Influence Anyone

Brand strategist and author of Brand Desire, Kevin Perlmutter, joins Howie Chan to reveal why the strongest brands don’t just communicate value. They create emotional connection.

Drawing from behavioral science, customer psychology, and years of brand strategy experience, Kevin explains how brands can move beyond corporate jargon and surface-level messaging to uncover the emotional motivations that truly drive human behavior. From “limbic sparks” and subconscious associations to brand messaging and customer experience design, this conversation breaks down how great brands become unforgettable.

You’ll learn why emotional insight matters more than demographics, how subconscious associations influence decision-making, and why most B2B brands fail to connect with the people they’re trying to reach. Kevin also shares practical frameworks any business can use to create stronger customer relationships, more resonant messaging, and brand experiences people actually want to return to.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00:00 The 3 Pillars of Brand Desire

00:09:21 “Limbic Sparks” in Brand Strategy

00:14:33 The Behavioral Science Discovery That Changed Kevin’s Career

00:16:44 The 86% Correlation Most Brands Ignore

00:24:36 AI & the Missing Emotional Connection

00:28:26 The Biggest Mistake B2B Brands Make

00:34:35 Fear-Based Marketing vs. Positive Emotional Connection

00:40:49 Brand Expression (Sonic Branding, Visual Identity & Brand Messaging)

00:44:27 Identifying Shared Emotional Motivation Between Stakeholders

00:46:13 Aligning Customer Experience With Brand Promise

00:51:54 The 3 Question Framework Every Business Should Ask

Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk!

What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something?

This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots).

→ https://www.influencestylequiz.com/

Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is.

Episode Resources:

Check out my episode with  David Aaker here — or just go to episode 79.

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

YouTube

Instagram

Brand Desire by Kevin Perlmutter

—

Produced by Ideablossoms

Howie Chan interviews marketing icon David Aaker, widely regarded as the father of modern branding, to unpack the true drivers of brand equity — what a brand’s worth.

In this episode, brand storytelling takes center stage as Aaker breaks down the myths around branding and reveals what actually influences customer decisions in modern days.

From brand relevance to the power of loyalty, Aaker explains why branding goes far beyond awareness and image. He introduces his “Five B’s” framework and shows how brands shape both buying decisions and user experiences.

You’ll learn why storytelling in marketing is one of the most effective tools in today’s cluttered and skeptical landscape, how to craft signature stories that captivate audiences, and why most companies are underutilizing their greatest competitive advantage: their “secret sauce.”

Chapters:

00:00:00 Brand vs Brand Equity

00:04:01 The Five B’s of Modern Branding

00:09:01 Managing Negative Brand Perception

00:16:40 How to Create Powerful Signature Stories

00:25:47 Branding Beyond Ads (Events, Sponsorship & Communities)

00:30:30 The #1 Mistake Businesses Make with Branding

00:33:04 Uniqlo’s Example of Branding Differentiation and Innovation

00:52:26 High-Profile Branding Failures

00:57:09 Final Advice: “Brand Your Secret Sauce”

From David Aaker:

Website

LinkedIn

Take a look at David’s books mentioned in this episode:

• Aaker on Branding: Second Edition
• Creating Signature Stories
• Owning Game-Changing Subcategories
• Brand Portfolio Strategy

 Check out my conversation with Matt Sucha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evkin9z6Z4w

What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something?

This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots.)

→ https://www.influencestylequiz.com/

Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is.

—

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this solo episode, Howie Chan breaks down the true meaning of influence and why most people misunderstand it. Rather than focusing on persuasion, communication, or attention, Howie reveals that real influence comes down to one thing: changing human behavior.

Through a simple but powerful framework, Howie explains why people don’t take action — and how leaders, founders, and professionals can finally unlock consistent results. You’ll learn the critical difference between motivation and friction, and why adding more effort often backfires when trying to influence outcomes.

This episode dives into practical applications for both personal development and influencing others, from building better habits to closing clients more effectively.

Chapters:

00:01:12 What Influence Really Is (and Why Most Get It Wrong)

00:03:36 The Core Formula: Less Friction + More Motivation

00:05:20 The “SUPER” Friction Framework

00:08:12 Applying the Formula to Any Situation

Check out my conversation with Dr. Robert Cialdini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8joK8ViLneY&t=48s

Check out my conversation with Matt Sucha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evkin9z6Z4w

The Behavioring Blueprint:

A FREE, 7-day email course breaking down all the levers to influence human behavior to get people from a current behavior to a desired behavior.

→ http://howiechan.com/behavioring

What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something?

This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots.)

→ https://www.influencestylequiz.com/

Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is.

Tech Humanist Kate O’Neill joins host Howie Chan to unpack the real truth behind AI strategy and why most organizations get it wrong from the start. Kate has spent her career helping leaders navigate AI ethics, responsible tech, and human-centric digital transformation.

In this episode, Kate breaks down why starting with tools instead of purpose leads to failure, and how “prompt skills” are becoming the most important capability in today’s workforce. She reframes AI not as a replacement for thinking, but as a mirror that exposes how clearly you think, communicate, and lead.

You’ll learn how to use AI to sharpen your thinking, improve emotional intelligence, and enhance human connection rather than dilute it.

Episode Resources:

Download the four master storytelling prompts here.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00:00 The Intersection of Technology and Humanity

00:08:30 The Real Fear Employees Have About AI (and What’s True)

00:11:02 Prompt Skilling vs. Prompt Engineering

00:16:27 How Technology Shapes Culture and Behavior

00:19:58 Human + AI Collaboration Done Right

00:24:27 Why Most AI Strategies Fail

00:33:34 AI Replacing Jobs: The Real Story

00:43:45 Using AI to Improve Emotional Intelligence

00:47:17 The Danger of Over-Relying on AI Outputs

00:55:28 AI and Creativity

00:59:20 Incorporating AI Into Your Small Business

Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk!

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

Youtube

Facebook

Instagram

TEDx Talk

Check out my episode with Michael Margolis here.

See Kate’s audition form here.

Learn more about Office Space here.

—

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this solo episode, Howie Chan shares his proven LinkedIn framework — the "LinkedIn 5" — five essential moves to grow your brand or business on the platform, whether you're starting from zero or finally ready to get serious.

Most people fail on LinkedIn not because they lack ideas or experience, but because they don't know what game they're playing.

Howie breaks down the three LinkedIn games — creator, business owner, and executive — and explains why mixing them up is the #1 reason people feel stuck, burned out, and invisible.

You'll learn how to optimize your profile as a high-converting landing page, how to get in front of the right audience without a single follower, and the counterintuitive content strategy that lets you win fast by using what already works.

Chapters:

00:01:24 The 3 LinkedIn Games (and How to Pick Yours)

00:03:33 Your Profile as a Landing Page

00:09:56 How to Find Your Audience Before You Have Followers

00:12:27 The Pro Move Most People Ignore

00:13:31 Match Your Content to Your Game 00:17:46 Full Recap

What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something?

This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots.)

→ https://www.influencestylequiz.com/

Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is.

In this episode of the Influence Anyone Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews Fotini Iconomopoulos, expert negotiator, bestselling author of Say Less, Get More, and trusted advisor to global leaders. They explore the truth about negotiation skills and why most people get them completely wrong.

Fotini reframes negotiation as a daily human interaction, not just a boardroom tactic and introduces her powerful “Three C’s” framework to build instant trust and connection. You’ll learn why leading with price weakens your position, how power is built through information, not dominance, and why the popular “win-win” mindset can actually sabotage long-term success.

Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk!

Episode Breakdown:

00:00:00 The Power of Negotiation

00:04:51 Why “Win-Win” is Flawed Thinking

00:11:02 Understanding Bias  

00:18:49 Never Lead With Price

00:30:01 Negotiation Shapes Society and Relationships

00:38:46 Common Traps for Business Owners

00:42:40 Negotiating Attention as a Speaker

00:49:37 Negotiating with Ourselves

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

Youtube

Instagram

Read Say Less, Get More by Fotini Iconomopoulos.

Want prospects to become customers and passers-by to become fans? Sign up for the Behavioring Blueprint, my FREE 7-day email course.

Get people to buy into your ideas and offers!

Join the FREE Influence Anyone newsletter. Each week, I uncover a proven strategy from world experts and scientific research to influence human behavior – including your own.

📩 Go to: www.howiechan.com/sub 

Produced by Ideablossoms

Howie Chan interviews Matt Sucha, CEO of Mindworx, author of the bestselling book The Hidden Yes, and a leading expert in sales psychology and behavioral science.

They discuss why conversion optimization isn’t about making better offers. It’s about removing the hidden psychological barriers that stop people from saying yes.

Matt introduces the powerful concept of the “zone of acceptance” and explains how small, strategic actions can move prospects closer to a decision. You’ll discover how to uncover what’s really holding customers back, design smarter customer journeys, and ethically influence decisions using proven behavioral science principles.

Find the Zone of Acceptance Expansion Prompt here: https://www.howiechan.com/zone-prompt-pod

Chapters:

00:00:00 Selling Courses vs. Removing Barriers

00:07:52 The “Zone of Acceptance” Explained

00:15:55 Psychological Barriers in Sales

00:24:04 The #1 Conversion Killer: Uncertainty

00:34:28 The SURF Method Breakdown

00:51:49 Every Interaction Has a Hidden Yes

From Matt Sucha:

Website: https://mindworx.net/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-sucha/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MINDWORX_Consulting 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindworx_behavioral_consulting/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindworx2014

Find Matt’s bestselling book, The Hidden YES, here: https://thehiddenyes.com/influence

Listen to “The Godfather of Influence”, Dr. Robert Cialdini’s episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5dVmBJXmLEqUfArB53hwR8?si=Gk9HfuDCT4SDEufL3WzHZg

https://podcasts.apple.com/ar/podcast/influence-anyone/id1773148427?i=1000732793093

Get people to buy into your ideas and offers!

Join the FREE Influence Anyone newsletter. Each week, I uncover a proven strategy from world experts and scientific research to influence human behavior – including your own.

📩 Go to: www.howiechan.com/sub

_

This episode of Influence Anyone was produced by Ideablossoms.

In this episode of the Influence Anyone Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews Patricia Fripp, a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, three-time Cicero Award-winning speechwriter, and the first woman president of the National Speakers Association.

They delve into the art and science of public speaking skills that captivate, persuade, and inspire action.

Patricia provides the timeless principles behind powerful communication, why most speakers lose attention instantly, and how to structure presentations that keep audiences engaged from the first sentence.

Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk!

Episode Breakdown:

00:00:00 Instantly Stand Out in Presentations

00:04:29 The Power of Asking Better Questions 

00:10:51 The Consistency Principle Behind Success

00:25:03 Speech Structure, Premise, and Mastery

00:32:10 You-Focused Language for Persuasion

00:39:58 How to Create Powerful Openings

00:55:40 Brand Strategy

00:58:05 Vivid Language and Specificity for Credibility

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

Youtube

Facebook

Instagram

 Discover your influence style profile here.

Want prospects to become customers and passers-by to become fans? Sign up for the Behavioring Blueprint, my FREE 7-day email course.

Get people to buy into your ideas and offers!

Join the FREE Influence Anyone newsletter. Each week, I uncover a proven strategy from world experts and scientific research to influence human behavior – including your own.

📩 Go to: www.howiechan.com/sub 

Award-winning executive coach and bestselling author of Managing Up, Melody Wilding, joins Howie Chan to unpack influence in the workplace - especially when you don’t hold the power. 

Known for her work with “sensitive strivers,” Melody reveals how high performers can stop overthinking, set boundaries, and communicate strategically to gain respect, visibility, and career momentum. She introduces her STRIVE framework, helping listeners identify their own behavioral patterns and unlock their ability to lead, persuade, and navigate complex workplace dynamics.

You’ll learn how to adapt your communication style to different personalities, why “managing up” is actually about taking control of your own career, and how to build influence without sacrificing authenticity. 

What’s Your Influence Style?

What do you do when you need someone to do something? 

This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots.)

→ https://www.influencestylequiz.com/

Join 500+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is.

Chapters:

00:00:00 The Psychology of Emotional Spirals

00:10:08 The STRIVE Framework

00:15:50 Communication Styles & Influence

00:25:25 Managing Up vs. “Sucking Up”

00:33:34 Why Boundaries Build Leadership

00:46:40 Power Mapping Stakeholders

From Melody Wilding:

Website: https://melodywilding.com/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melodywilding  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodywilding/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@melodywildinglmsw 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melodywildinglmsw 

Find all of Melody's career-accelerating books here: https://melodywilding.com/books/ 

Take a look at the clip that played at the beginning of this episode: https://youtu.be/VuZ3TeEeCYQ?si=VOk1DCUxrtWwNnza 

Get people to buy into your ideas and offers!

Join the FREE Influence Anyone newsletter. Each week, I uncover a proven strategy from world experts and scientific research to influence human behavior – including your own.

📩 Go to: www.howiechan.com/sub

_

This episode of Influence Anyone was produced by Ideablossoms.

In this episode of the Influence Anyone Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews Karen Eber, an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and storytelling expert who has educated and inspired more than three million people globally. They delve into why great storytelling isn’t about your origin story, why specific details beat big dramatic moments, and how subtle emotional tension can make your message far more persuasive.

Karen reveals the five “factory settings” of the brain that determine whether your message sticks or gets ignored and how to structure a compelling narrative using context, conflict, outcome, and takeaway.

Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk!

Episode Breakdown:

00:00:00 The Neuroscience Behind Storytelling

00:10:39 The Stories We Tell Ourselves

00:16:22 Identifying the Right Audience

00:19:47 The Brain’s Default Settings

00:29:44 Building a Powerful Story Step-by-Step

00:49:29 Storytelling Myths

01:00:55 Utilizing Visual Artifacts

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

YouTube

Instagram

TEDx Talk

The Perfect Story by Karen Eber

 Download the four master storytelling prompts here.

Want prospects to become customers and passers-by to become fans? Sign up for the Behavioring Blueprint, my FREE 7-day email course.

Get people to buy into your ideas and offers!

Join the FREE Influence Anyone newsletter. Each week, I uncover a proven strategy from world experts and scientific research to influence human behavior – including your own.

📩 Go to: www.howiechan.com/sub