In 2021, a group of researchers experimented –
They crafted a series of scientific questions, hid them inside an online survey called POLES 2021, and presented the survey to 1,134 US adults.
On the surface, it looked like a random Internet poll to anyone…
But it wasn’t.
The sample included all ages, genders, races, education, and political parties to give the researchers a good representative of the general public.
The result was eye-opening:
~ 1 out of 10 Americans still believe the Earth is flat
~ 1 out of 11 are confident that microchips were installed using the vaccinations
~ 1 out of 8 insisted that NASA never made it to the moon
This experiment proved:
It’s tough to “shift” anyone’s beliefs—regardless of how much evidence/proof you provide.
The reason I’m sharing this with you is because…
Marketers like to talk about shifting beliefs in their ads/advertorials/emails.
In reality –
It does not happen this way.
People do not read one ad… or email… and think:
“He’s right. I should change my mind.”
You form a new belief over multiple propagandas and influences—over a very (VERY) long period. I’m talking about months or even years.
It takes consistency + repetition.
And this is the secret of email storytelling:
The story does not shift beliefs.
The story does NOT even sell your product.
However, the story allows you to sneak in the belief seeds under the “conscious radar” and influence your prospects over time.
Talk soon,
– WYH