Nobody like waiting in lines
By Keith Curreri • Published on November 9, 2018
A month ago, I had to go to the mall to get my computer fixed.
As I’m leaving the mall I can’t help but notice a long line spilling out of another store.
Lines are an unavoidable part of life. We wait in lines at the bank, the grocery store and the bathroom. Nobody likes waiting in a line and we avoid them as much as we can – for the most part.
This crazy long line at the mall grabbed my attention and I turned back to investigate.
When I get closer, I see it’s a store that sells cookie dough that you can eat. The place looks new, but I can’t tell why everybody is waiting for it.
As far as I can tell there is nothing special about it other than it being new and that they sell something a bit unusual.
I have to admit – my curiosity got the best of me and I got to the back of the line.
If all of these people are choosing to wait in line then it must be worth it.
For the next 20 minutes I inched forward while more people got in behind me. People even stop to ask why we are waiting in line (I wish I had a good answer) and then get in line with us.
The cookie dough was good, but it isn’t worth the wait and I won’t be waiting in that line anytime soon.
But it did get me thinking about the psychology of that line. I wouldn’t have stopped to think about that store if there wasn’t a line. I wouldn’t have bought anything from them. I wouldn’t have told my friends about it and I wouldn’t be writing this letter.
Seeing a flood of other people patronizing the business instantly got my attention.
There are many motivations people can have when they see a business flooded with customers.
They could be curious what all the fuss is about.
They could be afraid that they’re missing out on something good.
Or they could want to fit in with the crowd.
Whatever the reason, it’s undeniable that people make decisions based on social proof and we can use this to our advantage.
Collect testimonials and add them to your website.
Get more reviews on Google and Yelp.
Add social proof like logos, awards and accolades to your homepage.
Capitalize on this easy way to get more business.
