaviors. As a psychology minor in undergrad, I particularly enjoyed my bio-psychology classes, learning about the nucleus accumbens and its role in releasing dopamine and serotonin, the main neurotransmitters responsible for feeling pleasure. Duhigg doesn’t spend too much time talking about the science, but some familiarity is helpful.
This image breaks the habit loop into three touch-points, often referred to by neuroscientists as the Stimulus –> Response –> Reward. It only takes a few minutes of reflection to think about how many habits in your life follow this same pattern.
From a marketers perspective, we are often responsible for creating all three responses. My own takeaway is that the Reward is most closely associated with the product, and the user’s experience with that product. To begin with a delightful product, something fun and intuitive and easy to use, is one (and hopefully the most important) area to start your focus. To build a Routine is often most difficult, and we are constantly charged with massaging that relationship with our consumers. To create a new Cue, or build off of one that already exists, is often where creativity and analysis is most important.
The book offers several great examples, taken both from science and marketing. For instance, there is the heroic story of the marketing team at Febreeze, almost failing in their original efforts, until they rethought their ideal prospect and built a successful campaign around using the product as a “final touch” to cleaning a room.
Or how Target knew a teenage girl was pregnant before her father did, based on consumer id’s and purchasing statistics.
The book is a great read for anyone that spends times wondering, “why do I do these particular things in response to certain cues?” I’d recommend spending some time thinking about what the rewards are in your life that you value, and figuring out how to achieve them with healthier habits. If there are any anecdotes you would care to share, I’d love to hear them. Or, if you’ve read this book as well, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
coach Clark Kent
Duhigg simplifies the patterns that surround our habits and points out the cues that elicit our behaviors. As a psychology minor in undergrad, I particularly enjoyed my bio-psychology classes, learning about the nucleus accumbens and its role in releasing dopamine and serotonin, the main neurotransmitters responsible for feeling pleasure. Duhigg doesn’t spend too much time talking about the science, but some familiarity is helpful.
This image breaks the habit loop into three touch-points, often referred to by neuroscientists as the Stimulus –> Response –> Reward. It only takes a few minutes of reflection to think about how many habits in your life follow this same pattern.From a marketers perspective, we are often responsible for creating all three responses. My own takeaway is that the Reward is most closely associated with the product, and the user’s experience with that product. To begin with a delightful product, something fun and intuitive and easy to use, is one (and hopefully the most important) area to start your focus. To build a Routine is often most difficult, and we are constantly charged with massaging that relationship with our consumers. To create a new Cue, or build off of one that already exists, is often where creativity and analysis is most important.
The book offers several great examples, taken both from science and marketing. For instance, there is the heroic story of the marketing team at Febreeze, almost failing in their original efforts, until they rethought their ideal prospect and built a successful campaign around using the product as a “final touch” to cleaning a room.
Or how Target knew a teenage girl was pregnant before her father did, based on consumer id’s and purchasing statistics.
The book is a great read for anyone that spends times wondering, “why do I do these particular things in response to certain cues?” I’d recommend spending some time thinking about what the rewards are in your life that you value, and figuring out how to achieve them with healthier habits. If there are any anecdotes you would care to share, I’d love to hear them. Or, if you’ve read this book as well, I’d love to hear your thoughts!coach Clark Kent
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