Barnum used the power of authority

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In addition to the positive tone of the text, there are two conditions: the reader believes that the prediction was prepared especially for him and he considers the author of it as an authority.

And why is it called the “ Barnum Effect” and not the “Forer Effect”? Here we come to advertising. Phineas Taylor Barnum was an American entrepreneur operating in the late 19th century, the creator of an extremely popular circus. He is credited with the words “There’s a sucker born every minute” and although he never said them, he was able to exploit people’s naivety.

On one occasion, for example, he impersonated Dr. Griffin, who supposedly managed to catch china rcs data a mermaid (as which he disguised his assistant). On another occasion, he convinced another co-worker to pretend to be a woman with a beard. As you might imagine, he made a lot of money selling tickets to such unique shows.

And a sense of uniqueness —as an explorer or scientist, for example—to convince people that what he was saying was true. Advertising today works in much the same way. How many newsletters have you read in your life where the authors tried to put themselves in your shoes? They presented a list of problems you were struggling with (fatigue, overwork, underestimation) that their product was the solution to? And how many offers convince you that they were created especially for you? Because you are worth it? Exactly.

The next time you read or hear something that seems like a perfect fit for you, consider whether you have fallen victim to the Barnum Effect. And if you are an ad creator, consider how you can use this weakness of our minds to build trust with potential customers.