How can you use social proof to overcome sales objections?

Social proof can come from many different areas. From a LinkedIn perspective (where most professionals are vetting you personally), there are several areas to optimize social proof: 1. Recommendations 2-Ways. Getting recommendations from your clients is fabulous, but if you really want to stand out, recommend your clients too. When you take the time to highlight how wonderful your client was to work with during your project, people want to work with you! PS You are also leveraging real estate on their profile! 2. Create eBooks with case studies that also bring educational value. This isn't a brag book but a guide that will bring value to the reader. 3. Consistently share content that offers insights and value to your prospects!

Most people don't want to read case studies until they vet solutions, so make sure that any case study that you share is coupled with implementable insights that can have an impact on the reader, even if they never talk with you.

Proofread: If you lack case studies, then you should create an internal process for requesting information from customers. Develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on how to proceed with information gathering, formatting, legal compliance, and all other important aspects for your case studies. Additionally, identify your main types of clients (your buyer personas) and try to have at least one relatable case study that showcases your ability to achieve great results for that specific type of client. Remember that while a case study or success story from a very large or unique business may be impressive, it may not be as relatable to small or medium-sized clients with different sets of challenges.

Influencers are a fabulous way to reach a broader audience, but what is in it for them? That's where we have to begin. 1. Engage on their content and with their commenters. 2. Share their content with your perspective (Podcasts, eBooks, videos etc) mention them and share it with others to increase engagement. 3. Ask them their perspective. This can be on Poll or interviewing them on LinkedIn LIVE. Build the rapport and relationship first - they will share your insights with their network if it is appropriate.

If you manage to get genuine recommendations from well-known individuals that your audience recognizes and trusts, you can unlock a new level of growth. Of course, there are a few challenges, especially if you're targeting "big fishes." However, you can find a way to achieve your goals. If you are dedicated to getting a certain influencer to share about you and your business, then you should take your time and invest in building a relationship with them. Start by offering value upfront without asking for anything in return. Also, keep in mind that they might not be attracted by any type of monetary value. But don't be discouraged; instead, start brainstorming ways to create something valuable and personalized for them.

Awards and recognition certainly bring credibility to the conversation. It is, however, vital that they are relevant to what you do and the people you serve. Focus on doing the right things, getting in front of the right people in the right places (online and off), and throw your hat in the ring when you see an opportunity pop-up. Don't be afraid to nominate yourself!

As mentioned, the certificates and awards should be relevant to your targeted ideal clients, and you should also avoid two common pitfalls. First, research your audience's opinions thoroughly, as boasting about low-level certifications may backfire. Additionally, don't just slap your certificates on a carousel on your home page and forget about them. Instead, use them strategically. Mention them briefly at the top of the funnel, and then hand-pick a few super relevant certificates to highlight further down the conversion funnel. Use this step as an opportunity to provide a more in-depth explanation of how these certificates make you a valuable choice.

While I am a quality over-quantity person, when I see someone with higher than average followers, I tend to give more credibility to their content. I think it is human nature. But please be aware that social proof is not a numbers game; it is a value game.

Using numbers to create authority is a strategy as old as the Internet itself. Being impressed by someone having a large group of followers, or seeing huge numbers implying that the other side has achieved something impactful, creates automatic attraction. In most of those examples, we have a principle called pre-selection at play. The way it works is quite simple: when we encounter someone new, we are unsure whether to trust them. Our brain solves this by looking around (or checking the stats on your home page) to see if others have already made the decision to trust that person. This "short-circuit" is why we tend to accept huge numbers as a sign of authority.

If your product is a tool that can be used to produce content for social media platforms like LinkedIn or YouTube, find ways to get "Powered by ..." mentions of your brand to generate exponential social proof.

As a seller, your own(or company's) thought leadership can be considered social proof. It's important to establish yourself or your company as a thought leader in your industry. Sharing your expertise and knowledge can position you as a trusted authority.