- TechNicole Support
- Posts
- July
July
Social Proof Your Life 👯
Hi Friends!
Summer always rushes by and it especially feels that way this year as we got our second office location (Anchorspace Ellsworth) open August 1 (but we're having a giant party this Friday August 24 5-7 PM if you want some libations while checking it out). To be fair, this 'opening a business in August' seemed like a good idea a few months ago. The whole thing got me thinking to the concept of social proof, and some ways any business can take advantage of their internet reputation. Because trust me, I'm way better at this stuff than laying flooring and painting apparently!
Happy Summer,Nicole and the Breaking Even Team
Internet Marketing For Artists Gets Its Own Home
As we repackage 2.0 of our best online course, we realize that sticking it in a corner of our website wasn't getting it the attention it deserved. Hours of video, handouts, a private Facebook group, this is going to be our mini hub for artists friends who are ready for some next level business. Check it out and consider joining us for $30 and 30 days! (We'll be raising the price at some point in the next couple months so join us before then!)
Proving The Importance Of Social Proof
‘Social proof’ sounds like a fancy term us marketing people use but really, it’s a concept we’re all familiar with. Here are some examples of social proof in action:
You post to Facebook asking for recommendations for a local hairstylist and when 6 of your Facebook friends tag the same woman, you give her a call.
You see a picture of your friend’s freshly detailed car on Instagram and, seeing that he tagged the guy who did it, you call him for an appointment.
You see a product advertisement from a company you’ve never heard of and click through to the website, only to see there are 12,380 reviews (averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars) and you click ‘purchase’.
I know I used to be able to confidently answer ‘if all your friends are jumping off the bridge, would you?’ with a no… so falling for it makes me feel kind of silly. But social proof has a function.In the age of seemingly unlimited information, social proof allows us:
To get a lot of different feedback in a short amount of time, saving you hours of research and ‘mental load’.
To help us ask better questions or otherwise learn about aspects of a purchase we would have never asked about.
To help friends out who sell products and services without feeling like a corporate shill.
What are some easy ways you can get social proof? Here are five you can do in five minutes or less:1) Take out a Facebook or Google ad to people who have specifically bought a product, leading them back to a page where they can leave a review. (Note: You need some kind of privacy policy on your site detailing how you use their information, if you update this policy you need to tell your email list, and you need to have either a marketing pixel and/or list made in the ad account of the marketing list email addresses. Talk to us if you need this set up; trust us, you’ll more than make your money back and get to use it more than once!)2) Share links where people can leave reviews for your business, like Google, Facebook, and TripAdvisor with screenshots of sample reviews. 3) Offer an incentive to leave a review. Note: I think this is a little sneaky but much less so than asking for a positive review and then offering a prize. 3) Post business events and other happenings places online that aren’t directly about sales, like Facebook groups and community calendars. (It’ll help people in those groups think of you more often.) 4) Document products and services and tag your customers on social media, which helps them get in front of more people and shows the kinds of people you align yourself with. Note: ask them first if it's ok!5) Set up a Google Alert or otherwise search social media for people talking about your product and share it to your account (Note: don’t do this without linking back to their website/account; you’ll look like a sleaze ball that takes peoples’ content!) Now I will say, doing this for my own company always feels a little weird.Even though I know we do good work.Even though I know we’re highly ethical.Even though I know our customers love us.So if you feel equally weird. have someone else draft the stuff for you to approve. This way you have the control without feeling like a Braggy McBraggerson.Wow did you read to the end of this? Email us back with the social proof you want (ex: a Google review, a link to your website) and we'll do it for you free... just as a reward for reading this whole shebang. :)
Noteworthy This Month
Wordpress Beta Tests Gutenberg
Wish you could use Wordpress but drag and drop like Squarespace? Wordpress is launching Gutenberg, which we think is a slightly grandiose name but we like the direction this is going! You can beta it on your Wordpress site or learn more here:
My new favorite thing is a website called useloom.com
I had a consultant use it on me and it's magic. It records videos (screencaps) in seconds and then you just share the link with whoever you want to watch it. Then the person can watch the video (on their own time without having to download anything) and you even get a notification when it's watched. Super handy for client tutorials (or just explaining to your friend that Facebook thing)! Also it's free. You're welcome.
Client Spotlight: Healing Numbers
When Sue at Healing Numbers told me 53 Oak Street (our second location in Ellsworth) is great for a business involving collaboration and creativity, I realized numerology went beyond birthdays and the horoscope page. She's is a pro and if you've ever thought of getting a reading, give her a try:
You'll be seeing some upcoming marketing stuff from us on her behalf so follow her on Facebook if you want to casually learn more: