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Today we are going to add social proof to our persuasive tools of reciprocity, liking, authority and consistency.  Social proof is one of the earliest persuasion research areas.  Social proof is the persuasion that occurs because other people seem to like a product or service.  The more the merrier.  Type in “Social Proof and Persuasion” into a Google search and you will find many bloggers who have written on Cialdini’s six proven persuasive strategies.  The author’s expertise ranged from radiology physicians, to web designers, to advertisers, to academics, to religious organizations, to public relations officers.  This should provide some social proof that the persuasive ideas covered in my last articles are useful and used by all walks of life. 

            Social proof works because people tend to act in ways that are similar to others.  Despite saying we “march to the beat of our own drummer”, it is much more likely that we “stay in step”, or “keep up with the Joneses”.  Social proof works best in situations where someone is unsure how to act and when the persuaders are seen as similar to us.

            One of the fascinating examples comes from Colleen Szot’s infomercial for Nordic Trac.  She changed the call to action from “Operators are standing by”, to “If operators are busy, please call again.”  This one shift created social proof that many people may be calling.  Szots advertisement surpassed the highest response rate on the home-shopping channel. 

Here are just a few ways to use social proof. 

·         Testimonials are one of the best ways to use social proof. 

·         Listing your top sellers is another way to demonstrate social proof. 

·         Use of “customers who bought this product also bought….” is another way to create social proof.   

·         Longevity indicates that other people must like you.  State that your company has been in business for X number of years.

            Did I persuade you?  Obviously if you got past the first paragraph, I must have some power to influence your behavior.  It could be that you like me (liking), or see me as an authority, or you owe me (reciprocity), or because you read the first one and now you are committed and it could be that if so many different industries are looking at these persuasive ideas, maybe we should also look at them in direct selling. 

Cialdini, R.B. (2003).  The science of persuasion:  Social psychology has determined the basic principles that govern getting to ‘yes’.  Scientific American Mind, 14(1).  70-77.