A List of Biases (With Implementation Tips) Confirmation Bias – We look for and trust information that agrees with our existing beliefs - Tip: Use information your audience is likely to agree with Barnum/Forer Effect – The tendency to accept general information as being true (think horoscopes) - Tip: Using information that is generally applicable to your audience, address your customers in a believably “personalized” way Priming – An unconscious type of human memory that activates mental associations just before carrying out a task - Tip: Use language and visual cues that prime your customer for your offer - Tip: Show credibility, liking, and your strongest points before attempting to influence potential customers BYAF (“but you are free”) – When you give customers a choice by reminding them that they’re free to make their own decision, they are more likely to choose you - Tip: Use BYAF (“But you are free”) when appropriate and possible Ambiguity Aversion Bias – The preference for known risks (certainty) over unknown risks (uncertainty) - Tip: Reduce ambiguity wherever possible: Include links to more information, FAQs, a glossary - Tip: If you have a multi-page checkout, include copy that ensures customers they can review their information before finalizing their order Chart and Science Bias – Content that implies science increases the credibility of its surroundings, even when irrelevant - Tip: Incorporate “sciencey” content like charts, graphics, statistics etc into your marketing strategies Image Bias – The presence of imagery increases the believability of claims, even if irrelevant - Tip: Use imagery (or even metaphors) whenever possible Picture Superiority Effect – Images improve content recall - Tip: Use images in addition to or instead of copy Von Restorff Effect – People are more likely to remember an item that visually stands out from the rest - Tip: Design an ad that’s “out of the box”, make it visually distinct from other ads people are seeing Distinction Bias – Viewing two objects simultaneously emphasizes their differences - Tip: Use side by side comparisons (a chart, product photos, etc) to emphasize differences between your product and your competitor’s Bandwagon Effect – People have an innate tendency to follow the crowd - Tip: Show that other people are doing what you want your users to do (for example, displaying “X amount of people have given our product 5 stars/trust our product” Cheerleader Effect: Individuals are perceived as more attractive when they’re in a group - Tip: Show group (four or more) photos of your executive team, staff, or testimonials Precision Bias – The idea that precise numbers are better than round numbers (501.52 beats 500) - Tip: Use a precise price over a round one Syllable Effect – A price that is many syllables and has lots of punctuation feels more expensive to prospective customers - Tip: Cut the dollar signs and commas, aim for a number without too many zeroes Anchoring Bias – The first piece of information (i.e. a price) sets the tone for any information to follow - Tip: Avoid placing low value numbers on your webpage, even if the number is irrelevant to pricing - Tip: Place high numbers on your page, anchor with a higher price Price Illusion – Big numbers seem more valuable - Tip: Create your own currency or points system (ex: $1 = 1,000 points) Mere Exposure Effect – The more often you’re exposed to something, the more you like it - Tip: Use repetition with your brand or logo, put it wherever possible Decoy Effect – Consumers will have a change in preference when presented with an asymmetrically dominated option - Tip: Add an additional option as the decoy effect Extrinsic Incentives Bias – People tend to overestimate the effect that a product’s price has on people’s buying decision - Tip: Hold off on lowering your price when trying to increase sales; try some other tactics first. Ben Franklin Effect – A person who does you a favor is actually more likely to do you another favor in the future than if you did them a favor in the first place - Tip: Ask potential customers to do a small favor for you, perhaps to like you on Facebook Endowment Effect – We place a higher value on things that are ours - Tip: Offer free trials, use sensory descriptions and vivid product images IKEA Effect – A product seems more valuable when you participate in assembling it - Tip: Let your customer customize or somehow finish your product Illusory Superiority – People tend to overestimate their good qualities and underestimate their bad qualities - Tip: Use copy that flatters your customers Availability Heuristic – Logic and probability take the backseat to emotional arguments - Tip: Use vivid stories and graphic images that create an emotionally-charged memory when your brand/product comes to mind Paradox of Choice – A large number of choices can cause choice overload and ultimately decrease satisfaction of a purchase - Tip: If you offer many choices, showcase a “recommended” product, “house special”, “most popular”, or some other specially featured product to create a clearer, less overwhelming purchase decision Other tips: - Use adjectives that are: vivid, sensory, emotional, nostalgic, specific, and branded (“rough day” trumps “bad day”) .