Why do some surgeons charge 3-5X more than other surgeons; and do they have a waiting list?
Why do shopkeepers in our industry pay celebrities a ton of money to tout their lasers?
Because they know the work of social proof marketing!
What is Social Proof Marketing?
Influence: According to Robert Cialdini, author of The Psychology of Perseverance, "We find a behavior to be more accurate in a particular situation than we see others do."
This means that when potential cosmetic patients are unsure about what to do, they look to other people around them whom they trust (or want to be) such as specialists, Celebrities, friends, etc.
People also make decisions based on their overall perception of someone. For example:
We think that whatever experts use is great because they are probably more knowledgeable in their field of expertise than we are.
We buy celebrity-certified products because we want to look like them.
We rely on user reviews because they have experienced the opposite product or service.
5 types of social proof
Expert: Expert social proof occurs when an expert in your industry recommends your product or service or is associated with your brand. Example: Another reliable plastic surgeon supports you.
Celebrity: Celebrity is social proof when a celebrity endorses your product. Example: Any Kardashian sings your praises.
Consumer: Consumer social proof is when your existing customers suggest your products and services based on their experiences with your brand. Example: Your current patients are proud of you on their social platforms.
The Wisdom of Your Friends: This type of social proof occurs when people see their friends approving your product or service. Example: Seeing your friends using your services and/or following you on social media.
Certification: This type of social proof occurs when you are given the seal of approval by an authoritative person/group in your industry. Example: Vote Top Post or Castle Connolly Validation.
It's interesting to know these strategies but how do you incorporate them to differentiate your brand and status? coming up….
5 Ways to Increase Your Social Evidence
Be creative and don't be afraid to share your successes. What you value is a great deal for potential cosmetic patients who are trying to figure out who is the best choice to implement these strategies to stand out:
Celebrate the milestone.
Thank your user or follower for the milestone. Reaching the milestone is a fun time to celebrate and a great time to thank the patients who helped you reach it.
Here are some milestones you can celebrate with your audience:
Reached X patients and served.
X-ray surgery was performed.
Reaching X followers on your social media profile
Practice birthdays.
Spread the word by sharing on your social media platforms, send e-blasts to your existing patients, display in-house gestures, and highlight them on your website.
Use micro-influencer marketing.
Since you may not be able to get Kardashian as social proof of your celebrity, the next best thing is this.
Use your existing patients in a particular area with strong social media influence. This is more authentic when they actually worked through you. Give them special value to help you improve your practice.
Ask your staff about their social followers as they interact with their patients or check their stats on Instagram and Facebook and ask them how they got so many followers. They will be happy to brag about it.
Reviews
There are a lot of patient reviews in our industry. The most effective way to get reviews is to ask when the patient has recovered and is excited about their new look.
But make things easier for them. If they don't have a Gmail account, set up one for them. If they don't know what to say, give them introductory sentences like this:
I wanted plastic surgery because I was unhappy with my ______________
I chose Dr. Smith because _______________
Dr. Smith and his staff were _________ during my surgical journey.
How do I feel now ____________________
This is a patient story that is very interesting for other potential patients who also want to experience this story.
Before / after photos
Cosmetic patients like to "see" and "as good as possible" your work.
Develop a protocol (as you do for surgery) to get your patients consenting before and after photographs.
Set up a photo room or corner/corner with the same lighting and angles in your practice so that your photos look uniform and professional.
Even if they are not willing to broadcast their pictures all over the internet, they may be fine if you show them to potential patients during their consultation.
And here's a tip about pictures; a potential patient wants to see himself in your pictures
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