What is social proof?

“The tendency to see an action as more appropriate when others are doing it.” -- Robert Cialdini, the author of the best selling book INFLUENCE.

Why does Social Proof matter when Setting the Table for higher close rates?

The principle of social proof states that we often determine what to do by looking at what others are doing.

When everyone looks up at the sky, do you do the same?

When you buy something do you look for proof that others that have bought that item were happy and satisfied?

Does your website provide this social proof?

The way people make major purchases has significantly changed, and it is more important now than ever before that we align the way we market and sell to homeowners, with the way they actually buy.

With the explosion of the Internet, the contractor with the SOCIAL PROOF has the POWER… but the majority of contractors in the HVAC industry are still playing catch-up.

When doing a search for home comfort contractors, modern consumers have no shortage of choices, but when it comes down to choosing who they want to do business with, they want to hear what other people are saying.

Buyers used to have to go to the business’ brick & mortar location, or have the salesman come to them. Either way, it took planning, time and quite a bit of effort. Now the modern buyer can get all the information they need in a matter of moments right in the palm of their hand.

Your customers, clients, prospects, and every person looking at your website are there looking for answers, and nothing moves the meter more than Social Proof on your website.

Evidence and clues to help them establish trust, find answers to their home comfort questions they can believe, and the proof that your HVAC company has helped other homeowners just like them. If you waste their time, or fail to provide that evidence, what do you think happens? What do you do when you are that buyer and you don’t find what you are looking for? You hit the “Back” button and click on to the next search result!

Telling people how great you are doesn’t work any more. Take a look at your competitor's website where they are saying similar things and making the similar promises, often backed by little or nothing in the way of detailed, believable proof.

Traditional advertising tactics don’t work on websites anymore either, yet most websites were created to reflect a contractor's printed marketing pieces acting as a digital brochure.

How can your website visitor really know what is true and what isn’t, and how would she know the difference? (Yes, I said “she”, but more on that when we talk about your ideal Buyer Personas.)

Traditional advertising was born during a more innocent time, when customer trust in the media was high, and competition for attention was far less complicated.

While there are still people reading the Sunday paper and snail mail ads, most buyers expect to find evidence and proof through a contractor's website before they will build sufficient trust to initiate contact.

A word about low cost contractors.

In the past, contractors could buy jobs if they had the means and the business model to be the lowest cost option, and yes, there will always be some of that in every market, but even that contractor needs social proof on their website now to satisfy today’s buyer’s of residential heating and air conditioning equipment and services.

By the way, what type of clientele do you think that contractor will attract with price-focused messaging and proof?

Here’s an example that most of us can relate too.

You want to choose a movie for date night.

Do you pull out your newspaper and look at the listings for show times at your nearest theater like we all did a short ten years ago?

No, you go to your phone or your iPad and look to see what’s playing at your favorite theater, then you check out reviews over on Rotten Tomatoes to see what other real people are saying about them.

You might still do this even if a friend recommended the movie.

Would you still go to that movie after you looked it up and found that it was poorly rated or not your kind of movie?

I know I do this, and it influences my decision every time, even if that means changing up our plans to do a movie some other time.

Does this Impact Word of Mouth?

Many contractors have reported seeing a decrease in Word of Mouth (WOM) referrals in recent years. Some more than others, but it does seem to be the trend.

Is it because these referrals - today’s buyers - are going to the contractor’s website and not finding the information and evidence they expect?

It used to be when someone was referred to you, their trusted friend or neighbor would give them your name and phone number, and they’d call and schedule an appointment. The simple good old days, right?

Statistics, and our own experiences now show, that more and more buyers are getting your company's name from that trusted friend or neighbor, and then still looking you up online. It’s almost a reflex now.

Buyers expect to be able to find Social Proof, with real evidence that your company is the right fit for them.

Even if their search for your company started out with them Googling your phone number, they immediately begin making judgments about your company when they get to your website.

The good news is now that you know how this works, it may take some time and effort, but it’s a fairly straightforward process to get ahead of this.

Here are 6 ways you can improve your Social Proof on Your Website and dominate in your service area.

1. Add a Case Study Library to your website. There is a reason this is #1.

Observing people similar to us can greatly influence our choices.

"We often emulate others in our choices, and this tendency is strongest when the person observed is similar to ourselves".- Robert Cialdini, autor of the bestselling book, INFLUENCE.
It's also what we search for when we want to solve a problem in our lives. By adding a case study library, this contractor provided a valuable piece of education to over 2,000 people who found his website - found a case study - which we know (because we measure everything) improves deal closing rates.

2. Create an internal process designed to generate online reviews

It takes work on your part to get even your happy customers to write good reviews, and we all know that reviews are the gold when it comes to social proof.

Most modern HVAC review services enable you to set up an automated review request that will ask your customer for a review up to two or three times before kicking it back you you for follow-up.

Make sure you know how this works, and that the automated emails are set up to go out correctly, and that they make sense, and contain messages and links that speak to your customers in language you would normally use.

Many companies miss this opportunity to have a win-win with their most valuable business relationships.

Come up with a way for your installer or service tech to explain to your customers why their five star review is important to the tech or install crew. There are a lot of theories around the best ways to get your techs and installers more engaged. We'd love to know what works for you.

When you're just getting started in your business and tying to get that first handful of five star reviews, be sure your customers know that their review will help you out as you are getting started in your new business. be sure to incorporate your customer referral program incentives to create an easy win-win.

In social psychology, reciprocity is a social rule that says people should repay, in kind, what another person has provided for them; that is, people give back (reciprocate) the kind of treatment they have received from another.

Ask friends and family to write reviews to get you started.

3. Create Content that answer your prospects questions, and don’t be afraid to talk about Price.

If your Case Study Platform is your foundation, your educational content makes up the doorways and hallways that lead buyers to the right room of the house and the problem they're having.

And you're their trusted expert, surrounded by what? Social Proof.

It's a powerful combination when bridging the trust gap online.

4. Get your employees involved

Feature them on your website and your social media.
Use applications like Nearby Now and Review Buzz that features the technicians and promotes engagement through recognition and rewards

Give them the opportunity to contribute to your social media messaging.

Ask them what your customers are concerned about and show that you can solve this through your content.

5. Promote Badges and Awards

If you are listed, named, featured, or honored… let people know. Display these awards and badges throughout your website.

Note: Common mistake. Many websites only put this on their main page and many website visitors bypass the home page altogether.

Highlight Testimonials

Gather up all those old testimonials in you brag book and other areas you kept them before the Internet and publish them on your website.

Did you notice how I used Social Proof from our Clients and their testimonials?

Your website is so much more than a flat brochure that talks about you and your company. Start providing answers to the questions buyers are asking, and give them the Social Proof that will give them the confidence to contact and choose you.

Remember, “People hate to be sold, but they love to buy.” - Jeffrey Gitomer

Help them find the love!