5 Ways to Add Social Proof to Your Marketing

by | Feb 2, 2022 | Entrepreneurship, How To

There are a lot of things that make marketing (and Facebook ads, of course!) more effective, from in-depth strategy all the way to gorgeous graphics. However, my fave? Social proof.

Why, you ask? Because social proof allows you to really and truly take what your audience and customers are saying to heart — and then to use it to remind potential audience members and customers that you really do care about what they say, too.

Wait… what’s social proof?

Truly, social proof is exactly what it sounds like: it’s proof (AKA, feedback) from clients and customers that your product or service is really, really great and transformative.

See, here’s the thing: people like to watch other people. I mean, hey — what on earth would social media even BE if people didn’t like to watch other people?!

Social proof allows you to capitalize on that and then to grow as a business owner.

Win, win.

Now, let’s talk about a few ways you can do this in your own business, yeah?

 

5 Ways to Add Social Proof to Your Marketing

Adding social proof to your marketing strategy (and, in turn, your ad strategy) can be a really easy and powerful expansion tool. The cool thing about social proof is that it’s really already done for you by your audience and customers — you just have to leverage it.

 

1. Run a carousel ad of testimonials.

Running an ad with testimonials is 100% sure to be a super, super engaging way to get people interested in your ad… and, it’s also my *fave* way to showcase some social proof.

Here’s why: when people can swipe through customer testimonial after customer testimonial, they can start to really and truly  SEE the transformation that your product or service brings real, authentic people. And, when they start to really and truly SEE that transformation, they start to think “if all these people did it, why can’t I?”

And then… sale. Voila.

 

2. Simplify it with screenshots.

Truly the world’s easiest way to showcase social proof is with a good ole’ screenshot. 

(So, essentially, I gotta tell you… you kind of have no excuse not to try this one out.)

Every time you get really great feedback that might inspire someone else to work with you, take a screenshot and keep it in a folder in your Google Drive or on your desktop. Then, you have an arsenal of ready-to-go social proof that you can drop into Facebook ads, onto sales pages, and even into your social media feed.

 

3. Share testimonial videos.

Videos in and of themselves are one of the most effective ways to instantly engage an audience, especially on a Facebook ad or in a social media post. Combine that engaging technique with a testimonial, and BAM. You’ve made magic. 

(These are great to use in a variety of ways, but I especially love ‘em on a Facebook ad.)

Wondering how to get testimonial videos? It’s simpler than you think: just ask! I love asking my clients for short vids (or even voice memos) of their testimonials and feedback, and they’re always more than willing to give it. I know yours will be, too!

 

4. Use partner or brand logos.

Have you ever clicked on a website or a sales page and been suuuuper impressed with the logos you’ve seen or the partner names you’ve spotted?

Me, too — the power of social proof, baby!

When you work with a client you’re really proud of, don’t hesitate to snip their logo and include it on a sales page or a website. It’s a great way to attract similar clients, and there’s 1,000% nothing wrong with bragging on yourself a little.

I promise.

5. Case studies, case studies, case studies!

If you want to get a little more in-depth with your social proof, I’m a huge proponent of writing and publishing case studies on your site’s blog or even on your LinkedIn profile. Case studies are an effective way to really break down a project in a more detailed way than you’d usually be able to, and they can showcase nitty-gritty numbers and goals that really underline your success.

Plus, they don’t need to be complicated. Instead of stressing about how to write a case study, keep it simple. I like asking and answering questions like these:

  • What was the #1 goal for this product/service/transformation?
  • What were the key performance indicators (KPIs)? AKA, how we could tell if it was working?
  • What did the client love about the product/service/transformation?

All you have to do is answer the questions and stick ‘em in a blog post. It’s so much easier than you might think!

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Friends, there you have it — some of my go-to ways for including social proof in my clients and my marketing collateral. Do you have any other methods of social proof you love? Share ‘em with us!

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3 Easy Ways to Retain Clients

3 Easy Ways to Retain Clients

by | Oct 6, 2021 | Entrepreneurship, Sales Funnels, Strategy

When you’re in a service-based business, one of your biggest goals should be to retain clients — and that’s a huge goal and huge deal to us at System Envy. The longer you can retain clients, the stronger your relationship can grow and the deeper your roots can, too.

Plus, what’s more, exciting as a business owner than to know that people want to work — and KEEP working — with you?
 
I have a Business Management degree that has helped me a ton along the way, and one of the biggest takeaways I learned is that it is not difficult to keep people happy. Even when you don’t produce a desired result or mess something up (which happens! That’s life), you can still always manage and maintain a solid relationship with your clients.
 
Promise.
 
Here are our go-to methods for retaining clients within our agency.
 

3 Easy Ways to Retain Clients

I can assure you that retaining clients is really and truly not as hard as it might sound. While there are always things you can’t control, there ARE things that you can control — and these are 3 of your biggest.
 

1. Keep regular communication at the forefront of EVERYTHING.

Strong communication is the bedrock of everything you do as a service-based business, and it is the absolute best way to cultivate and keep a beautiful working relationship. By keeping your clients plugged in and letting them know what to expect, you’ll cut down on questions AND increase client trust — two very, very important things. Our rule at System Envy is to always respond to clients within 24 business hours, and to check in with our clients on Slack every 2-3 days (if not every day).
 
The goal? To never, ever have your clients reach out to find out where you are on a project.
 
I cannot tell you how many phone calls I’ve had with new clients who have told me their previous ad manager left them hanging or would take days and weeks to respond — and this blows my mind. It’s just so easy to send a quick email or Slack message, even if it says “I received this and want to give it some thought, I’ll respond soon.”
 

2. Set (flexible) expectations.

Everyone likes structure and knowing what to expect, which is where setting expectations comes into play. By setting expectations, having everyone crystal clear on what each person’s responsibilities are, and sharing detailed schedules and FAQ’s, it’s so much easier to stay on track and to keep your clients happy.
 
When it comes to setting client expectations — and team member expectations, but that’s a whole other post — let your clients know what’s included, let them know what’s not, and then go above and beyond where you can. Also, flexibility is part of life as a small business owner — so always leave room for that, too!
 

3. Professionalism is key.

When all else fails, professionalism should never. Ever. By creating a professional, personable, and empathetic persona and client experience, you can promise that you’ll always behave the right way and feel good about any response you’ll need to make. It’s also just a good reminder that you and your clients are HUMAN. People get moody, they go through things, and they have bad days — which is where professionalism has to continually show up.
 
I’ve had two clients in 11 years that went south… and fast — and it was a really important lesson for me, personally, of how important it is to stay professional. It’s not fun to feel particularly vulnerable as a business owner, and staying professional is how you can cover your arse (we don’t want nasty remarks floating around the interwebs, right?!) and know that you reacted in a way you can be proud of.
 
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It’s not as hard as you might have thought to create really great working relationships, huh? If you’re intentional about how you run your business and treat your clients, you WILL keep and retain clients for a long time — and I already know you can do it!
 

What you’ll find behind the curtain of my Facebook™ Ads business, is someone who loves systems, strategy, family, fishing, flipping houses, interior design, everything Southern, animals, a hefty dose of sarcasm, Instagram stories and some of the most amazing clients on the planet.

Entrepreneurship

Facebook Ads

How To

Launching

Sales Funnels

Strategy

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