In the world of marketing, understanding customer psychology is a crucial element of a successful campaign. One such psychological phenomenon that marketers often leverage is 'social proof,' the idea that people tend to mimic the actions of others when they are unsure about what to do.
Dr. Natanya Wachtel, a behavioral psychologist, and expert in customer-centric marketing strategies, believes social proof has the power to draw attention like a moth to a flame. In one of her newsletters for Medtech + Mindset, she further discussed the phenomenon, educating others about its capacity.
Dr. Natanya has a Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology with training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming – such distinguished background with extensive experience as a therapist allows her to consolidate her understanding of the human mind with business models. Through her company New Solutions Network, she has brought the best human-centric marketing solution to her clients. Hundreds of her clients testify to her knowledge of marketing combined with human behavior.
She joined MedTech + Mindset, a leading venture providing a community for experts and learners to know about the latest development in the medical sector. Their live events and newsletters have been of immense help to medical professionals looking for cutting-edge ideas. Dr. Natanya joining such a well-curated initiative truly enhanced its scope. She has penned numerous newsletters for the site, spilling her genius for themasses.
The Power of Social Proof
In her newsletter, Dr. Natanya Wachtel elaborates on the power of social proof and how it influences human behavior in the context of marketing. She cites Robert Cialdini, who characterized "trusting others and imitating their actions" as social proof in his acclaimed book Influence.
Dr. Natanya further explains the concept with a simple example when we go out to enjoy a nice meal, we naturally gravitate towards restaurants with more customers. This is because we tend to assume that others have made a good choice and we should follow their actions.
She elaborates on the psychological reason behind this phenomenon, "As we come across new information and experiences, examining everything from the start would take an enormous amount of time. Our brains seek a hack. When we are unsure about something, we simply notice how others view the situation. We assume that they are doing the right thing, and we simply imitate their actions. In fact, most of the time, this assumption works quite well and helps us avoid mistakes."
Another reason would be a desire to remain complicit with the social norms. We do not want to be the odd one out, so we prefer to adopt and mimic other people's acceptable and tested ways.
By pointing out this dominant attitude of humans, Dr. Natanya shows the power that influence can have on customers. Companies can increase the demand for their products by giving people social proof that others are enjoying this product, so they must consume it too.
Employing Social Proof in Marketing
Dr. Natanya Wachtel suggests a few ways to employ the power of social proof in marketing. One way is to show positive reviews and the number of shares that posts and products are getting. This can generate a sense of trust in potential customers and increase the demand for the product.
Another strategy is employing influencers and authority figures in the specific niche to gain significant testimonies. Lastly, a simple yet effective way is to generate a sense of unity.
Dr. Natanya explains that we are social animals looking for inclusion in social groups thus, by using phrases like 'join our community,' you can influence more potential customers.
By leveraging this psychological phenomenon in marketing campaigns, companies can increase the demand for their products and services.
Dr. Natanya has a lot more to share on this and various other topics. You can follow her on LinkedIn to access more of her educational content. You can access more of MindTech + Mindset newsletters by clicking here.
