Using social proof ethically and effectively for psychologists and therapists

The Business of Psychology

Using social proof ethically and effectively for psychologists and therapists

Welcome to today's episode of the Business of Psychology. This is a solo episode where I'm going to be talking about social proof.

A lot of the time people assume that social proof is all about testimonials, and that's really frustrating to me because there are actually lots of ways that you can improve your marketing with social proof, and it really frustrates me that we overlook many of them when our less qualified, less ethical counterparts tend to be very good at exploiting them.

A key way that we can improve our ability to transmit our psychological mental health expertise out there is by getting a little bit better at using the lesser thought about principles of social proof, so today we're going to be thinking about what social proof really is, the psychological constructs behind it, and how it works. And then we're going to think about how we can use it in line with our ethical frameworks.

Listen to the whole episode or read the transcript for details of the three psychological concepts involved in using psychological proof in your marketing, the six types of social proof that we can draw upon, and the actionable techniques I've translated this into that would work for a psychology or therapy business.

Full show notes and a transcript of this episode are available at The Business of Psychology

Links:

Dr. Robert Cialdini - 7 Principles of Persuasion

Melina Palmer - The Brainy Business Podcast

Advertising standards authority advice on testimonials (the bit for medical products is particularly interesting)

Rosie on Instagram:

@rosiegilderthorp

@thepregnancypsychologist

Email: [e-mail]

Free Client Checklist

Are you just starting out in private practice? Feeling overwhelmed by all the stuff there is to do by any chance? Paralysed by perfectionism or procrastination? Never fear! Psychology Business School has got your back. And the good news is, there's actually not that much you need to do to run your practice safely and effectively. Download a free checklist today to find out exactly what really matters. Tick off every box and you can see your first clients with confidence that you've done everything important. Get your free copy at psychologybusinessschool.com/client-checklist

Thank you so much for listening to the Business of Psychology podcast. I'd really appreciate it if you could take the time to subscribe, rate and review the show. It helps more mental health professionals just like you to find us, and it also means a lot to me personally when I read the reviews. Thank you in advance and we'll see you next week for another episode of practical strategy and inspiration to move your independent practice forward.