Social proof can be an excellent way to establish trust and credibility for you and your pet sitting business. When we talk about social proof, we mean borrowing third-party influence to sway/persuade potential customers. Today, Erika & I will discuss the different types of social proof, the pro’s and con’s of each, and how you can use social proof to enhance your pet business!
Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want To Miss
What Is Social Proof?
Social proof is borrowing third-party influence to sway/persuade potential customers. Some examples of social proof would be Bella’s endorsement on Barketing.co, testimonials on your website from influencers, or even a testimonial from someone who had the same problem as a prospective customer that you solved for them. Social proof helps consumers connect to your business at an emotional level as well as gain trust and confidence, which then helps them make a purchasing decision. Genuine reviews on native platforms are the best. If friends and family have used your services and tell people how trustworthy you are and how they had peace of mind while away, that’s money right there!
What Is Negative Social Proof?
Negative social proof is something you NEVER want to use. It means that you don’t publicly bash another company. Focus on your pro’s and not other companies’ cons. Focus on why you need a professional pet sitter instead of why you shouldn’t use a tech company (i.e. Rover or Wag!). Be positive! The negativity towards a competitor can actually be damaging to you.
Six Types Of Social Proof:
1. Mini Case Studies
This is when you tell a story that hits potential clients emotionally. Did you save someone’s house from a flood? Maybe you stopped a break-in? Did you go above and beyond? Do your daily dog walks keep dogs healthier? You’ll want to talk about the outcome the customer had with you and what the outcome would have been without your services. If you have facts to back it up, that’s even better! Mini case studies are an especially powerful tool for dog trainers.
2. Testimonials/Reviews.
This is when you ask your clients to reviews your services on websites such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Don’t be afraid to ask for reviews! A happy client will happily write you a review. Be sure to add a link to review websites in your thank you emails that you send out post-service. Use these reviews on your website and add them to your social media strategy (with the clients’ permission of course!). Be sure to use images when you’re posting on your website and to link to the original review to show it’s real. Feature your happy customers on your website. This can also display what type of pets you accept (and if you offer retail, this is a great tool!). You’ll never, ever want to use fake testimonials or review your own services. Use quotes that are short, specific about the value of your service/product, include a picture, and make sure they match your buyer personas!
3. Social Media
When customers share your business with their Facebook friends or on Instagram, that is another form of social proof! Monitor and save all of this positive promotion (can you say free marketing!?). Encourage social proof on social media by posting photos of pets in your care and tagging/telling their pet parents. There’s a good chance they will share the photos so make sure you add your watermark! Encourage sharing. Other ways social media can serve as social proof is through a referral program, leveraging local Facebook groups, encouraging geotagging on Instagram, adding social sharing icons to your blog posts, and finding ambassadors that will recommend you to their friends, family, and groups on social media!
4. Trust Icons
Trust icons are a form of social proof that makes sense sometimes but not always. If you have special certifications, won an award, or were mentioned in a well-known publication, this can help boost social proof. Do you have recommendations from a trusted Vet, real estate agent, or divorce lawyer? Publish them and play it up to your advantage! Use quotes from influencers (that your customers know) about the importance of professional pet sitting. If you have any media mentions or even a celebrity client that endorses you, that could be huge. Try to think like your customer and ask yourself if it would influence your buying decision (i.e. Chamber of Commerce might not impact your decision but being certified in Pet CPR or being insurance and bonded just might!)
5. Data/Numbers/Facts
A single number can be worth a thousand words. What makes you stand out? Have you walked over 100,000 dogs? That shows something – experience! More examples would be 25,000 tired dogs when parents get back from holiday vacations, being a top-ranked service for the past 10 years, an official service provider for the airport, or helping avoid euthanization of 153 dogs because you trained them from aggressive to pet-friendly.
6. Other Social Proof Ideas
Promoting limited availability can be a great tool. Using language like “only a few spots left for the long weekend!” This shows you are an in-demand service and instantly increases your reputation. Waiting lists also make your service sound exclusive. You can also ask your clients to send post-service videos or photos to show a job well done (or change in behavior). Last but not least, use urgency, fear of missing out (FOMO), and time clickers for special offers
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Transcript:
This is episode of Bella in Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.
Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump.
The Jump into Marketing Talk Show. This is our talk show where we actually give you 12 live trainings, and I believe this is show 10. My co-host Erica is up in Canada. Erica, how are you? You guys good? How are you? Good. And today we’re going to be talking about social proof and how you can use social proof to actually catapult your pet business. Erica, have you ever been out there before, looking for a service, and you see one service that has maybe one five-star review and another that has a hundred—and you’re automatically drawn to the one with a hundred, right?
Absolutely. And pet businesses are just like that. Everyone is wondering, “Who should I trust? Are they good?” It’s a big deal—how to get more reviews, but also how to take all of that amazing praise we get and turn it into social proof that gets more clients. I’m so excited about this show today.
Erica: Awesome. So my name is Erica Godwin. I am the co-founder of ProPet Software, kennel management software. I’m also the owner of Marketing Solutions, which provides pet business websites. We do your entire website from start to finish, and we do all of your monthly hosting, support, and maintenance.
Bella: I just love your websites. I send so many of my coaching clients to you. I’m a pet business coach who helps people all around the world, and your websites—the caliber, the beauty—just can’t be beat. Combined with the price, it’s hands down the best thing out there. My name is Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. I run a mastermind, and I kind of had an entrepreneurial seizure last week. I don’t know if you saw it, but I decided that since I was going to a conference in Connecticut, I might as well see my grandmother in Boston, and while I’m there, host a workshop. We’re already half sold out, and we’re doing fourth-quarter marketing so that everyone can know exactly what to do in October, November, and December—and reuse it every year.
So, Erica, why don’t you tell us what social proof actually is?
Erica: Essentially, social proof is borrowing third-party influence to persuade people to buy your product or use your service. For example, if you take a look at my website, I have a testimonial review from Bella saying our websites are awesome and that she recommends them. That right there is social proof. For the pet industry, having an influencer on your website recommending your services is a strong example of it. Other examples are reviews—on Google or Facebook—where people can see who wrote them. Those are very powerful. Having reviews only on your website isn’t enough because you could have written those yourself, but Facebook, Yelp, and Google don’t lie.
Bella: Now, is there such a thing as negative social proof?
Erica: Yes, there is, and that’s when you bash other companies. For example, if you’re a professional pet sitter, don’t go out and say “Rover is awful.” That’s negative social proof. While you might think it supports your business, it actually gives people a bad impression. So instead, spin it positively and avoid trashing competitors.
Bella: That makes sense. Now, it’s not just about reviews, right? There are lots of different types of social proof.
Erica: Yes, there are five or six major types. Let’s go through a few. One is the mini case study. Even though pet sitters aren’t tech companies, you can use your clients’ problems and frustrations to tell a story about how you solved their problem. For example, maybe you showed up to a client’s home and found their basement flooding—you saved them from more damage. Telling that story shows your impact. Or, if you’re a dog trainer, you could tell how you saved a dog from being put down by retraining it. These are stories that emotionally connect and demonstrate value.
Bella: I love that. It’s not bragging—it’s storytelling. You’re putting your journalistic hat on.
Erica: Exactly. Think outside the box. You can talk about how your services make pets healthier—say, a dog lost weight after months of regular walks. It’s about telling stories that reach people emotionally.
Bella: What would you say to people who are afraid to ask for reviews or feel shy about it?
Erica: If you’re scared to ask, your competitors probably aren’t—and they’ll look better than you just because they had the courage to ask. Clients are busy; they won’t review you on their own. Ask them right after they express satisfaction—when they’re emotionally happy. For example, “I’m so glad your dog was happy! Could you leave us a review? Here’s the link.” Always send them directly to the review page—don’t make them hunt for it.
Bella: That reminds me of something from the book Never Lose a Customer Again by Joey Coleman. He says you need to join your customers on their emotional journey. He shares an example email: “Hi Sally, can we ask a favor? As a small family-owned business, we care about your experience. Can you share your thoughts?” Then if they rate you well, they get a follow-up email asking if they’d like to share their experience publicly.
Erica: That’s exactly what we encourage. In ProPet Software, we have automated thank-you emails that go out after a stay, and clients can add review links. Many of our users have seen a huge jump in reviews just from doing that.
Bella: That’s brilliant. What other quick tips do you have for testimonials?
Erica: Keep website testimonials short—just a few lines people can scan. Put longer ones on a dedicated testimonial page with a “read more” link. Short snippets like “They caught my flood and saved my home!” work best. Also, according to research by Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from peers, and 70% trust recommendations from people they don’t even know.
Bella: That’s powerful—and a little scary!
Erica: It is. People trust reviews even from strangers.
Bella: How can we get social proof on social media?
Erica: Social media is the fun one. Share photos of your clients’ pets—but tag them (with permission). When you tag clients, they’ll often share your post, giving you free advertising. For example, Gilbert Dogs 24/7 in Arizona does this beautifully. They host fun events like doggy proms and share tons of photos, which clients reshare constantly.
Bella: I love that. It’s storytelling and visibility.
Erica: Exactly. And when potential clients check your Facebook page, they see real, recent activity and happy clients. It helps them picture themselves as your customers. You can also encourage ambassadors—clients who refer others. Offer small referral rewards, especially for those active in local Facebook groups.
Bella: What about trust icons?
Erica: Those are visual badges that build credibility—like “CPR Certified,” “Bonded and Insured,” or “Aggressive Dog Training Certified.” They show professionalism. Place them near the bottom of your website, where interested visitors are already scrolling. The only logo at the top should be your own brand.
Bella: And recommendations from local partners?
Erica: Absolutely. If a vet recommends you, feature that on your website. Even better if you can get a quote or video from them. It’s huge credibility.
Bella: Yes! I got a vet to record a short video saying he trusted Bella’s House of Pet Sitting. I used “Veterinarian Recommended” everywhere—on my phone script, marketing, website, Facebook. It was gold.
Erica: Awards and recognitions also count—just keep them current. Saying “Best Pet Sitter 2011” in 2025 won’t help. But “Award-Winning Pet Care” still works.
Bella: Exactly. Also, media mentions—“As seen in” or “As heard on”—sound impressive even if it’s local news.
Erica: It’s true. If you’ve been featured on radio or in newspapers, mention it. And when big national pet stories break—like the Queen adopting rescue dogs—tie into them with your own blog or posts. That’s called newsjacking, and it gets attention.
Bella: I love it. What about using data and facts?
Erica: Numbers build trust. Share stats like “Over 100,000 walks completed” or “Serving pet families for 10 years.” It shows credibility.
Bella: That’s so smart.
Erica: If you’ve helped hundreds of dogs get adopted or saved from euthanasia, say it. If your company grew 30% this year, share that. Those are forms of social proof, too.
Bella: That’s fantastic.
Erica: And create urgency—like “We’re almost full for summer!” Scarcity and exclusivity create demand.
Bella: I love that. And it flows right into next week’s topic—how to partner with other businesses.
Erica: Perfect.
Bella: Exactly. If you don’t have these relationships yet, we’ll teach you how to build them and use them for blogs, videos, or podcasts.
Erica: One last thing—keep social proof positive. Stay away from negativity or controversial figures.
Bella: Totally agree.
Erica: And when comparing services, stick to facts, not attacks.
Bella: Perfect advice. Erica, remind everyone where they can find you.
Erica: ProPet Software—kennel management software—and Marketing Solutions for websites. We build and manage modern, high-performing websites, and we work great with Bella’s Better Marketing with Bella clients.
Bella: Awesome. And I’ll be heading into the Jump Mastermind next, showing a new software that helps attract pet-sitting applicants automatically—it’s amazing. You can learn more at jumpconsulting.net/jump-mastermind and use code Bella25 for $25 off.
Thanks for another great show, everyone.
Thanks for jumping with Bella in Your Business. For more information, free articles, and coaching sessions, go to jumpconsulting.net.