3 ways to build social proof as a new business

Establishing public trust in your brand is one of the hurdles small business owners face when starting off. As a new business, you may not have many customers yet, or even an online presence — so how will customers trust your products?. Building social proof can be hard at first but there are a few things you can easily do to start.

But first, what is Social proof and why is it effective?

Social proof is the idea that humans will adapt their behaviours based on what others around us are doing. In his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini says “we view a behaviour as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.” So the more we see our peers doing something, the more likely we are to follow suit.

As a business owner, you can harness this in order to sell your products or services. Consumers will look for ‘approval’ before purchasing — so it’s up to you to provide that approval! Below are three forms of social proof which you can achieve as a business owner to sell your products.

1. Reviews & Testimonials

If you have ever been recommended something by a friend, chances are you listened to them because you trust them. Nowadays online consumers have the same thought process when it comes to…