Want an Immediate Raise?

Do you feel comfortable bragging about yourself? Shouting from the rooftops about how freaking awesome you & your business are? If your answer is no, I understand and this is for you! 

As women we are often taught… “be humble” and “don’t brag”. It is ingrained in us from an early age. But this doesn’t do us or our business annyyy favors! When we do not show proof that we do a great job at what it is that we do, how do we expect to have the trust for people to pay us? Would you do business with someone if you didn’t see any proof of a job well done? I’m going to guess probably not. 

The Power of Social Proof

The absolute best way to give yourself a raise is to employ social proof in your marketing strategy. Social proof builds TRUST with your ideal customers (remember Know, Like, & Trust? Read all about it here!) It provides evidence that you are killer at what you do and that you are qualified to be a voice in their life, on the subject you are speaking about. 

People are also much more likely to make a purchase if there is proof of others purchasing it and loving it. This is called the bandwagon effect. For example, you’re searching for some new skincare and find a company with over 2,000 5-star reviews of their products! This shows you that you are likely to also enjoy it, which motivates you to make a purchase. If they only had, let’s say 10 reviews of their products you wouldn’t be as motivated to make a purchase. Also, if that skincare company had horrible reviews, of course you wouldn’t make that purchase!!! (So be careful! If you’re not selling an excellent product, social proof has the reverse effect. Yikes.)

Examples of Social Proof

• Share screenshots on Instagram of good reviews
• Client case studies
• Reviews on third party sites (ex. Google, Yelp, etc.) 
• Instagram stories showing you actually packing and shipping your product
• Customers reviews on your website 
• Showing that you’re taking a course in your field to develop your skills further
• Share Instagram stories that customers tag you in on your own story
• Certifications and awards
• Influencer shoutouts and relationships 
• Testimonials & reviews should be your first Instagram highlight bubble
• Before and afters
• A spreadsheet showing how booked you are
• Give away some of your top shelf knowledge for free 

(Quick tip! A great way to garner reviews is to provide your current customers with an incentive. Provide a 10% off coupon, enter them into a drawing, offer a free service, etc.)

Alllll these examples will build trust in prospective buyers minds! That’s a win! The more you & others hype your business up, the more business you’re likely to get. Also, keep in mind that social proof is different depending on your business and industry. There are so many other examples not even on this list, so get creative!  

Social proof! It builds trust, establishes authority and expertise, and it’s one way to gain new customers and get an immediate raise! How are you going to build social proof for your business this week??

Love,

Suzy