People are deeply affected by what others think.
Monkey See/Monkey Do
If we see someone else do "it" -- whatever "it" might happen to be -- we have an immediate internal response
that says, "Me, too!"
This explains why television producers use a laugh track when a punch line (or should we say "alleged"
punchline) is delivered during a sitcom. The audience at home knows that the laugh track is just a recording, but
that doesn't stop them from chuckling along even louder when the recorded laughter is turned up.
People will visit websites that are on "most-visited" lists, buy cell phones on the "most useful" lists, and spend
their movie dollars on "the #1 film in the country." It's because social proof is also related to people's desire to be
in agreement with "everyone else," and not have a mistaken belief about what is true and what is not.
For most of us, agreeing with others is more comfortable than going our own way.
This tendency is the reason that a piano player in a bar puts a few $5 bills in his tip jars at the beginning of the
night. It's to simulate tips, of course, but not 50-cent tips or $1 tips - it's to make it clear that $5 tips is what
"everyone else" is giving. And why do you think some Evangelical preachers have been known to seed their
audience with “ringers” who come forward at a specific time to give witness…and donations?
It's not an accident…it's psychology at work!
With words like "best seller" or "our most popular item," you don’t have to convince your customer
that it is a good product. The hidden message -- lots of other people have bought this product -- is
proof enough.
Follow the Leader
Humans are "pack animals" and we have an internal urge to do what others in our "pack" are doing. We have a
strong urge towards self-preservation and an innate resistance to venturing out on our own and being a guinea
pig -- that's the job of the "alpha dog."
Peer Identification
Even more magnetic than simply "someone" doing "it" is seeing "someone like me" doing "it."
People like to hear about and do what other people just like them are doing -- for business AND for pleasure.
Social proof is especially effective when it comes from people we identify with or want to emulate.
There isn’t anything more persuasive than sending a letter to a heart surgeon that has five other heart surgeons
attesting to the benefits of a product or service. When Dr. Doolittle reads that Dr. Kildare purchased a hot tub
and found it beneficial in relieving the stress and tightness that comes with being a world famous neurosurgeon,
it’s a natural human instinct for Dr. Doolittle to say, "If it worked for him, it will work for me."
Testimonials from happy customers are a great way to provide your potential customers with social proof.
Creating Social Proof
Have you ever wondered why the heck companies such as Procter & Gamble and General Foods run those
contests asking people to write down “Why I like (Name of Product)" in 100 words or less? You know P&G isn't
doing it out of the goodness of their heart, so what's the story?
P&G is one smart cookie of a company. Rather than paying a high-priced advertising agency or research
company millions of dollars to develop slogans that might appeal to consumers, they let consumers themselves
"write" the copy:
• 10,000 Consumers Say, "Proctor & Gamble is the best value"
• "Proctor & Gamble Is A Lifesaver" says Ohio housewife
• "When I want good quality and great value, I buy P&G"
For the chance of winning valuable prizes, droves of people are willing to go on record as liking the product,
giving the company countless glowing testimonials and headlines like the ones above. Since these are "from the
heart" comments by "people like you," consumers react in two good-for-marketing ways:
• Other consumers consider the comments honest and believable
• The comments push a consumer's "Everybody else is doing it so I should be, too" button.
The above is just one of the tactics discussed in the ebook "Forbidden Psychological Tactics". There are
many other useful tactics you will learn.
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