As of this writing, we still don’t know why the shooting took place. We don’t know if, or how, the vitriol spewed by politicians and broadcasters may have contributed to the event. But, I think we are foolish to believe that the words, and especially the energy, of these people had no effect whatsoever on the killer.

Perhaps Laughner has been unstable for years. It may be that he’s suffered from some kind of psychotic break that could have been treated. But, to say that the anger, hatred and violent metaphors that have been used lately by politicians and political pundits on both sides of the fence had no effect on Laughner’s actions is absurd.

Your Message Isn’t Just What You Say

Think of a recent situation in which you walked into a room and felt an immediate sense of panic or fear. Now, remember walking into a room filled with laughter and smiles.

It’s no secret to psychologists that a patient will take on the mannerisms and style of the therapist. Therapists are also taught that this transference goes both ways, and that they can feel the anger, frustration, or fear of the patient.

Carl Jung talked about the “Collective Unconscious” and firmly believed in the ability of a small group of individuals to alter the consciousness of the entire planet.

And some quantum physicists propose that there exists the ability to communicate across time and space instantaneously on a quantum level.

Any way you slice it, we’re all impacted in some way by the underlying beliefs and feelings of the people to whom we listen. It’s not just the words that make an impact.

You can feel the level of confidence of your interviewee, regardless of what’s on the resume or what he says. You know when someone is trying to pull a fast one on you, even if the words say otherwise.

The politicians who feel victimized by those who point to the angry or violent words they’ve used should be ashamed of themselves. If you spend your time yelling at your kid or teaching him that violence is acceptable, will you be surprised that he turns out to be a violent person?

We communicate with each other through words, images, and body language. We also communicate the underlying feelings we have when we present the verbal or written message. You’ll know what I mean when you consider how you “feel” when you listen to, watch, or read the words of people in powerful positions.

You’ll feel the anger of the person who feels victimized. You’ll feel the remorse of the person who understands his human failings. And, you’ll feel the delight of someone who is truly enjoying life.

These deeper feelings sink in and have an impact on us, whether we’re willing to accept that fact or not. Like gravity, it just is. There’s nothing we can do about it.

I could continue and make a marketing message out of this, but that feels wrong. I’ll just leave you with John Lennon’s words of wisdom…

Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

Really?

And, does he believe that one should handle every Email message, text message, or instant message the moment it arrives because it might be too important to miss?

For years, productivity experts have urged us to focus, eliminate distractions, and stop multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is the bane of productivity, which is why top executives have their assistants answer all of their incoming text-based messages.

We get far more accomplished by focusing on one thing for a reasonable amount of time, and social networking demands quite the opposite.

When I was a business coach, I had a client who insisted that his job depended on answering every single Email and instant message within minutes of receiving the message. He was simultaneously scared to death that he’d lose his job because he wasn’t getting his work done. Duh.

A Way Out of the Rabbit Hole of Social Networking

While it’s true that social networking and social media use will increase in the coming years, and they’ll become more integrated into our daily lives, we DO NOT need them to be productive.

Proponents say that social networking/social media improves collaboration by offering us instant group communication and sharing. I won’t argue that point, but I can’t think of a single job outside of the social media/social networking department that needs instant communication to be productive.

I would argue that instant communication gets in the way of productivity because it has people zigging and zagging when they should be spending more time going in a straight line. Collaboration is important to staying ahead of the fast-paced world we live in today, but it’s not the thing that’s going to make or break your company.

The primary difference between a company like Apple, who always seems to come out with winners, to all the Apple wannabe’s is that Apple stays focused. You won’t see them jumping down the rabbit hole of new technology just because it’s new. They get things done because they create a strategy and stick with it, even in the wake of public outrage over things like Flash (Adobe).

Saying that we need Facebook and Twitter to remain competitive is like thinking that every wave that rolls into shore is representative of the direction of the ocean. It doesn’t work that way.

My sense is that the most successful companies of the future will use social media and social networking effectively, but not exclusively. They’ll set a course, and use social networking to make mild course changes, if at all. Those who roll with every wave will find themselves gasping for air within months.

And, my advice is to use social networking/social media wisely. Use them to stay in touch, but don’t think that they’ll ever replace a thoughtful strategy or good leadership.

Microsoft has unveiled their new Smartphone operating system, Windows Phone 7. So far, I haven’t seen much in the way of details, but if their advertising campaign is any indication, they’re going to focus on functionality over things like thousands of apps.

Microsoft’s ad campaign is clever, funny, and remarkably true to life.

It shows us using smartphones in an absurd, yet truthful way. If Microsoft gets their way, we’ll realize that we’re far too consumed by our phones… to the point where we are living our lives inside the phones instead of living our lives.

Microsoft Misses the Point

A young woman walks by our house daily with her dog (the park is a block away). She’s on her phone. Always. Every single time.

Is this obsessive use of a phone?

Last year Linda and I took a trip to Disneyland – on our own and without any kids in tow. We had a blast, but I had to wonder when the young woman in front of us on Splash Mountain was texting at the start of the ride. Sure enough, her phone got drenched, and she was surprised.

Is this obsessive use of texting?

And me… Well, I finally got my iPhone a few months ago. I love it. When I’m not working, riding my bike, paddling in the dragon boat, watching movies, or generally living my life, I’m playing with my phone.

I have the MLB (Major League Baseball) app so that I can watch Giants games. I let ESPN alert me when the Ducks or Gators score in their football games. And, I’ve got apps for all the major websites I visit routinely, like Mashable and Marketingprofs.

Am I obsessive?

The point Microsoft is trying to make is that “Our phone is more functional than the others.” They claim in other ads that “Ours is not another knockoff. It’s different.”

So what?

If we wanted functional, we’d go back to the old cell phones. That’s not what we want, and it’s not why the iPhone still dominates the market. I’ve talked to dozens of people who own other phones only because they hate AT&T. With Apple’s announcement that they’re building phones for Verizon, my guess is that we’ll see a huge increase in iPhone sales… just about the same time that Microsoft’s Mobile 7 becomes widely available.

Once again, Microsoft engineers think that they’ll dominate the market with functionality. My prediction is that once again they’ll be wrong. Sure, they’ll sell quite a few. They’re a big company with a lot of corporate followers. The integration with Office will help significantly as well.

Here’s what I think will happen:

Microsoft will reduce Google’s share of the mobile market, but they won’t touch Apple. Apple’s target market doesn’t want functionality. They want “cool.” While iPhone users definitely want their smartphones to do the job, they’ll stick with Apple for the cool factor.

My first glimpse of the Mobile 7 by Microsoft is that it’s trying too hard to be different without thinking about why. The user interface looks a bit clumsy, in spite of the fact that they are trying to make it simple.

I’ll have to wait until I see one for real to pass final judgment. In the meantime, enjoy Microsoft’s commercials. They’re pretty fun.

I saw “Social Network” yesterday… fantastic movie.

The acting was superb, and regardless of the relative truth of the story line, it was a thoroughly engaging film.

Knowing that I can’t possibly spoil the ending for anyone (you know how it turns out), I thought I’d summarize the movie from a pure marketing perspective.

What makes the movie so compelling?

It’s one of those movies that sticks with you throughout the night. I dreamt about it, woke up thinking about it, and once again it was a subject of conversation with my wife at breakfast.

Like a short video or Twitter post that goes viral, the movie presents us with conflicting, yet powerful emotions. We don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or scream at the screen. It’s both uncomfortable and familiar, and that’s what makes it so compelling.

It’s “real life” drama that shows humans being humans. A part of you wants to root for the poor, socially inept geek. But, when he demonstrates the darker sides of his genius, you want to whack him upside the head… while still rooting for him.

That the story itself is true (or, at least a reasonable facsimile of the truth from what we’re led to believe), is irrelevant. You don’t honestly think that the “Reality” shows on TV are “true,” do you?

What’s relevant – and interesting from a marketing perspective – is how the story does such a great job of triggering a hodgepodge of conflicting emotions.

Conflict is essential to a good story, just as it is useful in marketing. A protagonist who is conflicted is both more real to us and more compelling. We can see ourselves in that person – the good and the bad. While I certainly can’t compare my level of intelligence to the founders of Facebook, I can relate to the angst and confusion they faced.

That’s why the movie sticks with you. You need to resolve the angst, the frustration, the anger. You need to come to terms with the conflicted feelings of love and hate, fear and hope, and spiteful jealousy versus empathy.

The characters in the movie feel all these conflicting emotions, and by getting you to feel those same emotions, they succeed in keeping the movie alive in your mind for quite some time.

If you can create these same kinds of conflicted feelings with your marketing, you’ll have a winner. Two recent advertising campaigns come to mind:

1. The Old Spice guy; and,
2. The “Most interesting man in the world” from Dos Equis.

Both ad campaigns create conflicted feelings. If you’re a man, you envy both men in the ads, and the same time will feel a bit of anger or resentment of the implication that you’re neither interesting nor studly.

I can’t speak for the conflict a woman might feel, but I can guarantee you that the conflicted emotions are there. The commercials would not have had the impact they had without the creation of some conflicted emotions.

So, here’s my advice to you: Go enjoy the movie. Have fun. Then, think about how it made you feel, and in particular think about the conflicted emotions you feel toward the protagonists in the movie. Then, see if you can create some of this kind of conflict in your marketing.

I realized today why Twitter bothers me so much.

It’s not just that I think it’s a royal waste of time, or that it’s heaven for Narcissists. And, I don’t believe that I avoid Twitter because I’m too old to understand its value.

I simply get all my social connection needs met by Facebook, and in a much friendlier and less intrusive way.

Now, as far as my business goes, I haven’t seen any reason at all to use Twitter. I recently launched my Facebook business page and set it up so that my blog posts automatically post to my Wall (on the business page).

I bring this up because Twitter recently announced a brand new interface. Their big AH-HA idea is that we’ll want to read through all the threads for any given Tweet. That is, I can see an interesting Tweet, click on it, and up pops a window with all ReTweets and responses to the original Tweet.

How clever!

So, I can follow the thread of a conversation.

Wow!

Oh, wait… I can do that easily on my iPhone with the Facebook App. If I see a message that’s particularly interesting, and I also see that there are responses (messages) from others, I can read them all with one click.

The Real Reason I Don’t Use Twitter

I don’t tend to use technology just because it’s there. I also have an active and full life. Thus, I carefully select which business pages I follow on Facebook. I’ll also subscribe to their RSS feeds and browse the latest entries with Google Reader.

It takes me just minutes every day to see what’s new from the friends and businesses I care about. I don’t have to apply filters, or waste my time seeing hundreds of “ReTweets” of the same message.

It’s all right there… inside of Facebook, and ready for me to read when or if I have the time. As far as I can see, Facebook does everything Twitter does and does it in a far superior way. And, since I’m not the kind of guy who has two toaster, two dishwashers, or two lawn mowers (I don’t even have one), it makes no sense for me to use both Facebook and Twitter.

And How This Applies to Being in Business

Twitter and Facebook are appliances — tools that we use to enhance or further communication with a targeted audience (our friends, businesses we like, and colleagues).

As a business person, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend the time and money it takes to operate two appliances that essentially do the same thing. You wouldn’t equip every desk with two computers, two chairs, or two identical sets of file drawers. Why use two software tools that do the same thing?

Now, some may argue that you’ll reach a wider audience by using both, and that may be true (although I doubt it). The real question as a business person is whether or not your target customer is actively using Twitter. I’d venture a guess that it is far more likely your customers and the major influencers in your industry are using Facebook than using Twitter.

Think about it. Let me know if you agree or disagree.

Until someone proves unequivocally that there is a real financial benefit to spending time on Twitter, I’m going to remain a naysayer.

Convince me I’m wrong.

I’ve been watching the local and national elections from a different perspective this year.

I don’t believe a word any of them are saying.

See, I’m one of those old guys who reads the daily paper every morning. You know — the real thing that’s made from (recycled) wood products. Every morning I read both the editorial pages and a special section they call “Politi-Fact.” It’s a truth-o-meter system they’ve installed whereby they evaluate things our elected officials and wannabes are judged for the veracity of their statements.

Rarely do I see anything above “Half Truth,” and the pages are mostly filled with lies, more lies and damn lies.

So, because I have a hard time believing that what politicians say is based in fact, I like to follow their campaigns from the perspective of a copywriter.

Take this statement that I received today from the Democratic Party in an Email:

“Look, you don’t need a Ouija board to predict that GOP control would mean: privatizing Social Security, privatizing Medicare, privatizing veterans benefits and ending unemployment benefits. No billionaire will be left behind. Insurance companies will be back in control your health care. And Wall Street will be allowed to go back to playing Russian roulette with our economy — aided by trillions in our Social Security funds.”

If you read this statement purely for its copywriting value, it’s well done. The statement is targeted specifically to Democrats, and in particular, those who “fear” Republican control and/or are firmly against the wealthy, Insurance companies and Wall Street.

It is designed to incite action in the form of a donation to the party cause. “They” (Democrats and Republicans alike) aren’t concerned about disseminating the truth. What’s important to them is that they raise the hackles of their faithful enough to get money and win the race.

Maybe it’s not all lies…

That’s not to say that there isn’t some truth to what the various candidates and their parties are saying. That’s the beauty of reading these things from a copywriter’s perspective.

There is just enough “truth” to their statements to lend some credibility. If you’re a believer, you won’t outright reject the statement because it “rings true” enough to justify your feelings – the same feelings that they are intentionally provoking!

Well-written copy does exactly that. It feels true enough to be believable. You don’t have to check the facts because the statement is in agreement with your general philosophy.

Even when the opposition says, “That’s a lie!” the damage has already been done.

So, when the letter from the Democratic Party goes on to say, “We’ll lose control of our fiscal destiny when they give another $700 billion in tax cuts to millionaires,” they say something that is both inflammatory and believable (to a Democrat).

Likewise, the Republicans will turn that same statement around to claim that if the Democrats stay in power, they’ll “give yet another $700 billion to Wall Street.”

Honestly, and this is indeed the truth, politics has become the dregs of the copywriting world… at least in my humble opinion. It’s great writing. I love reading it.

But, it also makes me sick to know that so much raw talent is being wasted on intentionally stretching the truth and telling outright lies for the sake of money and power.

And, with that, I’ll crawl back into my 1960′s love and peace bubble and try to write truthful copy on which I can hang my moral high-ground hat.

I’ve honestly been struggling with the whole Social Networking thing.

While I’m quite content rolling along solo on a country road on my bike, or hiking up the Columbia River Gorge trails in both solitude and silence, I grit my teeth when I have to attend a big social function.

Sure, I enjoy myself, and often engage in interesting and enjoyable conversations. But, I’m anything buy outgoing and charismatic.

And, so, here I am… a copywriter who knows enough about using social media to help my clients get effective use out of their online marketing, but who is also a bit reluctant to dive in head first myself.

Well, here I go. I’ll take a deep breath, point my arms to the sky, and leap off the board.

Overcoming the Fear of Being Socially Inept

Actually, I’ve only met a few socially inept people. Many shy folks, but few socially inept.

A number of years ago I would have said that I was socially inept, and I remember the turning point quite clearly. I was sitting with my sister-in-law, trying to answer her probing, invasive questions.

Although I was in my 20′s, I answered mono-syllabically as if I was a pimply-faced pre-teen. After a few trying minutes, she stood, said, “Well, if you’re not interested in having a conversation, then I’ll find someone who will.” And, off she walked.

I was shocked… mortified, in fact.

Only later did I realize the gift she’d given me. She wasn’t probing, and she most certainly wasn’t asking invasive questions. She genuinely wanted to know about me.

This was the great revelation… that others might actually be interested in me and what I had to say.

Shy people, and this is a generalization, are terrified to share themselves with others. Deep down, they believe that they are simply not interesting people, but they really, REALLY want to be interesting.

The social sphere is filled with uninteresting people who believe they are interesting. What’s truly fascinating to me is that it’s often the shy, more reserved people who say the most interesting things.

Taking the Leap That’s Really a Small Step

I won’t pretend to be interesting, provocative, or anything other than who I am. That’s both a blessing and a challenge.

In social networking, internet marketing, and any medium in which success depends on reaching thousands of people simultaneously, it seems that you need to have a big persona to make a splash.

“Big” isn’t the same as flamboyant or controversial. As a copywriter, Bob Bly is neither flamboyant nor controversial, but he is a big persona because he projects extreme confidence. He believes in himself and what he does.

The biggest stumbling block for me, and I suspect for the majority of small business owners, entrepreneurs and freelancers, is that we’re intimidated by the big persona people. We think that we have to be like them to succeed.

That, I have discovered, is simply not true.

I, you, or any of us “shy” folks don’t have to leap off the high bridge of social networking without a parachute. All we have to do is take a few small steps at a time and keep going.

We might never get fame and glory, or get more Twitter followers that Lady Gaga, but we can overcome the fears that keep us from stepping out into the digital social circles.

All we have to do is share because we want to… because maybe, just maybe, something we say might lift the spirits of a colleague or help someone solve a vexing problem they’ve struggled with for days.

And For Me, This Means…

I’ve got my personal Facebook account, on which I occasionally post photos and post updates. I’ve also got my brand new Facebook business page, on which you will see frequent updates.

On LinkedIn, I focus on answering questions and helping others. I’m not really trying to be a social butterfly, but I love helping people. It gives me tremendous satisfaction.

And, I’m still not using Twitter. While there’s the occasional business who finds temporary success with Twitter, I think it’s mostly a big, fast waste of time. When people want to follow a business today, they do it on Facebook.

So, go ahead…

“Like” my Facebook business page and connect with me on LinkedIn.

The Internet has made it possible for even the shyest person to become something of a social butterfly today.

He said, quite candidly, that his clients really didn’t know sh*t about getting referrals.

We spoke for a few minutes longer, but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he’d hit on the “Big Idea” of his marketing efforts. So, I probed a bit…

“Do your clients think they know how to get referrals?” I asked.

“Yeah… they roll their eyes and say they’ve been there, done that.”

I was curious, though. His niche market is helping landscape companies and designers to get new clients, mostly by way of referrals.

“If they already know all about referral marketing, then why do they need you?”

“Simple,” he said. “For one, they never actually do it. Secondly, they’re consistently not doing the one thing that will always get them the best referrals.”

“In other words,” I replied, “They don’t know sh*t about getting referrals.”

“Exactly!”

Where this is headed…

I proposed to my client that he rename his seminar, “You Don’t Know Sh*t About Getting Referrals!”

He laughed… then thought about it. It took him all of about 10 seconds to agree, and with a hearty guffaw, he knew that we’d hit on something important.

“But,” he said, “I can’t tell them my little secret about referrals because they’ll just say that they knew that already.”

“Would they do what you tell them to do?” I asked.

“Well, no…”

“Then they still don’t know sh*t, do they?”

And, getting to the crux of the matter…

What my client suddenly realized was that the reason his business existed was as much to do for the client what the client would’t do for themselves, as it was to tell them what to do.

That’s the “Big Idea.” His clients really didn’t know squat about referrals until they were actively asking for and getting referrals.

The fact that any one of us knows “how” to do something is never an indication that we’ll actually do it.

If we all did what we knew how to do, we’d have a well-educated, extremely fit and healthy society. But, we don’t, and for good reason.

Knowledge isn’t really power. It’s more like the energy in a battery that will just go flat if left unused. That knowledge, like the battery, has to power something to be of any real use.

Thus, when I say that “you don’t know sh*t about marketing online,” I mean it in the nicest sense. You may know all about PPC, SEO, and Facebook pages. But if you’re not actively using what you know to propel your online marketing to new heights, then, well… you don’t know sh*t about marketing online.

Can you talk this way to your clients?

Sometimes the shock factor is sorely needed to get your point across. My client’s industry will absolutely love the concept. Others might not.

You might be slightly offended by my assertion. You may even be ticked off enough to express your hatred of me in a comment.

Think, though, about your own clients – those who hire you to do what they can’t or won’t do. You can argue the finer points of theory with them until the cows come home, but if nothing is getting done, then the truth is that they really don’t know sh*t.

You do, though. You know sh*t because it’s your job to “DO” for your clients.

See, it’s never about how much you know, but whether or not you put what you know into practical use or action.

That’s why, as a knowledge expert, you’re all about action. That’s the “Big Idea” for service and consulting companies. Your willingness to openly share your knowledge is the “battery power”, while your ability to do it for your clients is the machine that sets you apart.

So, go ahead. Tell your prospects that they don’t know sh*t. I did.

There’s nothing wrong with testimonials, mind you, but they’re simply not as effective as case studies in web marketing.

Here’s why I like case studies…

Take this testimonial:

“The people at Best Mart went over the top to help me avoid wasting my money on an inferior product. They are some of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever talked to about dog kennels.”

That’s a perfectly fine testimonial that gives you an idea about how friendly, warm, helpful, and knowledgeable the people at Best Mart are.

However, as a visitor to the website, there’s nothing in that testimonial to catch my attention, draw me into a conversation, or help me withmy problem.

In other words, there is no inherent value for me in the testimonial.

It helps if my decision to buy from Best Mart or their competitor comes down these factors. But, even then, there’s probably not much chance that I’m going to even read the testimonial on the web page.

Testimonials are often like white noise on web pages. They make for great fillers to break up long copy on a page, but they’re mostly skipped over.

Think about it…

Do you read the testimonials on a page?

There are two really good solutions to this love/hate relationship I have with testimonials:

1.  Convert your static website into a blog; and…

2.  Use case studies instead of testimonials.

Since this post is mostly about case studies, I’ll just touch on the first point. 

See, with a blog, you can disseminate helpful information about your products or services – information that adds value to the experience of your customers.

You can do the same thing with a Facebook page, but blogs give you far more control over what gets posted by your visitors.

Then, you encourage your customers to comment on your blog posts. If they make a positive comment about your product or service in a blog post, it holds far more value and credibility than the same statement inserted as a “testimonial” on a web page.

Now, on to case studies.

What is a Case Study?

The primary difference between a case study and a testimonial is that a case study provides some helpful information to the reader.

If, for example, I’m looking for a new dog kennel, and I run across a case study on Best Mart website that sounds just like my situation, I’m going to come away having learned something of value … and I’ll be much more likely to buy the kennel from Best Mart.

Let’s see if we can create a case study from our original testimonial…

Jane Doe called us with a dilemma we hear all too often: she was confused by the dozens of different dog kennels that were available and couldn’t decide which would be best for her and her pet.

We asked about her dog – breed, temperament, age, etc. After 25 years of selling dog kennels, we’ve found that certain brands, such as “Extreme Kennels” work much better for hyperactive dogs, while other brands like “Cozy Home” are best for the mellow breeds of dogs.

Jane explained that her dog was 13 years old, and while still active, she’s sleeping far more than she has in the past.  For Jane and her dog, we recommended the “Safe Slumber” kennel because it’s designed specifically for older dogs who still like to move and play occasionally.

Jane, as you might expect was quite excited about her purchase, and relayed to us later how pleased she was with our assistance. We believe that if you and your dog aren’t happy, then we’re not happy.  

I admit that I don’t have one iota of knowledge about dogs or dog kennels, so please excuse my inaccuracies (and references to brands, just in case the above brands actually exist!)

Still … the point is that upon reading the case study, the website visitor will have learned at least one thing of value, and in so doing, feels “obligated” on some level to “repay” the kindess.

This is what is called the “Law of Reciprocity,” or “Reciprocation” in social science.

The visitor feels emotionally obligated to repay the gesture, and will reciprocate by either adding a comment on the blog post, buying a product from the company, or even thanking them via an email.

Every time you provide something of value, as perceived by your website visitor, you’re putting a quarter in the “reciprocity” meter.

At some point, they’ll feel an obligation or commitment to give back.

And, you can bank on that.

“You know how all those other truck companies claim to have the most of this, or be the fastest at that? Well, the only thing that really matters is that for the 25th year in a row, more people bought Ford trucks than any other truck.”

I thought about the commercial, and wondered, “If I were in the market for a truck, would this convince me to buy a Ford?”

At first, I thought “absolutely, no,” but soon changed my mind…

Ford is using the social science principle of “Social Proof.”

Robert Cialdini says that Social Proof “states that one means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correct.”

In other words, “Monkey see, monkey do.”

Social Proof (or social evidence) has become a widespread tactic that’s gone way beyond the old McDonald’s “1 Trillion Sold” signs. Now, everyone and his truck-loving brother wants to employ social proof as a means to an end; that is, more sales.

Ford believes that by offering “evidence” that people who want a truck will more often buy a Ford truck, they will convince truck-seekers of their natural superiority.

When I first saw the ad, my initial response was, “So what? All that means is that truck drivers can’t think for themselves.”

The critical thinking part of me immediately saw their marketing angle and rejected it as irrelevant. I knew how the trick was done, so it spoiled the trick entirely!

But, after I saw the ad (several times), I came to realize that it’s actually quite clever. Ford removed “features” from the sales equation entirely.

See, Ford didn’t refute the claims of their competitors about being the best at this or fastest at that. They simply said that “more people buy our trucks, so you should do the same thing.”

In a way, the ad is brilliant.

If I’m in the market for a truck, and I see that one truck is rated tops in quality, another has the most pulling power, and a third has a “hemi” (whatever that is), how can I possibly decide which is better for me?

All the wild claims by competitors merely confuses the issue, and doesn’t provide me with an emotional hook for my decision.

Ford does provide an emotional hook. By showing evidence or proof that more people buy Ford trucks than any other truck, the emotional side of me is inclined to relax a bit. I’m more apt to trust other people than I am the truck manufacturers.

So, even though I might understand the psychology behind the ad, I’m still going to lean toward following the crowd, if only because it simplifies the decision process.

I don’t have to know what a “hemi” is in order to buy a truck. I’m not inclined to believe anyone today who claims to have the best quality, given what’s been happening with all the recent recalls.

Ah, but social proof? That’s a winner.

Why Social Proof Works For Ford

Let’s dive into the psychology of this a bit more to understand why this ad might work for Ford.

Ford is in an industry where features are king. Ford is right … their competitors have been pitching the features of their trucks, assuming that having the biggest this or widest that really makes any difference.

Whenever we’re bombarded with lists of features, most of which we don’t truly understand, we feel confused and overwhelmed.

Is LCD better than Plasma? What’s a pixel? Who’s on first?

Even if you know the technology or meaning of the features, there’s often no way to tell which product’s features are better than another product’s features.

Say you’re looking for a new truck. You’re not so sure about Toyota these days, and GM isn’t much better. Yet, those two companies push the size, strength, and power of their trucks. Perhaps you discover that Chevy trucks have a “hemi,” but that Toyota has more “pulling power.”

In the midst of the confusion, our minds look for an emotional hook – something to relieve the confusion and help us to feel at ease.

Pitching a faster this or bigger that will only add to the confusion, so Ford leapt from the features conversation and stated something no other truck manufacturer can now claim – the most sales in the U.S.

The beauty of what Ford did was that they now “own” the “most people bought” strategy. Any other manufacturer who attempts to claim the same thing will come out as a liar or sore loser.

The ad works because social proof works in the midst of confusion.

When Social Proof Doesn’t Work

We’ll see just how well Ford’s ad really works. In theory, it was a brilliant move. But, social proof can also backfire on you.

Toyota, for example, is trying to use social proof to bring buyers back to their dealerships. They have normal people like you and me talking about the new Toyota’s they just bought. See? If others believe in Toyota, then you should believe in them as well.

My opinion is that Toyota is using social proof in a way that will backfire on them. Their advertisements remind us that Toyota has had a lot of problems lately, and that thousands of Toyota owners have had their cars recalled.

That image of thousands of cars being recalled comes to mind, overshadowing the few people they show buying new Toyotas.

In Toyota’s case, they are “proving” to us that they have had some serious problems. Merely saying “we’re over it now” isn’t believable.

The underlying message of Toyota’s ads is that “most people are afraid to buy a Toyota now.” This message is the exact opposite of the message they’d like to convey. They screwed up, tried to minimize the problem, got caught, and are no longer “trustworthy” in the eyes of the consumer.

You can’t overcome a credibility crisis with social proof.

The Bottom Line

Social Proof works … if you use it correctly. Use it to differentiate yourself from your competitors in a positive way, and avoid using it as a defensive mechanism to avoid or diminish the “proof” that’s already in the psyche of the market.