For years I've been telling my clients and audiences to group things in threes-three agenda items, three main points, three benefits.
Three is a magical number. We remember things in threes. Think about it. We experience many threes in this culture: traffic lights (red, yellow, green), nursery rhymes (three little pigs, three little bears, religion (the trinity), movies (Three Coins in a Fountain), baseball (three strikes and you're out), and even public speaking (opening, body, conclusion).
According to the American Psychological Association there is scientific evidence that customers are more easily persuaded by repetition in sets of three. To read more click here.
3 comments:
I wonder if this has anything to do with the strength of a triangle? The triangle is the strongest of any geometric shape. Assuming the 3 bullet points, arguments, etc. are complimentary, they would each support the other.
Thanks for your commment, Steve. You raise and interesting point. I don't know the origin of the Power Of Three but a triangle is a good metaphor.
I couldn't agree more with the power of three. One of my common criticisms is that people will get my attention with two adjectives and then stop, without mentioning the third. Or, sometimes they will go over board and throw in four or five.
I asked a professor friend of mine and he suggested that it has something to do with a common characteristic of prose dating back to Chaucer and Shakespeare.
Thanks for the post,
Stephen
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