Customer base as proof claim
Chosen by 10,000 companies
We continue the section on proof claims, which are pieces of evidence you include in your prospecting conversations to demonstrate results in an attempt to convince prospects of the value of your products.
This is probably the most popular of the proof claims. You indicate the number of customers you are serving or the total volume of your sales. It is a powerful indicator because it is unlikely to be biased, and it offers very precise information to your prospects.
Social proof is powerful because customers make assumptions that if other companies with similar problems have chosen your services as a provider, it must mean that you are good. The argument makes sense. In fact, social proof does remain one of the strongest forms of proof that exists to justify the strength of your products and services.
Of course, the visible limitation of the customer base as proof claim is that, well, you need to be in the business for quite some time because you develop a strong base. Start-ups or newer companies will necessarily struggle. The strength of this claim is at the basis of the phenomenon called “liability of newness,” which considers the superior challenges new companies endure, even if they have a strong product.
Thus, it is a strong proof claim, but only established companies will be able to use it. What do you do if you are new? Leverage the argument that newer companies will give better deals to new customers right because they need to establish themselves. Expert suppliers know that established companies have higher bargaining power, while they can cut excellent deals with newer companies if they offer great products.
