How MSPs Can Boost Sales Using Social Proof

Social proof is the idea that the actions and opinions of others influence our decisions. Sometimes that’s because we want to fit in, often it’s because we trust the judgment and experience of others. 

Social proof includes things like reviews, testimonials, case studies and public or personal recommendations. 

Absolutely! Trust runs throughout the entire sales and marketing process. Any MSP is selling trust first and foremost; the IT part is almost secondary.

A new client is effectively handing over the keys to their kingdom, including all their sensitive data. They need to de-risk that decision as much as possible. So anything you can do to demonstrate that you are a trustworthy, reputable business is absolutely key.

That’s right. Social proof is essential for developing trust and de-risking decisions. One way to persuade people that you’re the right organization to partner with is to demonstrate that you’re already doing a good job for similar businesses. 

Social proof must also be relevant to your target market. That may mean it features the same region, type of work or size of client—whatever will resonate with prospective customers.

It can be hard when you’re just starting out. You may need to gather social proof about yourself as an individual, perhaps from previous jobs, to demonstrate your trustworthiness and reputation. 

Then a first step for all MSPs should be collecting Google reviews—they’re the lifeblood of many small businesses and absolutely essential.

It all depends on the size and age of your business, but aim for 30 as a minimum and go from there

Ask your current list of clients, but don’t email everybody at once. It needs to be an organic process or you will be penalized by Google. 

Remember, as an MSP or IT business, you’ll likely have a service desk and be interacting with clients all day. There’s normally tons of marketing gold coming through in those ticket threads, so don’t miss out on it. 

Make your technicians aware of what to do if a client gives praise at the end of a project or after you’ve solved a difficult ticket. Collect those quotes and ask if they’d be happy giving a Google business review.

You need to feature social proof on your website. That can be as simple as some short quotes from happy clients. Start with 10, then build it out. 

Create written case studies and interviews. Video testimonials are also really powerful.

There can be a reluctance to ask, especially in the UK and some European countries. At Wingman, we work with customers across the English-speaking world, and our US clients wouldn’t think twice about asking for a testimonial. 

Once you have a testimonial you’re proud of, make the most of it. Shout it from the rooftops! There’s no point in having it if you’re not going to share it with people, and social media can be great for that.  

Punctuate proposals with nuggets of social proof, alongside the numbers and the spec. It shows that you are a company worth doing business with. 

Use social proof elsewhere in the sales process, too. Send a little note to a prospect, saying, “This brand-new testimonial has just come in, and I thought you might be interested to see it.” That’s much better than a typical chasing email. 

And tailor the testimonials you share to the client, so they have the right kind of social proof to support their decision.

Establish a process to collect social proof as part of your day-to-day operations. Once they start to naturally flow in, life becomes a lot easier.  

Don’t forget that ‘happy customers’ page on your website. If you don’t have one right now, set yourself a goal to have half a dozen testimonials in three months’ time. 

Don’t be shy—if you’re doing a good job, then 99 % of people will be very happy to help. So just ask!