Impossible to Ignore

About the Author

Carmen Simon, Ph.D., is a cognitive scientist and co-founder of Rexi Media, a presentation design and training firm. She specializes in neuroscience research and focuses on how memory influences decision-making. Dr. Simon is the author of Impossible to Ignore: Creating Memorable Content to Influence Decisions, a book that offers insights into creating content that sticks in people's minds and drives action.

Main Idea

Impossible to Ignore by Carmen Simon reveals how to create memorable content that influences decisions by leveraging the latest research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Simon provides a three-step plan to help professionals create cues that attract attention, use memory-influencing variables to control what their audience remembers, and turn today's intentions into tomorrow's actions.

Table of Contents

1. Why Memory Matters in Decision Making
2. 3 Steps to Influence Memory and Decisions
3. Practical Ways to Avoid the Hazards of Random Memory
4. How Cues Pave the Way to Action
5. How to Build Excitement for What Happens Next
6. Techniques to Convince Others to Repeat Your Words
7. How to Stay on People's Minds Long Enough to Spark Action
8. The Science of Retrieving Memories Through Stories
9. How to Handle Content Sacrifice
10. The Neurobiology and Neuroeconomics of Choice
11. How to Balance Accidental and Purposeful Forgetting

Why Memory Matters in Decision Making

Memory is crucial for influencing decisions because it helps people predict future rewards based on past experiences. Simon explains that we make decisions in three ways: reflexive, habitual, and goal-oriented. To influence behavior, content must hook into these decision-making pathways.

"Memory is a means to an end." - Carmen Simon

By understanding how memory works, we can create content that stays with people and prompts them to act. This involves creating cues that link to their intentions and using memory-influencing variables to control what they remember.

3 Steps to Influence Memory and Decisions

Simon outlines a three-step process for influencing memory and decisions:

• Notice cues linked to intentions
• Search memory for related content
• Execute if the reward is strong enough

For example, if you want people to remember to buy wine for a dinner party, you can create a cue by telling them to think of wine when they see the store on their way home. This process helps ensure they will act on their intention.

Simon emphasizes that memory should be viewed from the perspective of the future, not just as a recollection of the past. By anticipating what people need to remember and providing the right cues, you can increase the likelihood of influencing their actions at the right moment.

Practical Ways to Avoid the Hazards of Random Memory

To avoid random memory, it's essential to decide what you want your audience to remember and act on. Simon discusses the "forgetting curve," which suggests that we forget most information soon after learning it. To combat this, content creators should focus on creating memorable messages that stick in people's long-term memory.