BEACON #2

Why We Buy What Everyone Else Is Buying

Ever had this happen? A new trick comes out, and suddenly everyone’s talking about it. Forums are buzzing, videos are everywhere, it seems like everyone owns it. And eventually, you think: If so many people are excited about it, it must be good.

So you buy it too.

That’s how it was for me for years. I bought what the scene was celebrating. What was being performed at conventions. What “everyone” had. And you know what? Most of those tricks are still sitting unused in my drawers today.

What happened there?

Robert Cialdini, one of the most renowned psychologists on persuasion and influence, nailed it in his book *Influence*. He called it “Social Proof”—one of the six fundamental principles that shape how people are influenced.

Social proof works like this: when we’re unsure what to do, we look at what others are doing. If many people are doing something, we automatically assume it must be right. In many situations, this is a useful instinct—if everyone is running out of a building, it’s probably wise to run with them.

But in the magic community, this instinct often leads us astray.

Because the “others” we look to for guidance are usually magicians. And magicians have completely different criteria than laypeople. Magicians get excited about clever methods, technical finesse, and “fooling value.” Laypeople don’t care about any of that. They want to be moved, amazed, to experience something.

So when “all magicians” love a trick, that says little about whether it will work for a real audience.

The insidious thing about social proof is that it doesn’t feel like manipulation. It feels like personal conviction. You think you like the trick—but in reality, you like what everyone else likes. The difference is almost imperceptible.

Cialdini described five other principles—reciprocity, commitment, authority, liking, and scarcity—and of course, magic dealers use them all. “Limited to 200 pieces!” (scarcity). “The FISM winner!” (authority). “You deserve it!” (liking). The ad copy reads like a textbook on the psychology of persuasion.

Most dealers aren’t doing this with manipulative intent—they’re just doing what works. And it works because we’re human.

So what helps against it?

First: Knowledge. Once you know social proof exists, you can spot it. When everyone raves about a trick, that’s a signal to pause and think—not to buy immediately.

Second: The 24-Hour Rule. If you want to buy something, wait a day. The hype in your head will fade, and you’ll think more clearly.

Third: The Layperson Test. Don’t ask yourself, “Do magicians think this is cool?” but “Would my mother-in-law be impressed?” The answer is often sobering.

The best performers I know often have tricks in their repertoire that most of the magic scene has never even heard of. Old effects, forgotten methods, personal variations. They’ve stopped following social proof—and started following what works for them and their audience.

That’s the difference.

Until next time,

Alexander