The power of social proof
Think about the recent purchases you have made or the travel you have planned. How many reviews did you look at before making your final decision? In our connected world, “non-marketing” messages such as reviews are often the strongest voice – it’s the customer speaking on behalf of a brand.
This user-generated content, or social proof, carries significant weight in our decision-making process. In behavioral economics, social proof is the idea that people look to and are highly influenced by the action or opinions of others. Simply put, consumers use this content to validate decisions.
Social proof and loyalty programs
Overall, social proof represents the approval and reputation of your brand and programs. Loyalty programs are uniquely positioned to capture and promote social proof as content. With your loyal customers, social proof is easily leveraged to create a feedback loop and provide your consumers and your brand with valuable information.
Consumer or user-generated content provides relatable, authentic commentary from your customers’ real experiences to help solidify the decisions for other customers. Your customers have powerful voices, promoting consensus, driving popularity, and furthering your brand. How can you leverage social proof when engaging your customers?
Customer reviews are primary influences, often set apart from other forms of feedback as they are seen as more authentic and unfiltered examples of customer experiences. Loyalty programs can provide opportunities to collect reviews from loyal customers and share statistics.
Testimonials and case studies may take the form of a written story or video – a showcase of experiences and real-world examples of your brand or loyalty program working for them. Testimonials from loyalty program members promotes engagement and new program acquisition.
Social media posts provide scale in a public forum to share experiences, generate positive feelings, and reinforce trust. Loyalty programs can create conversations by curating customer stories for the community to follow and promote.
Personal recommendations tap into the trust inherent in relationships to facilitate decision-making and foster loyalty. Adding a referral component to a loyalty program is a natural extension of customers’ participation and experience.
Integrating social proof into a loyalty program is a powerful strategy, one that fosters a community where your most loyal customers become your most important advocates. The voice of your customer delivers brand credibility and highlights the program’s value – boosting its reach to drive new acquisition while deepening relationships with your current members.