On with the continuation of my Product Launch Formula! Well let me take something that is simple to talk about. Yesterday, I talked about brand and credibility via video. Sure you got someones trust but how trust worth are you? Who else knows you?
Tonight as a matter of fact, while I am still up - we can talk about social proof. Social proof is important because you want to be seen as an expert in your field. Use this as an example, you just landed off a long plane trip and now you are going to grab your luggage to go home. Do you look up at the signs or just follow everyone else? A good percentage probably would just follow the crowd.
This is because we just follow everyone else, we trust their judgment. Why because everyone else is. We tend to just follow the crowd when we are lost, the internet is huge so everyone is lost. We look for that 'proof' or that crowd to tell us who is better than another.
Another example, you are at the movies, there are 2 lines, one being longer than the other. What do you think is happening? Which movie do you think is better? Even before knowing the title or asking who is starring, you can pre judge.
The same goes on the internet, we read a blog that is interesting because we see someones RSS readers are far more greater than someone eases. We tend to follow the crowd, in essence we are all followers. Social proof gives you your image right away. On my recent launch, for Twitter Snipe, I wanted to make sure I get social proof. Why? It is simple, it is a social product made for the social marketer or brander. It wouldn't make sense if I didn't have any sort of social proof, especially from twitter.
With social proof you can sway a decision pretty easily. One can gain 100% trust in you or call it suspect. With all these users talking about your product and getting a good response from them, you are creating a social atmosphere which everyone wants. Again, everyone is lost on the internet.
Now how do you get social proof? If you have seen some tactics from Jeff Walker, Mike Filsaime, Joel Comm, John Reese. Brad Callen, etc - they create a hysteria. Hype marketing is important in the beginning of launch phase because you want to get everyone involved. Similar to Buzz marketing, Buzz marketing happens prior to Hype marketing.
It is fairly simple to get social proof ask! But what if you do not have a follow or list? Simple give them a reason or create a contest. Contests is the best way or giving something away to create the buzz or hype in order to get social proof. In the past social proof was made via comments. Prior to product launches some sites would get 400 comment responses, now do you think you feel more comfortable watching and reading all these comments. Do you think these comments on the site create that auto trust factor and credibility? Ofcourse it does.
By simply creating a hype where everyone wants to interact is the best way to create yur social proof, these users are interacting and creating the brand and credibility for you. As far as my product launch, I asked twitter users and twitter marketers. I did this without a huge list and with a brand new twitter account, no help from blogs or news sites. Just pure hype marketing.
Remember when someone sees any of your sites they want to see some sort of trust or some sort of crediblity. Comments on blogs shows activity, high rss readers - shows interested readers, pictures with marketing guys - shows your networking skills, etc. Gather your site for some social proof and you can definitely create your brand and crediblity with ease and also see an increase in sales.
