Social Proof
All right, we’ve made it to part FIVE of my series about launching your product or brand, and we’re going to finish strong by talking about SOCIAL PROOF. Why? Because having social proof on your e-commerce site is one of the best ways to drive future sales.
So in this series, we've talked about some pretty dang good stuff. That includes how to build excitement for your launch, the techniques to turn online store visitors into buyers, creating really fantastic offers, and how following up with people can boost your bottom line in a massive way.
One of the best ways to drive future sales is by adding the social proof you have gathered in your follow-up.
Adding social proof just takes everything we’ve talked about and blows the doors right on off it!
I want you to think about how you shop for products. Unless you're some sort of shopping unicorn, you probably read reviews before making a purchase, right?
Maybe you ask your friends if they’ve ever used the product and, if so, what their experience was like.
You look for stars or thumbs up or all those things that signal that whatever it is you’re shopping for is (or isn’t) a good choice for you.
All of those things—the reviews, the stars, the friends…all of those are examples of social proof. So you can see that social proof is a POWERFUL thing—because it’s affected how YOU shop.
But how do you use it in your own e-commerce business? Well, you have to ask for it, and you have to make it EASY for them to do. It’s also important to know where social proof (aka the platform) is most important.
Here are a few things I utilize to get feedback and in turn increase my online sales.
1. Ask customers to post on social.
As part of my sales process, I encourage people to snap a picture of themselves with the product and post it on social media. I also ask them to tag me so I can see them. That way I can easily share their posts, letting more people know how awesome my products are.
2. Ask for a review.
If your customer is happy with the product they’ve purchased from you, most are willing to leave a review. All you have to do is ask. Does that include an ethical, sugar-fueled bribe from time to time? Maybe. (Watch the video—you’ll see what I’m talking about.)
3. Ask for feedback.
Another successful method I've used is to ask for feedback. Yes, in some ways it's the same as a review. But I genuinely like to know what they think about my products. Is the size right? The color? Was my shipping process good? And of course, that feedback (when published) becomes the social proof we’re looking for. (BTW: I let people know that when they leave feedback, I’ll email them a coupon code. That makes a happy customer a REPEAT customer and is another great way to drive future sales.)
In short, whether it’s in the package I ship a product in or any of the emails I send during the fulfillment process, I include a call-to-action that shares exactly what I’d like them to do, how they can do it, and what they get IF they do it. Boom, Boom, Boom!
And then I use what they share to promote the product in the future. (Yay!!!!)
Speaking of calls to action, I have one for YOU. Click on the link below
to request an easy-to-download copy of the tips I’ve touched on in this post. It’ll be delivered right to your online messenger.
