In the modern world, people often research their options. Now, the bigger the purchase, the greater the chance they’ll research. Along with the usual rating systems on third-party sites, they may go to the product website or social media page. Social proof in those places can mean the difference between a sale and a bounce.
When people love a product, they write reviews. When people hate a product, they write reviews. When people are ambivalent about a product, well, that’s when they don’t do anything. Consequently, keeping positive social proof around genuinely pushes the needle in the business’s favor.
Social proof can be gathered in any number of ways. If it’s a physical product, ask people to review with a note in the shipping packaging. If it’s a mastermind group program, ask for video testimonials when it’s over. If it’s a course, have people fill out a survey at the end. There are of course more options and picking the one that works for your business needs a little experimentation.
Placement of proof is also essential. People do get different things from different platforms. It would make no sense to ask people to review on Facebook while the ideal client hangs out on Instagram. Additionally, bear in mind what rating search engines show in a search. People form their first impression in less than three seconds, so make it good!
Social proof catapults a business forward so long as it is positive. Obtaining those proofs can be as simple as asking since the best customers will want to help their favorite businesses grow. Figuring out what to ask for and how to display it though is on the business owner. Those proofs make all the difference.