How can you tailor your social proof to different segments or personas of your target audience?

1 Segment your audience

The first step to tailor your social proof is to segment your audience into different groups or personas. A persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer, based on their demographics, psychographics, behavior, and pain points. You can use various methods to create personas, such as surveys, interviews, analytics, and feedback. The goal is to understand who your customers are, what they want, and how they make decisions. By segmenting your audience, you can deliver more relevant and personalized messages that resonate with them.

2 Choose the right type of social proof

The next step is to choose the right type of social proof for each segment or persona. There are many types of social proof, such as testimonials, reviews, ratings, case studies, endorsements, certifications, awards, social media posts, and user-generated content. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, and some may work better for certain segments than others. For example, testimonials and case studies are great for B2B customers who value credibility and results, while ratings and reviews are more effective for B2C customers who rely on peer opinions and trust signals. You need to consider the source, the format, and the message of your social proof, and how they align with your segment's expectations and motivations.

3 Use segmentation tools

To make your life easier, you can use various tools to segment your audience and display different types of social proof accordingly. For example, you can use email marketing software to segment your email list based on criteria such as location, industry, purchase history, and behavior. Then, you can send targeted emails with social proof that matches each segment's interests and needs. You can also use website personalization software to show different social proof elements on your landing pages or product pages based on the visitor's attributes and actions. For instance, you can show testimonials from similar customers based on their location or industry, or show ratings and reviews from previous buyers based on their product preferences.

5 Show examples

To give you some inspiration, here are some examples of effective social proof in sales that are tailored to different segments or personas. Slack, a collaboration software for teams, prominently displays customer logos from well-known brands such as Shopify, Airbnb, and Harvard University on its homepage. This type of social proof appeals to B2B customers who want to see proof of authority and credibility from reputable companies in their industry or niche. Meanwhile, Airbnb uses ratings and reviews from hosts and guests on its listing pages to appeal to B2C customers who want to see honest and authentic feedback from real users who have experienced the service firsthand. Netflix takes a different approach by using personalized recommendations based on the user's viewing history and preferences. This type of social proof appeals to customers who want to see relevant and tailored suggestions that match their tastes and moods.

6 Apply the tips

Now that you know how to tailor your social proof to different segments or personas of your target audience, you can apply these tips to your own sales strategy. By doing so, you can increase your trustworthiness, relevance, and persuasiveness, and ultimately boost your upselling results. Remember to segment your audience, choose the right type of social proof, use segmentation tools, test and optimize, and show examples that resonate with your customers.