In April 2012, we launched our first e-commerce training program, Amazon Money Machine.
That program later became Amazing Selling Machine (ASM).
Starting in 2013, I wrote all the sales copy for every launch.
Each year, it got easier.
Not because I learned new copywriting tricks.
But because we had more proof.
We helped members get results.
We shared those results.
More people joined.
That was it.
And this still works today—in every type of business.
An e-commerce page loaded with proof
In 2019, I attended a mastermind in Arizona and met a founder who’d built an eight-figure teeth-whitening brand using Facebook ads.
His landing page was almost entirely social proof:
- Written testimonials
- Influencer testimonials
- News mentions
- Celebrity endorsements
- Customer photos
- Customer videos
That was the page.
About 90% of it was just people using the product.
We applied the same idea—overwhelming proof—to the Lifeboost Coffee landing page.
It converted at 6% right out of the gate.
Proof keeps you honest
There are only two ways to get massive social proof:
- Sell a product people genuinely like
- Lie
Option #2 isn’t viable if you want a real business—or to avoid the FTC.
So you’re left with one choice: sell a good product.
Use proof to attract and convert
The most common form of advertising today is user-generated content (UGC).
Regular people try a product, record themselves selfie-style, and share the experience.
When you gather proof, you create the best possible ad material.
You also increase conversion on your sales pages.
A prospect might see one UGC ad before clicking through. When they land and see dozens more—photos, videos, reviews—you remove doubt and close the sale.
Four steps to get the proof you need
- Sell a good product
- Ask for reviews—start with written, then ask for photos, then videos (Stair-step commitment; video is the hardest ask.)
- Automate review collection wherever possible (We use the Shopify app Judge.me.)
- On every product or landing page, show far more proof than your top competitors
Double your proof
Here’s your homework:
If you’re already driving traffic, count the number of written, photo, and video reviews on your main landing page. Double those numbers in the next seven days.
If you’re just getting started, look at the top seller in your market. Count their reviews by type. Add 50%. Those are your targets for launch.
—Matt
P.S. Own a $1M-$5M ecommerce brand and want to break through your growth ceiling? Watch this now.