6 Psychological Hacks That Get More Referrals

6 Psychological Hacks That Get More Referrals

It’s no secret that social media has radically changed how businesses sell and interact with customers. What hasn’t changed is the underlying psychology of why people make purchases in the first place.

So without delving into the scientific and moral arguments behind social psychology (it might involve mother, don’t want to go there), here are 6 universal traits of shoppers to leverage for more customer referrals:

1. Social Proof:

As human beings we tend to look at what others are doing as a way of resolving personal insecurities when making a decision. Put simply, if people you trust are doing it, it must be the right thing to do.

While this concept has been around forever, the advent of social media has made it a lot easier to leverage. Online activities like retweets, likes and shares influence others’ experiences by lending legitimacy to your brand.

It’s pretty obvious how this relates to the power of customer referrals. In fact, 81% of customers consult family and friends on social networking sites before making a purchase.

With the right referral program software in place, you’ll have content shared across the web, lending proof to the utility of your brand for the world to see.

2. Authority:

We’ve all been there: you’re deciding between a couple of different options, but just can’t make up your mind. Well, which one has the highest review? People have a tendency to look towards authority figures for advice, making a strong, engaged community of brand ambassadors crucial to getting authoritative buzz.

3. Scarcity:

The harder something is to get, the more people want it. Because just like in high school, being the only person with a hip new gadget immediately makes you the coolest person in the room.

It comes down to a person’s tendencies to see less available products as more valuable; a feeling of exclusivity is more important than people would like to believe. Considering that 77% of online shoppers like getting exclusive offers to redeem via Facebook, offering the right incentive to make customers feel special can be the ticket to getting more likes, shares and referrals.

4. Like:

This is similar to Authority and Social Proof but instead focuses on recommendations from people we actually know. There are stats to back this up: 50% of online shoppers make purchases based on the people they follow/like on social networks.

Peer-to-peer referrals are the most powerful driver of purchasing decisions and offering incentives to share deals and reviews with your friends online is the best way to make them happen.

5. Consistency:

62% of online shoppers are brand loyal and only buy from brands they respect and trust. In uncertain situations, we tend to go with the options that are consistent with past behavior.

So step one: build a strong network of brand ambassadors; step 2: keep these people engaged and satisfied with your product. Consistency in quality and message is extremely important from a psychological perspective.

Keeping customers loyal will keep them engaged with your brand and more likely to spread the word to their friends.

6. Reciprocity:

People like to repay favors and this underlying desire prompts customers to share offers with their social network and family members. Give something of value to your best customers and they’ll pay it back by driving more people to your brand.

Whether we admit it or not, all of us are beholden to basic psychological principles when coming to decisions about online purchases; resistance is futile, it’s in our nature.

By now you’re probably thinking, “this blog is an authority, I should listen” (or, maybe not). So let us know, what makes you passionate about a product? It may not be for the reasons you think…