One sentence BIG IDEA:

Leverage the concept of “social proof” to reach help your clients reach their business goals. Nielson’s Harris Poll Online surveyed 2,000 Americans about word-of-mouth and referrals. Eighty percent of Americans seek referrals before making a purchase. When someone shares or talks about a brand on social media, there’s a significant correlation to purchasing behavior.

Referrals don’t just help us make decisions; they often drive them.

Why is this relevant to marketers?

Marketers can leverage this dynamic to help their clients reach their business goals.

Relevant EXAMPLES:

1. Online reviews. Ask for them. Provide an incentive for customers to write reviews. Address negative feedback. Provide reminders to create a review; make it easy.

2. Influencer marketing. Learn more about it. This used to mean celebrity endorsements but today, social content creators with niche audiences can often offer more value to brands. More than two thirds of North American retailers use some form of influencer marketing. (eMarketer article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/what-retailers-need-to-know-about-influencer-marketing)

3. Testimonials. Think case studies or customer stories. Businesses have them, they may not be leveraging them. How can they use testimonials to promote their brand and attract business?

4. Social media engagement. Focus on developing quality social media profiles with interesting authentic engagement and followers. Quality over quantity.

5. Media mentions. News sites and magazines are still trusted sources for many audiences, as well as key channels for introducing them to your brand. Media mentions provide a trusted third-party endorsement of your brand.

Source and more ideas here: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-proof/

Challenge for Attendees:

How can you use social proof to help your clients?

Hashtags:

#socialmedia #socialproof #wordofmouth