Lead generation techniques have seen a significant transformation in recent years, as marketing and sales strategies move further into the digital realm. One constant, however, is the effectiveness of contact pages to produce leads, as this has been — and still is — a crucial part of any business.
You have probably read all of the stats about testimonials and populated your site with customer success stories so that you too could reap benefits like these:
Have you ever considered the fact that endorsements from customers can actually do most of your selling for you?
Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful driving forces in the market. According to the 2012 Nielsen Global Trust In Advertising Survey:
89% of buyers admit that their buying decisions are influenced by positive reviews and customer testimonials, and 88% of customers trust testimonials as much as a recommendation from a friend or family member. In fact, customer testimonials are the most effective form of user-generated content today.
Endorsement advertising is probably one of the oldest ways to influence consumers. From the days of early press advertising:
“Nine out of 10 mothers who use Acme Super Strength Energy Pills to help them through the day can’t be wrong!”
Running your own freelance business comes with a lot of perks. For starters, you don’t have to deal with a commute. You can choose your own hours. Comfortable in your PJ’s? Go ahead and spend all day wearing them. Have a dentist’s appointment in the middle of the afternoon? Not a problem.
There are many people out there who are interested in enrolling in an online course or two. Perhaps they would like to expand their knowledge on a certain topic, learn a new hobby, or get a degree, and an online course seems like a great way to do it.
The “Online Report Card: Tracking Online Education in the United States” has found that the number of students taking online courses has grown to 5.8 million nationally, continuing a growth trend that has been consistent for 13 years.
What’s more, 34% of those who study online are under the age of 25, indicating that more and more students are choosing to study for their degrees online as opposed to traditional in-person learning.
When someone you know recommends a restaurant, you are more likely to dine there than if you just stumbled upon an ad online, right?
Even positive feedback from a stranger will earn trust points because reviews show that the product has been tried and found to be worthwhile (or not). A 2014 consumer survey confirmed that more than 85% of consumers rely on online reviews and customer testimonials when researching local businesses.
Social proof is a key aspect of marketing that can make or break your business.
But what is social proof?
According to Wikipedia, it is based on a psychological phenomenon “where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior in a given situation.”