Alchemy exists whether we like it or not
Fortunately, we can benefit from it. That's why Sutherland ends the book with 7 lessons:
Given enough material to work with, people often try to be optimistic.
By giving them good and bad news at the same time, people become happier than if you confronted them with only one interpretation. The highs
What works on a small scale, works on a large scale
The cost of air tickets is increasingly being stripped down. This means we are more likely to agree, because we know what we are paying for. That is why taxes are so annoying: you have no idea what you are paying for.
Find different presentations of the same thing
The principle can work, but if it doesn't connect with the target audience, you're missing the mark.
Create pointless choices
A choice is better than no choice. I would like to say that too much choice is even less useful. Too many choices paralyze buyers and ultimately make them buy less often.
Be unpredictable
If you do what seems most logical, you will end up wherever your competitor is.
Dare to be everyday
This seems contradictory to the previous lesson, but I would like to describe this lesson as: don't try to get the most out of it right away. You don't have to think big right away to eventually become big. If you start with a simple webshop where people can first register as a guest and they are satisfied. Then you can direct them to register as a member.
Eulogy for the Everyday
I would describe this as “meaning, meaning, meaning – context, context, context.” Information that seems irrelevant or trivial can be super valuable.
Image that fits the topic of alchemy.Is the kuwait telegram data book Alchemy by Rory Sutherland recommended?
There are a few catches to this book. First, I have questions about Sutherland's interests in his argument. He specializes in behavioral sciences, perhaps of the old school, who prefers qualitative research to quantitative research. These are assumptions on my part, but that probably colors his argument. He himself will also be aware of how he explains his own behavior with this book.
Secondly, I don't really like the writing style. It's very much all over the place. Headings sometimes don't seem to connect to the text. Sometimes I miss the train of thought or I find an example too simplistic. It could also be because it's translated from English and I often find books in the original language more pleasant to read.
Thirdly, I agree with him wholeheartedly. As a cultural anthropologist by training, I am fascinated by human behavior. People cannot be classified, expressed in numbers or captured in a diagram. Behavior from the past, of course, you can say something about that, but the question is whether behavior will also develop in the same way in the future. That is of course a shame for the part of us that wants certainty and control, but…
It is precisely that magic that makes life so beautiful! If you never ask the 'wrong' question, never ask yourself what the answer behind the answer is, if you never venture off the beaten track, you will never stumble upon a happy discovery. So go searching, experiment, philosophize, ask questions. It is sometimes not easy in a world where data is king, but in the end it will pay off.
