Think of Veni-vidi-vici, Just do it and Deliciously Clear Heineken. It’s the smallest amount of information your brain can use to detect a pattern. Do you still think that it is a coincidence that the number 3 appears in all kinds of sayings, fairy tales and stories? Like the 3 Little Pigs, the 3 Musketeers and Goldilocks and the 3 Bears? Or 3 times is a charm, pot triples and the Holy Trinity (or better, the Holy 3 unit)? The magic of numbers is completely lost if you bet the number 13. How about that? This number has been considered an unlucky number for thousands of years. For example, the Romans saw the number 13 as a symbol of death and misfortune.

The Egyptian calendar had a thirteenth month, but it was an unfortunate period because the Nile water was low, causing insect infestations. Many hotels, especially in America, do not have room 13 and not even a thirteenth floor. You won’t find row 13 on most planes. If you want to count on conversion power, I advise you to avoid the number 13. There is even a name for the fear or aversion to the number 13: triskaidekaphobia. Almost as hard to pronounce as paraskevide katriaphobia: the word used for people with a fear of Friday the 13th. 5. Numbers inspire confidence Numbers don’t lie. An old saying that almost everyone knows.

This is probably why numbers in our subconscious brain provide confidence. Especially if you cite the source. And you know it by now: trust is the driver for conversion. So by naming numbers you increase your chance of the coveted click. That gets even better if you choose your numbers well and substantiate them. Think of sharing research data and how many people previously bought this product, how many people already receive your newsletter or how many people are already members of your community. The more specific your numbers are, the more likely you are to gain the reader’s trust. How does this work? When we see exact numbers, our brain thinks: that must have been well thought out. That has been researched in detail. It will be right.