3 ways estate agencies can leverage social proof in their marketing efforts.

We all value the opinion of others – the more people believe in something, the more we are likely to take notice of it. There’s good reason for this. We can save a lot of time in following the actions of others instead of making an independent evaluation ourselves. More times than not this pays off since the collective wisdom of a crowd usually beats the wisdom of an individual. Social proof leverages this ‘follow the crowd’ characteristic of human nature to influence the behaviour of consumers.

So how can estate agents leverage social proof? The likelihood is that they already do it everyday. For example showing properties in window displays as sold tells prospective customers; “Look! Loads of other buyers already trust us and are doing business with us, why wouldn’t you trust us too?”. However there are other more sophisticated means of harnessing the power of social proof, here are a few ideas.

1. Optimise your language. By telling clients how the majority of other similarly positioned clients behave you are likely to influence their behaviour. For example comments such as ‘this is our most popular option’ or ‘people are usually prepared to pay £x for this’ or ‘we handle people in your situation all the time’, are all likely to have this effect.

2. Work your testimonials. Testimonials and recommendations are the most wide-spread form of social proof. They’re powerful too – a recent survey found that 90% of customers are influenced by online recommendations. Therefore it’s essential that you make your testimonials as accessible to potential clients as possible. The good thing is that social media has made it easier than ever to amplify and archive your most glowing recommendations.

3. Safety in numbers. Telling prospective clients how many people have already successfully used your service can be a persuasive tool. An example of a company who are great at this are Amazon. By telling you that ‘221 customers have already bought this’, it makes you think ‘well surely it’s got to be good then?’. Why not remind your customers of how many successful sales you’ve completed this month?

Social proof is a powerful and complex marketing tool that still remains relatively unexploited. However there’s a balance to be struck between broadcasting yourself and remaining authentic. What’s more, social proof can also work the other way and reinforce negative behaviours too, read this to find out how leveraging social proof can backfire!

Originally posted on Propertyflock, a new and easy to use one-stop hub for marketing your estate agency.

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Popping the Asking Price Bubble

Where in the Uk Can Buyers Snap Up Property Bargains and Where Properties Go for a Premium Above Asking Price   New research from fast selling property company, Upstix has uncovered the UK’s most surprising postcodes for snapping up a property at bargain prices this year, highlighting a widening gap between sellers’ expectations and the…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Highest demand to lease office space since pre-pandemic

The latest insights from the UK’s number one commercial property website Rightmove, reveals that the number of unique enquiries to lease office space is at its highest point since pre-pandemic, as businesses look for spaces that meet modern requirements. Demand to lease office space is 19% higher than the same period a year ago and…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Estate Agent Talk

Planning consultations for major infrastructure to be streamlined

Robert Bruce, a planning and infrastructure partner at law firm Freeths LLP, said he: “Welcomed the change as a significant step to speeding up the DCO process and the focus on the quality and effectiveness of the consultation, rather than box ticking and a risk averse approach to pre-application consultation due to the current legal…
Read More
Breaking News

‘The property ladder pulls further away’ warns Open Property Group

For many first-time buyers across England, the dream of homeownership continues to slip further out of reach. Despite rising wages, soaring house prices are making it harder than ever to get on the property ladder. A leading UK professional house buying company ‘Open Property Group’ based in Buckinghamshire UK, has raised concerns over the ongoing…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How Long It Takes to Buy a House in the UK: 5 Common Delays That Can Slow Down Your Home Purchase

Wondering how long it takes to buy a house in the UK? The average timeline ranges from 8 to 22 weeks, but even that can stretch significantly due to unexpected delays, especially if you’re a first-time buyer or caught in a chain. That’s why working with experienced professionals like Belvoir — one of the UK’s…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove to host Renters’ Rights Bill webinar with Guild of Lettings

Rightmove is hosting a live and interactive webinar session with the Guild of Lettings to help agents get Renters’ Rights Ready. The webinar will take place from 10:00am – 11:00am on Wednesday 23rd April. Susie Crolla, Managing Director for the Guild of Lettings, will be joining Rightmove to help agents with questions they may have about…
Read More