Confirmation bias is a phenomenon where people seek out information that confirms what they believe to be true.  They don’t seek information to prove what they believe is incorrect. This post about confirmation bias on the You Are Not So Smart blog gives very nice examples of confirmation bias in action (and yes, I love the Golden Child, so I just might see if it’s available for instant viewing on Netflix tonight).

We all know that many techniques in marketing, advertising, sales are psychological tricks to get us to make a decision, hopefully in a way that benefits the seller. I’m sure you’ve heard the basic sales/marketing technique is to “find their pain point, and explain to them how your product can make them feel much better.”  That’s fine, it works on me. I’m a sucker for a good sales pitch even though I know it’s a pitch. Sometimes you just have to reward the sales person for being so good!

As far as choosing a product to create, understanding confirmation bias could be to your advantage.  Basically, you can think of it this way – what you’re currently thinking about is going to affect what you take notice of.  So if I’m pre-occupied with losing weight, everything having to do with dieting, weight loss, food, scales, and so on, will become more obvious to me.  My clothes are going to feel tighter, I’m going to feel hungrier more often, I’m going to notice how skinny all of my friends are too.

Now, a person obsessing about their weight is going to search for information about  how to lose weight fast because that is what she thinks she needs.  She probably will not look for information about why fast weight loss is dangerous because she believes she needs to lose weight fast . On the other hand there may be overweight people who don’t want to lose weight, and they will search for information on why one shouldn’t diet and the health risks involved in dieting.

When you’re choosing your topic and your angle, it could be good to understand these confirmations; it could be a very good way to discover a whole other market of people and repurpose your content for them. Try to keep in mind that it might not be you’re information they are after. It could be they are looking for another person who confirms what they believe.

I guess my point is to try to understand all of the reasons someone will buy your product and try to fit those things into your product and the sales pitch for your product – you just might attract people who wouldn’t have bought it initially. Here are some reasons people might buy your product:

1. they want to learn how to do something because they have a personal desire
2. they have to learn how to do something as a requirement for something else (like for their job)
3. they are just curious about something, no real interest, but it seems interesting to take a look at
4. they believe something and need more proof
5. it was on sale, it was a bargain, so why not, could be useful in the future (stockpiling)
6. they have a goal of knowing everything about everything
7. they want to find things wrong with your information to complain
8. they want to compare your information to someone else’s
9. they are shopaholics (will buy anything)
10. they may not understand why they need it, but it was recommended by a trusted friend
11. they simply believe in what you are teaching
12. they buy everything you sell

I’m sure there are many other reasons too!