If they want you to buy something, of course they are going to persuade you that they are the best.
But, does it really matter what they say?
If every business claims to be the best, those claims become meaningless.
Every writer could publish an article saying “I’m the Best Writer”.
So what?
No one cares how great YOU say you are.
If you want to convince people, you need social proof.
Social proof is what other people are saying about a business, person, or product.
If you were looking for the best writer on Medium, the first thing you’d look at is their follower count. That’s one type of social proof, because each of those followers is saying “I like what this person writes on Medium.” You would also look at what people with a lot of followers are saying about other writers.
If you saw Tim Denning, Zulie Rain, and Tony Stubblebine all say they like Sam Smith, you are more likely to trust their opinions.
If you have a business, you should be sharing social proof as often as possible. And it should be everywhere — on your website, in your emails, on social media, story highlights, pinned posts, in your stores, etc. The more people see it, the more they’ll trust you.
There are six different types of social proof: Expert, Celebrity, User, Crowd, Friend, and Certified.
In a perfect world you would use a variety of those to build trust with your customers, but not everyone has every type of social proof. Honestly, any type of social proof is effective, but some are more persuasive than others.
Getting expert and celebrity social proof will likely take the most time to acquire, but it can be done.
1. Expert
This is when an expert in your field recommends your product.
If you were trying to sell tennis balls, a recommendation from Serena Williams or Roger Federer are examples of expert social proof.
But, you don’t need to get the #1 person in the world to give you their blessing. There are many different levels of expertise. A high school tennis coach is also an expert, and I’d trust their recommendations.
If you’re a social media manager, you don’t need approval from Gary Vee. But, getting approval from other social media experts is more effective than getting approval from someone who isn’t on social media.
2. Celebrity
This is when a celebrity recommends your product.
It’s slightly different than an expert recommendation because the celebrity doesn’t need to be an industry expert.
This type of social proof works because celebrities usually have the choice of any product they want. When she’s in Nashville, Taylor Swift can go to any restaurant she wants. So, if she chooses to go to your restaurant, that’s social proof — even though she’s not a trained chef or restaurant connoisseur.
Similar to expert social proof, there are different levels of celebrities.
Someone with 10,000 followers on Instagram is a celebrity. They have more influence than someone without 10,000 followers. So, if they post a photo with your product, it builds trust.
This is why so many brands work with influencers on social media.
3. User
This is when someone who has used your product recommends it.
Expert and Celebrity social proof works, but most of the time the company is paying for it. Some people will see that as ingenuine, and they want to hear from regular people.
If I go to a pizza place and tell you that the pepperoni pizza is the best pizza I’ve ever had, you’re more likely to go there and buy a slice of pizza.
Spending our money always comes with a bit of risk. This type of social proof is the easiest to get, and it works because it reduces our risk of a having bad experience.
If you had a great experience with that product or services, there’s a better chance that I’ll also have a good experience.
4. Crowd
This is when a big group of people endorse your product or service.
Crowd social proof is just like User social proof, but amplified. Instead of me telling you how great the pepperoni pizza was, 50 or 100 people tell you that they tried it and enjoyed it.
The bigger the crowd, the more you trust what they’re saying.
A big crowd also helps counter negative reviews.
Imagine you’re looking for a pair of running shoes.
Shoe A has 3 reviews. One review has a 5/5 rating, one has 3/5, and one has 1/5.
Shoe B has 189 reviews. 120 reviews gave the shoes a 5/5. 60 reviews gave the shoes a 4/5. 5 reviews gave the shoes a 2/5, and 4 reviews gave a 1/5.
Even though Shoe B has more 1/5 negative reviews than Shoe A, the crowd of 120 that gave Shoe B a 5/5 outweigh the negative reviews.
If you have a sales page, you should have as many positive customer reviews on it as possible. 30 reviews build a lot more trust with potential customers than 5 or 6.
5. Friend
This is when someone’s friend recommends a product to them.
Most people will trust their friends a lot more than a random internet stranger. I know if my friend recommends a coffee shop to me, I’ll trust that more than reviews on Google, or an Instagram influencer.
This is because our friends know what we like and dislike more than strangers.
If one of my friends knows I love avocado toast, they’re going to have that in mind when they’re making a recommendation for a cafe.
This one is harder to keep track of, because you can’t hear the conversations your customers have with their friends. The best way to get this type of social proof is by providing a delightful customer experience.
If someone buys your product or service and has an exceptionally good experience, they’re going to tell their friends about it.
6. Certified
This is when you have the stamp of approval from an authority in your field.
Certifications are the easiest form of social proof to get because you can get it on your own. You don’t need anyone else to write a review of tell people about your business.
The certifications are proof to your customers that you understand the basics of your craft. And these work even if your customers don’t know much about the certifications you have.
For example, if you’re a marketing freelancer, HubSpot has a bunch of certifications you can earn.
Usually, certifications add the least amount of social proof.
But, if you don’t have a lot of customer reviews or other social proof, getting certifications in your field can be a significant help.
Do whatever you can to increase your social proof and show it to your potential customers as often as possible. This is the best way to build trust with people.
