Social Proof: Make the Invisible Visible

Join Mark Drager in today's episode of “How To Sell More”, as he delves deep into the concept of "Social Proof." Mark Drager lays it out: we're in a digital age, and trust is golden.

Here are some pivotal learnings awaiting you in this episode: 

• How social proof is your ticket to building trust.
• The many faces of validation, from customer praise to media buzz.
• The art of weaving this proof into every business story you tell.

In the dynamic business world, skepticism isn't just occasional—it's the norm. Every leader, sales pro, or marketer faces the daunting challenge of piercing through doubts and establishing genuine trust. Yet, there's a silver bullet that can make this challenge a tad easier. Tune in, and equip yourself with strategies and insights on how to turn the tables using the undeniable power of social proof, making every business interaction more meaningful and impactful.

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Links to This Episode

• Apple Podcast
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Audible

Key Takeaways

• The Power of Social Proof in Business - In the digital age, social proof (like testimonials and case studies) acts as a trusted recommendation, helping businesses stand out by overcoming skepticism and continuously enhancing their reputation, thereby fostering trust and loyalty among customers.

• Diverse Forms of Social Proof - Social proof extends beyond testimonials to include media mentions and celebrity endorsements, each catering to distinct audience segments. A diversified proof portfolio ensures positive validations at various customer touchpoints, with tailor-made proofs resonating with specific demographics, like influencer endorsements for younger audiences or case studies for B2B clients.

• Accumulating and Showcasing Social Proof - Businesses should start gathering even minor validations early on, gradually building a robust portfolio. Integrate social proof seamlessly across marketing channels, ensuring visibility. Prioritize authenticity by addressing negative feedback transparently, potentially converting skeptics into advocates.

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Top 3 Reasons to Listen

Trust-Building Insights: Understand the pivotal role of social proof in establishing trust and credibility in today's skeptical world.

Diverse Learning: Discover the myriad forms of social proof, from testimonials to media mentions, and learn how each can benefit your business.

Strategic Guidance: Get actionable tips on integrating social proof into your marketing strategy to enhance brand reputation.

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More About our Host, Mark Drager

AKA the Badass Brand Architect, 5th Generation Entrepreneur, Host of The How To Sell More Podcast

When he's not podcasting, Mark's the Co-Founder & CEO of SalesLoop. He's a dedicated husband to his high school sweetheart, Jacqueline, and a proud father of four.

Mark didn't follow the typical route to becoming a sales & marketing expert. A connected figure in the entrepreneur community, Mark provides listeners with a unique mix of wit, insight, and straightforward advice.

Some of Mark's unconventional adventures include commandeering a Boeing 737-800 for a day, facing harsh criticism from a billionaire, and shedding 70 lbs in his late 30s. Though he never attended college, Mark stands as proof of the might of maintaining a student mindset and being ever-ready to seek assistance.

A Transcription of The Talk

Mark Drager: Welcome to "How to Sell More." Today, we are talking about social proof. What is it? Why is it so important? Honestly, why do so many business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales and marketing leads underestimate its critical value in converting leads into sales? I am Mark Drager, let's get into it.

So earlier this year, I turned 40. And for my 40th birthday, my wife Jacqueline gifted me—or rather us—a subscription to our National Theatre production company. In London, you have the West End. In New York, there's Broadway. We live in Canada, specifically in the Toronto area. And here, we have a company called Mirvish. Mirvish is the national production company that brings all the big West End or Broadway musicals and plays to Canada. For my 40th birthday, my wife surprised me with this subscription. We began attending these shows. The other day, we went to see the musical "Six." Honestly, I wasn't familiar with it at all. In fact, when we arrived at the theatre and took our seats, I had no idea what was in store. "Six" is about the six wives of Henry the Eighth. Imagine a blend of "Hamilton," "We Will Rock You" or "Rock of Ages," and a dash of revisionist feminist history. The show began, and I was utterly bewildered.

If you haven't heard of "Six" before—like I hadn't—it's a British musical set to rock music where each of Henry's wives shares their story. Initially, I was thrown off by its eclectic nature. But after acclimating, I genuinely enjoyed it. If you're familiar with the play, you know what I'm talking about. If not, I'd recommend a quick Google search. Now, the reason I'm sharing this story is due to what happened at the end. During their curtain call, as they were bowing and we were applauding their incredible talent, they asked us to stay on our feet. With hundreds, maybe even 1200, people in the Royal Alexandra Theatre, they then urged us to take out our phones and start capturing the moment. I thought, "Why not?" and began recording. For their encore, each character provided a condensed version of their story. Six distinct perspectives were conveyed in just about two minutes. They knew we'd share these clips, amplifying their show's reach organically. This was their way of marketing—a brilliant strategy using social proof.

It's not common. Other productions don't employ this tactic. I've never seen, for example, the cast of "Les Misérables" encourage the audience to capture their performance. This strategy by the producers of "Six" was genius. They turned the last few moments into a promotion for potential viewers on social media. So, what is social proof? Beyond testimonials, case studies, and photos, it's a psychological phenomenon. It's the assurance that if others have vouched for something, it's trustworthy. Take my truck-buying journey, for instance. My daughter recently had a minor accident with my truck. While researching potential replacements, I delved into forums, like Reddit, seeking genuine opinions. If enough real people share their positive experiences, that's validation. It's not just about reviews that might be paid. It's about genuine community opinions and discussions. For instance, while I was considering switching from RAM to Toyota, discussions by people who had made a similar switch played a massive role in my decision-making. The point is, that social proof isn't just a marketing term. It's the influence of the collective experience on individual choices.

It gave me trust. I trusted the social proof. I trusted that enough people had done the research, enough people had worked through it, and enough people had done it successfully. Maybe it could be right for me, or vice versa, not right for me. This strategy is something travel people use all the time, right? When you go to Travelocity or look at Expedia reviews, when planning a big trip or visiting a resort and you check the comment or review sections, that's social proof. You're seeing individuals who, like you, made decisions and you can gauge the outcomes of those decisions—how the company handled things and so on.

Now, social proof, in the form of reviews, testimonials, or even just photos of clients with a name underneath to indicate someone who might resemble or sound like the reader, is crucial for sales and marketing. Sadly, it's often underappreciated by business owners. They don't realize how vitally important it is for us to see that others like us have made decisions, and they were good ones. These individuals didn't end up looking foolish. This is pivotal because social proof aids in trust-building, especially in digital marketing. Customers are constantly bombarded with ads and promotional messages. Hence, social proof serves as a credibility enhancer.

Furthermore, it influences decision-making. Observing others who have invested in products or services and came out looking competent can sway potential customers. If a product or service boasts thousands of positive reviews, it naturally has more credibility than one with no or mediocre feedback. To clarify, let's say you run a complex consultancy and wonder how to accumulate numerous reviews. Remember, even if you have no testimonials or social proof, any amount of it is better than none.

Additionally, social proof creates a sense of urgency. If a product seems popular or in high demand, it can induce a touch of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), nudging potential customers towards making a purchase decision more promptly. Moreover, it enhances your brand image. Consider why books have quotes on the jacket or why companies invest heavily in influencers. For instance, my agency is sponsoring Rand Fishkin and SparkToro's event in November. Each of these endorsements elevates the credibility of your brand. People think, "If they have all these endorsements, they must know their stuff." Even if you don't have prominent brands or names backing you, sheer quantity can also be persuasive. I've seen websites that simply state what they do followed by an overwhelming amount of social proof. That strategy builds trust and uplifts your brand image.

Now, a pondering thought: why are numerous business owners, entrepreneurs, or marketing and sales leaders reluctant to embrace this? Why don't they broadcast the commendations they naturally receive? Perhaps you've received a laudatory email from a client but hesitated to make it public. Several reasons come to mind. One is the fear of negative feedback. The notion that opening up to feedback might invite criticism is daunting. Yet, confronting these critiques head-on can make businesses appear more respectable and provide valuable insights.

Another apprehension is overpromising and underdelivering. We're all familiar with the "under-promise, over-deliver" mantra. But if your testimonials set exceedingly high expectations, there's a concern you might not meet them for every client. There's also the fear of relinquishing control. What if actively soliciting feedback shifts the narrative of your brand? For instance, a large investment company I once worked with wanted to engage more with the public. But their version of engagement was rather one-sided. They wanted to voice their perspective without genuinely engaging in a dialogue. This fear of true engagement puts you on equal footing with your audience, which can be intimidating for some.

Then there's the skepticism that soliciting positive feedback can seem insincere. My counter to this is: why not be transparent and share both the successes and the challenges? The more genuine you are, the more respect you'll garner.

A pivotal lesson I learned early in my career was "Some will, some won't, so what?" Reflecting on my experience at the musical "Six," by the end, I was engrossed. I engaged, recorded, and shared. But the elderly gentleman beside me was unmoved. Does this mean the musical shouldn't have prompted engagement? No. It just means their method resonated with me and not with him.

The key to overcoming these apprehensions is recognizing that it's okay to ask. The more you transparently seek and accept feedback, the more open people will be to providing it. And honestly, wouldn't you prefer to know? If a significant mishap occurs with a client, it's best to address it privately and make amends.

And then maybe at the end, there's an opportunity for them to say like, "You guys screwed up royally, but you stepped up and you came back and you did what you had to do and you won me over by the end." And so you need to know: some will, some won't. So what? You need to embrace transparency. You need to look for genuine feedback. You can use tools and platforms to make this happen. You can educate and train your staff to do it. More than anything else. But here's what I've learned from my almost two decades of doing this. Having worked on 1000s of projects with hundreds of companies, over 17 or so years, in my experience, whatever you think is the right amount of social proof, testimonials, case studies, photos, names, social media clips, whatever it is, you need to triple that.

If you think that being more polished will help you better, then you need to get things that are less polished. If you think things that are really short and less polished are the way to go, then you need to drop in a few more polished case studies. Whatever you think is good enough, it is not. That's what I'm trying to say. You need to go more, deeper, and have more variety. And I want to give you just a few quick tips on how to do this. In my experience, having worked with different business owners and companies, even for my own firm, there's a way we can go about this that not only makes it easy but also removes many fears.

So here's the first tip: think like the "Six" members during the play. They picked the moment that we were most likely to engage. They didn't ask us before the play started or after it ended when there was no energy or mojo. They picked the moment right at the end. So, think about your customer's journey. When are they most likely to be blown away? When do they perceive the highest value of what you do? When are they most connected to you? Think about that moment and ask, "Is there something you can do to capture how they feel and what they think?" There are tools like Bonjoro, a video messaging app I use. They have a new testimonial feature where you can send people scripts. But I do it differently.

If someone has referred me, I'll reach out via video call. And I'll ask, "Why did you refer me? How would you introduce me to the person you referred?" And by doing this, you turn your customer into a salesperson on your behalf. They shift their language into an introductory language, pulling out, in their own words, the key benefits. This is powerful. It's the strategy we use in our brand strategy process. We reach out to people and ask these types of questions. A lot of people might not say things as you expect, but that makes it real and powerful. That's why social proof works.

So, to wrap up this episode, let's have a three-point roundup. First, if you're working with cold traffic or leads, you must include social proof. Second, social proof isn't just testimonials; it can be case studies, third-party articles, or even scientific research. Direct cold traffic to see this proof, and it will improve your close rate. Third, make the invisible, visible. Like Apple's logo on their laptop or the white iPhone earbuds — these visible markers identified the brand. Similarly, make the hidden aspects of your business visible to your potential clients.

Thank you for listening to another episode. If you'd like to learn more about us, head over to salesloopbrand.com or follow us on Instagram at Salesloop brand. If you've made it this far, consider subscribing. Every week, I share strategies and tips to boost your business growth and sales. Thank you for listening, I'm Mark Drager, and I'll catch you in the next episode.

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