The Barnum Effect

You're the type of person who knows how to take action.

That's why you understand the value of - yada yada yada (insert whatever ad spin you want, idk, getting your car's oil changed).

You've seen ads like this before. We can joke about how that starting sentence might sound salesy, but in this case, it's used because it works.

But to make it work, you've got to know WHY it works so you can use it correctly yourself.

It’s a cognitive bias called The Forer Effect. To make things confusing, it is also referred to as The Barnum Effect, having been named by a “showman/performer” from the 1800s named Phineas Taylor Barnum..

It does one thing very well, and that’s lean into how gullible WE ALL are. Not because you, me, or our neighbors are uniquely stupid - it’s just because we’re human, and this leans on human psychology.

Here’s how it works:

We all think good things about ourselves. When we hear a list of positive traits, we generally can skim over the list and take for granted that they apply to us - it’s the default, we don’t give it much thought.

We most easily identify with vague, mostly positive, and general personality descriptions. General being a key word there - we’re NOT talking specifics. Because if we’re specific, it’s easy for people to disqualify themselves when they read the description. For example, the difference between:

• You’re the type of person who knows how to take action.

Vs

• You’re the type of person who knows how to take action when you’ve got a flat tire

• You’re the type of person who knows how to take action when your kid’s car has a flat tire.

• You’re the kind… etc. etc.
  

That first line can be applied to anyone, and just about anyone would nod along and say “yeah, that’s me.” But if you add on the 2nd version… maybe the reader doesn’t know what to do off hand. Take that to an extreme with the even more specific 3rd version, and it’s assuming they have a 16+ year old kid, who has a car and drives, and that when their car has a flat, you know how to handle it.

Anyone outside of that description is filtered out by that line.

So, keep it vague enough that they can see themselves in what you say.

Keep it so that the personality traits you describe could apply to how anybody on earth thinks of themselves.

Horoscopes and personality tests are the most common examples of this, but it’s used in plenty of places with more nuance than that.

You can see it at work anywhere that someone is trying to convince you to be on their side.
Here’s an example of this trick at work that won’t rile anybody up (sarcasm - but if anyone starts a fight you’re outta here “cue my umpire voice”):

“You’re the kind of person that wants to make America strong again, because you’re strong.”

Or…

“You pride yourself as an independent thinker”

^ There’s a funny one - Because anyone on earth you say it to will agree without thinking about it.

Now, none of this has to be manipulative, if that’s the direction you’re taking this as you read. It’s about reassurance of what people already believe. It’s about making sure they feel that you’re both rooting for the same team and you’re “their people.” And if you’re saying something true - there you go.

But at the end of the day, it absolutely is a persuasive technique taking advantage of normal human psychology. So, remember that whenever you hear a brand use it.

Should you do this in your messaging when it makes sense to? Probably.

Will it help you earn more business? Probably.

Because like Phineas also said, “a sucker is born every minute.”

What examples can you think of?