Feeling sheepish? Your readers are. Well, they (like all of us) can act like sheep when making decisions.

Ever notice yourself checking what others are doing when you’re unsure what to do? We all take cues from others about whether to eat chicken with fingers or a fork, how fast to drive, and how to dress at work.

This is Cialdini’s Social Proof in action. How much more “sold” are you on an Amazon book when you see hundreds of others have “rated” it highly? “All those people can’t be wrong!” (you think).

And the more similar your “reference” is to your reader, the better (e.g. a banker’s testimonial will sway an accountant more than one from a plumber). See how SalesForce do this.

Humans like shortcuts and often react based on only partial evidence. Here’s how to leverage that in your writing:

• Testimonials. Ask for them straight after you’ve worked for clients, and include them in your marketing. But keep them short.
• Case studies. Especially powerful when you include specific, measured results you achieved. Keep these short, too.
• Big names have big impact, so highlight well-known and respectable companies who’ve used your business.
• Pictures of your typical target audience enjoying your product/service will reassure your clients they’re in the right crowd.

What other examples of social proof have you seen? Let us know with a comment below…