When unsure how to act, people copy others, outsourcing their own decisions to others. Not only is this true when choosing a shop, or a cafe, but in weddings as well.
When Sylvan Goldman invented shopping trolleys, people didn’t want to use them because they seemed silly. So Goldman paid actors to use trolleys in his stores, and everyone quickly followed the trend. Can you imagine a shopping centre without trolleys today!? All it took was a few paid actors and it took off.
When the Kyle and Jackie O radio show first launched on breakfast radio in Sydney they had a team of paid staff in a room every morning “calling in” to the radio show for the first few months to show listeners what a listener to Kyle and Jackie O sounded like. What kind of stories they told, how they told them. Australia’s most popular radio show ever was born from that.
So in your celebrancy business, how can you employ social proof?
Here’s some simple things I do:
- I'll casually mention, in a very humble and under assumed manor, that I've "just been at a wedding" or similar phrases when I am talking to couples enquiring with me.
- Tag venues, couples, vendors, in social media stories and posts in the hope they might re-share them. Mention to them you'll do this so they. keep an eye out for them.
- Request reviews in the places they matter, Google and Facebook, so people are always seeing recent reviews.
- Make sure you post on social media regularly so if someone views your page the last post wasn't 12 months ago.
- Share behind the scenes content online, showing how the sausage is made.
Originally published on the Celebrant Institute: https://celebrant.institute/marketing/the-law-of-social-proof-and-celebrancy/.