Social proof – why it’s important and 6 ways you can get some
Social proof is a powerful marketing tool but it can be hard to get when you’re just starting out. Here are six ways to secure some for your business.
What is social proof? It this day and age you probably think it translates to ‘how many followers someone has on social media.’ But, this is not the case.
In a nutshell, social proof is a psychological phenomenon that shows how much we rely on the feedback and actions of other people to help us make decisions about the right and wrong way to approach a given situation.
For instance, when we’re walking down the street trying to decide which restaurant to eat at, which do we gravitate to? The ones that have a lot of people in them. That’s social proof.
Where does this come into play in marketing?
As consumers, we are wary about what a business or supplier is telling us about themselves. We prefer to make our decisions based on personal recommendations ore research. Social media today means we no longer have to call a friend to see what restaurant they recommend for a special dinner. We can see the social proof around a business simply by:
- Reading their customer testimonials.
- Looking at how many social media followers they have.
- Checking review sites.
What does this mean?
If you have a well-established business, massive social media following and a huge list of high profile clients, getting social proof is relatively easy. But, as I know from personal experience, when you’re a soloist or if you’re just getting started out, social proof can be hard to come by.
The good news is that social proof tends to have a snowball effect. Once you get enough of it, it takes on a life of its own. I can assure you, a bit of work in the early days will pay off greatly in the future.
Here are six ways you can get social proof for your business so you can demonstrate your worth to prospective customers and build your reputation.
1. Cherry pick the numbers that are most impressive to display on your website
For example, if you only have 10 Facebook followers but 500 Twitter followers, leave off the Facebook number but make sure your Twitter stats are displayed prominently. Once you get more Facebook followers you can tell the world about them too.
2. Seek endorsements from experts and industry related celebrities
While getting a mention from Taylor Swift might not be on the cards, you can get great results from focusing on those influencers in your industry that your target customers will respect. This usually involves a bit of time spent building a relationship with the expert/s you target, but it’s time well spent as endorsements from the right people can carry a lot of weight.
3. Collect testimonials
Customer testimonials are a very powerful form of social proof, and they are easy to collect if you’re proactive about seeking feedback post sale. Get in the habit of asking for feedback or inviting customers to leave a review after they have used your product or service and you’ll get a steady flow of testimonials you can use on your website and landing pages.
4. Create case studies
Case studies are a simple and straightforward way to demonstrate how you can help your customer or clients. Write up your success stories and use them as case studies (with your client’s permission!) on your marketing emails and website.
5. Display client logos
Once you have a few clients under your belt, you can create social proof by displaying their logos on your website. This shows potential customers that other people are happy to use your products or services, which is extremely reassuring.
6. Social media proof
Social media is one of the best ways soloists can get social proof. When people share something positive about your products or services you can use it as a testimonial, and once you start to gather a reasonable number of followers you make it easier to get more by posting your stats on your website.
Social proof is a simple marketing technique that can have a very positive effect on your conversion rate and overall sales. By gathering social proof and using it on a regular basis you can grow your solo business without having to spend a fortune on marketing.
How do you get social proof for your business?
https://www.nextmarketing.com.au/2017/04/social-proof-important-6-ways-can-get/
Jo Macdermott is a well known thought leader when it comes to all things Marketing. Jo is the Founder of Next Marketing, a well established Marketing Agency based in Melbourne. Jo is looking to connect with Marketing Managers, Entrepreneurs (in funded start ups) and Small and Medium Sized Businesses (with a marketing budget). Need some marketing help? With a commercial bent? Get in touch with Jo here