According to Gartner, social proof is “the idea that people make decisions based on the actions of others”. There is a psychological foundation to social proof because people want to fit in and because they trust the opinions of others in unknown situations. 

That’s why content that reviews products or services gains traction across social channels. It’s the age-old concept of word of mouth. It’s based on the basic human drive to feel psychologically safe and to make decisions that keep us safe. 

When it comes to business, deciding to buy a product or service is rooted in how much the potential buyer trusts you. High trust = high likelihood of buying.

The Role of Trust in Cold Emails

So, how can your prospects trust you if you’re sending them unsolicited cold emails about your product/service? They look to others for an opinion on your product or service which they’ll often find in the case studies and client testimonials you have available. 

The more people have good things to say, the higher the chance of new business. It’s just human behavior and there’s no way of getting around it. For a cold email, including social proof results in higher response rates and conversions. You’re telling the prospect “Hey, this other company in your industry trusts us so you can too”.

Social Proof & Authority

In cold emails where the recipient has never heard of your business before, establishing authority is crucial to gaining their trust. One of the most effective ways to build this authority is by using social proof. When prospects are unfamiliar with your brand, they are more likely to rely on external cues to judge the credibility and value of your offer. 

Social proof, such as testimonials, endorsements, or case studies helps establish your business as a trusted figure in your industry.

This is especially powerful in competitive industries, where prospects are flooded with offers and need a compelling reason to choose your brand over others.

How to Include Social Proof in Cold Emails

There are many ways to include social proof in your cold emails, but below are some of the common ways to ensure you’re building trust with prospects from the very first email: 

1. Intro line 

Opening the first line of your email mentioning previous work you’ve done for similar companies is one way to include social proof. This is what that could look like: 

Hey {{first_name}}, 

Looked at the services you provide and wanted to show you how we helped {{industry}} generate [results]. 

2. Email body 

You’ll often use the intro line to personalize your email or to pattern-interrupt so that your emails get read. You might want to pair that with social proof, so that’s what this might look like: 

Hey {{first_name}}, 

[intro line] 

[email body] We’ve worked with {{case study company}} helping them achieve a 25% growth in online orders. 

[CTA] 

3. P.S. line 

The P.S. line has gained even more popularity in cold emails, but it’s always been an effective method of communicating the most important information within a cold email. Josh Braun has shared that most people read the PS in cold emails before they read the rest of the content. 

He links this to the idea that people want the reward of completing a task. Following that logic, putting information in the P.S. to get the prospect to trust you is likely going to increase responses. That’s why a case study in your P.S. line could work well. 

Here’s an example: 

Hey {{first_name}}, 

Looked at the services you provide and wanted to show you how we helped {{case study company}} generate more revenue with Google ads. 

Mind if I share more info? 

Best, 

P.S. 20+ companies in {{industry}} have trusted us to grow with Google ads. 

Another tip for including social proof in cold emails includes adding your case study/testimonials into the email body as opposed to sharing a link. 

While you should avoid links in your cold emails, adding social proof into the text of your email has shown to increase response rates and has become a widely accepted practice across the industry.

How To Measure The Impact of Social Proof

The number one rule of running effective cold email campaigns: you should always be testing. That includes testing your cold emails that have social proof vs. those that don’t. 

Now, this test shouldn’t be wasted on a small TAM or a very niche offer. We’ve already established that social proof is key to getting the most out of your cold emails. But if you’d like to test it out, you could create variants that mention your past work and others that don’t. 

By comparing those variants, you can gather data on whether the social proof you’ve included in your cold emails is working or even what kind of social proof prospects are responding to. 

This will give you key insights into how much value your audience places on hearing about your past work.

Personalize The Social Proof You Use

A common mistake people make is to use any case study they have for any campaign. An ideal way to make the most of your social proof is to ensure that you’re matching it with the audience you’re targeting. 

If your campaign is targeting the finance industry, you should show the successful work you’ve done in that space as opposed to the successful work you’ve done in marketing. 

However, if you don’t have industry-specific proof, using any proof is still better than using none but you should still try to position your case study in a way that would resonate most with your target audience.

Social Proof for Creative Industries

In creative industries, such as design or advertising, describing your work in a short cold email poses a significant challenge. Unlike other sectors where testimonials or success metrics may suffice, creative work often needs to be seen to be appreciated (and for a prospect to trust in your ability to get the job done).  

One effective strategy is to offer a few samples to the prospect in the first email as well as the second email. You should still avoid including links but a CTA that offers to share your work would work well. 

You should aim to compile a portfolio of your work that showcases the value you add for clients. This is what you’ll share when clients agree to see samples of your work. 

To automate this process, you could use Smartlead’s subsequences to set up automated emails that send your work samples to those who ask for them.

Social proof serves as a powerful tool to bridge the trust gap and enhance the credibility of your outreach. 

By demonstrating that others have already benefited from your product or service, you provide the reassurance prospects need to engage with your message and consider your offer.