The Top 10 Ways to Score Big Using Social Proof

Have you ever driven past a Chick-fil-A restaurant and NOT seen 15+ cars lined up in the drive-thru? The popularity of their fried chicken sandwich aside, their jam-packed drive-thrus actually leverage a tried-and-true marketing strategy that, in turn, makes more and more cars get in line…

Social proof.

Here’s how it works: you’ve got a half hour to grab lunch between sessions, and as you scan your options up and down the block, you notice the insane line of cars wrapped around Chick-fil-A. 

You think to yourself, Wow, there are literally dozens of cars lined up for their food...it’s got to be AMAZING if that many people are willing to wait in line to eat lunch from there.

That’s the power of social proof--it’s the belief that other people’s buying behavior and buying frequency reflect what “should be done.” In other words, if it’s popular among other people, it must be an incredible product or service that delivers its promise.

The good news is that every small business on the planet has social proof at their disposal. There are literally DOZENS of ways to use social proof in your own marketing, but we’re going to break down the top 10 ways you can use social proof to score major points (and make more money!) for your business.

Here's an example of Bistro MD borrowing some influence.

1. Borrow trust & influence: Do you have a product that has a doctor’s endorsement? Does everyone’s favorite Instagram influencer use your service? 

You can use others’ influence to increase the trust and credibility of your product when you share that they’re happy users and supporters.

2. Share customer success: Use stories and testimonials from your customers. This is probably what comes to mind when you think of social proof--but just because it’s a common strategy doesn’t mean it’s any less effective.

Make sure your testimonials are relatable and interesting enough for prospects to resonate with the customer’s story. This is when social proof can really make the difference between buying and not buying.

3. Use the power in numbers: Call out how many customers you’ve served. Popularity is often interpreted as credibility. Alternatively, share other numbers that speak to the impact you have on your clients. How many pounds have your clients lost? How much time have your customers saved after working with you?  

For years bodybuilding.com has had a list of their top 50 selling supplements (brilliant social proof), even better - Gold Standard Whey Protein has managed to stay at the top of that list year after year (talk about strong social proof).

4. Take screenshots: In today’s day and age, screenshots are super effective in grabbing prospects’ attention and garnering trust. Think of those Facebook posts of praise, those customer thank you emails, those texts from close clients… screenshot them, and use them. 

This is a screenshot I took from a text message with a client. I've used it in everything from content to social posts, to email campaigns (and it just keeps on giving)...

5. Borrow brand power: This is where you use a brand’s power (versus an individual or a trusted profession) to gain trust and interest. Have you worked with Coca-Cola, Mercedes, or any notable brands in your industry? See what it would take to get permission to display their logos on your website or in other marketing materials. 

6. Conduct polls & surveys: Collect data that you can use as proof of your product’s (or service’s) awesomeness. This can be as simple as sending surveys asking specific questions related to your brand performance and customer happiness, and then displaying the results. This works especially well for live webinars. 

7. Spotlight your non-mistakes: Has your company never had an FDA complaint? Are you one of the few businesses in your industry without a negative review on the BBB’s site? Don’t be afraid to bring attention to your “non-mistakes” that set you apart.

8. Collect reviews: Yelp, Google, and your website are all smart places to collect and display reviews from satisfied customers. This is especially powerful on those 3rd party sites, like Yelp, where someone is looking to make a buying decision and comparing you to competitors. 

MVMT Watches realizes that reviews displayed on their website can help push a contemplating prospect into a sale.

9. Advertise accolades, accomplishments, and credentials: Are you the only business that can do what you do? Are your staff the only individuals in your area with a certain education? Perhaps you’re the only one that’s accomplished XYZ? Call out those achievements and use them to your advantage.

10. Display trust badges and seals: Many industries have their own certifying organizations and educational institutions that give special recognition to exceptional businesses, or give awards and badges for accomplishments. 

Medifast displays their U.S. News Top-Ranked 2018 Fast Weight-Loss Diet badge on their website (did anyone else not know that was a thing)...

Put these on display so prospects can see them - they enhance trust and often act as the last nudge prospects need before buying. 

Using social proof in your marketing can be immensely effective and incredibly creative...Our list above is far from comprehensive, but you can already see the many different ways you can leverage it to get more leads, more opt-ins, and more purchases.

It’s time we take a cue from Chick-fil-A and start utilizing social proof like the slam-dunk strategy that it is!

This article was originally published on Solo Social Marketing's Blog.