There′s a Customer Born Every Minute: : P.T. Barnum′s Secrets to Business Success

Citation

Licciardi, S. (1999), "There′s a Customer Born Every Minute: : P.T. Barnum′s Secrets to Business Success", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.1999.16.4.1.5

Most people are familiar with the name “Barnum′′. After all, Phineas T. Barnum brought us the “Greatest Show on Earth.′′ What most people do not realize is that Barnum did not start his famous circus until he was 61 years old. It was one of the last projects with which he was involved. In his 80 years of life, Phineas T. Barnum made and lost his fortune two times. He was a famous entrepreneur, showman, politician and writer. Barnum was such a successful businessman that he was one of America′s first millionaires.

In Joe Vitale′s book, There′s a Customer Born Every Minute, the business practices of Phineas T. Barnum are examined. Through his research, Vitale has discovered ten elements ‐‐ marketing elements ‐‐ that made Barnum so successful. Because of Barnum′s connection with the three‐ringed circus, Vitale has cleverly named the these elements Barnum′s “Rings of Power′′.

Vitale′s argument is simple. Incorporate these “Rings of Power′′ and you will be successful in business. The reader simply needs to stretch his mind, think big and “Barnumize′′ his business. Vitale devotes a chapter to each “Ring of Power′′. Additionally, his chapters are packed full of examples, not just from Barnum′s life, but also from successful present‐day entrepreneurs.

Vitale′s book can be separated into three distinct sections. The first section, containing chapters 1 and 2, provides an overview of P.T. Barnum and his ten “Rings of Power′′. In the second section, chapters 3 through 12 are each devoted to a specific “Ring of Power′′. The third section is a collection of bonus chapters, including an interview with Mr Barnum, creatively developed, based on words Barnum wrote or spoke during his life.

In the first two chapters of Vitale′s book, he provides his readers with background on Phineas T. Barnum, “marketing genius′′ (p. 8). The reader is instantaneously in tune with Vitale′s regard for Barnum from his chapter 1 title, “Presenting the Greatest Marketeer of All Time ‐‐ P.T. Barnum′′. Chapter 2 simply provides the outline for the chapters that remain.

Chapter 3, “There′s a Customer Born Every Minute!′′, deals with the first Ring of Power, “your business should satisfy what people want′′ (p. 24). In this chapter, Vitale discusses how Barnum always gave his customers more than their money′s worth and never let a customer leave dissatisfied. This chapter also touches on the need to target your market, without limiting the size of your audience. Barnum was famous for cross‐promotion, and Vitale helps his readers understand how they can cross‐promote by answering the following questions:

1. 1.

   <L LTYPE=″NUMBER″>

2. 2.

   <LI>(1)Who are my potential customers?

3. 3.

   <LI>(2)Who else wants to reach these same people?

4. 4.

   <LI>(3)How can we reach our potential customers more effectively? (p. 26).

Chapter 4, “Get Attention! What P.T. Barnum Learned When He Was Almost Hanged,′′ describes the “world′s oldest advertising formula, known as AIDA′′ (p. 45). Vitale describes how Barnum and other successful showmen such as Houdini, Evel Knievel, and Jack Lalane attracted attention to themselves or their products, created an interest with their audience, developed a desire within the market, and then had consumers take some action to buy their product or service (p. 45). Vitale also provides the reader with ten examples of successful ways to draw attention to your business.

Chapter 5, “Barnum Knew People Will Spend Their Last Nickel on This One Thing,′′ deals with Barnum′s third Ring of Power; the unwritten rule that people make purchases based on the feelings the product invokes. Vitale encourages his readers to inject fun into their businesses: “People do business where they feel good. Help them to feel good and you will get more of their business′′ (p. 51). Vitale cites several examples of modern businesses that have made work more enjoyable for their employees and have recognized a return on this investment.

Chapter 6, “Barnum′s Secret for Making Unknowns Famous ‐‐ and Himself Rich,′′ describes the fourth marketing element, the power of the press. Barnum stated, “I am indebted to the press of the United States for almost every dollar which I possess and for every success as an amusement manager which I have ever received′′ (p. 60). Vitale states example after example of ways in which Barnum used the press for free publicity. He gives his readers three steps for getting publicity: “You have to have news ... You have to saturate the media ... You have to hope that your news story connects with the public′s readiness to hear it′′ (pp. 71‐2).

Chapter 7 is Barnum′s Fifth Ring of Power ‐‐ persistent advertising. This chapter, entitled, “The ‘Shakespeare of Advertising′s′ Rules for Jumbo Success,′′ generously provides the reader with 17 characteristics of effective advertising.

“How an Unknown P.T. Barnum Met Queen Victoria ‐‐ and Got Rich′′ is the title of Chapter 8 and is about the networking Ring of Power. Although the term “networking′′ was not invented in Barnum′s day, he used this tool to gain much of his success. Vitale offers his readers clever ideas for networking with colleagues and states that “you are probably only two or three people from anyone you can name′′ (p. 90).

Chapter 9, “How Barnum Purchased the Business of His Dreams ‐‐ With No Money,′′ describes the clever art of negotiating successfully and treating employees with respect and fairness.

Chapter 10, “Barnum′s Secret for Surviving Disasters and Tragedies,′′ describes Ring number eight, or the need to have faith. Vitale states, “while I don′t want to make this chapter a call for each of us to choose a religion and get back into a church, I want to point out that having faith in a power greater than yourself brings an ability to survive and prosper in any situation′′ (p. 111). This was definitely a Ring for Barnum as he weathered many storms both personally and professionally. Will this specific Ring help a reader to be successful? While all other Rings of Power are based on proven marketing principles, this Ring needs to be decided by each individual reader.

Chapter 11 is the ninth Ring of Power and describes the power of being published. In “How Barnum Wrote His Own Ticket to Success′′, Vitale encourages all readers to find a way to get published. If fame, fortune and immortality are not three good enough reasons, Vitale will give you several more.

Chapter 12, “How Barnum Got Rich Right after Being Broke′′, is the tenth and final Ring ‐‐ the power of public speaking. Vitale offers his readers several tips on developing a good presentation and how Barnum used his speeches to become successful.

The remaining chapter, “How to ‘Barnumize′ Your Business′′, and the bonus chapters, “My Exclusive Interview with P.T. Barnum′′, “Barnum′s Rules for Success in Business′′, and “Barnum′s ‘The Art of Getting Money′′′, are certainly entertaining. However, they are somewhat repetitive and do not offer any new material from what was already presented in each chapter dedicated to a Ring of Power. Although these chapters do offer additional examples of ways to incorporate Barnum′s practices, the reader could easily skip these last 62 pages and not lose any real value. Each previous chapter already provides so many examples that these bonus chapters are almost overkill.

<?tlsb=.02w>On the whole, the book is entertaining. It is an easy, light‐hearted read and is packed with fun examples of successful marketing techniques from the life of Barnum to modern‐day entrepreneurs. However, this book is not for everyone. For the marketing academic, Vitale′s book would be elementary. For the marketing manager or a business owner, this book could be a fun marketing refresher. It may cause this type of reader to remember something they hadn′t thought about in some time. The marketing material would not necessarily be new for this reader, it′s just presented differently. However, for the student, this book can provide some great insights and very good ideas. Students will gain a lasting impression of the basic elements of successful marketing and will enjoy the book at the same time.