Did you know that Social Proof is the Number One way to build trust with potential customers and increase your conversions from browsers to buyers (whether that's online, in your store, or anywhere they peruse businesses).What is Social Proof?
In simple terms, if something looks popular, it becomes more popular. (Think of various food vendors at a market – the one with the longest queue automatically seems like the most desirable and continues to get busier and busier.)
Basically, social proof is any evidence you can give people to demonstrate that other people use and like your business. Aside from arranging to have a long queue for your service, this could include;
- Stating how many customers you have/have had (or how many pizza's you've served, trees you've removed, or houses you've built)
- Citing celebrities that have been customers (or displaying photos of them)
- Mentions in popular press – eg from a newspaper or local radio station
- Showing the number of Likes or Shares on your Facebook page
- Displaying authority awards or accreditation
- Customer testimonials – although none of these are as effective as…
- Customer Reviews (listed in Forbes as the most important way to use social proof to increase sales)
Hopefully, your business is building a great bank of positive reviews – but make sure that you're making the most of those reviews…
Showcase Your Reviews
Your customer reviews on WOMO can help your business a lot, but there's much more you can do to attract people's attention to your reviews (the more people that see them and read them, the more you'll convert to customers).
Check this list to see that you're getting the most leverage from your reviews;
- Ask customers if they've seen your reviews – just by asking, you'll alert them to the fact that you've got a great reputation (even if they haven't seen your reviews)
- Post your reviews to your Facebook Page – either manually or you can set this up to post automatically from WOMO
- Email Signature – include something like "See Why Our Customers Love Us" and link to your reviews in your email signature (or include a WOMO logo)
- WOMO Reviews Widget – put this prominently on your website. It's simple to install and lots of businesses find this is an amazing tool for getting more sales and enquiries from their websites. You can see how other businesses are using it here.
- Customers Recommend Flyers – include these with quotes or proposals to encourage prospects to read your reviews (the most convincing sales pitch you can do!)
- Badge of Approval stickers – put these up on your windows or on your vehicles
- Bumper Stickers – let people know you're proud of your reputation – even when you're driving around
- Award Stickers – if your business has earned a WOMO Service Award
- Printed Reviews – print out individual reviews and include them in a brag book (great if you're doing quotes) or display them around your shop / office (some businesses frame them)
Please note that some of these tools are only available for businesses on the Happy Customers Program (although you can improvise with your own version).
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