{
  "title": "Client references: what prestige does not prove in Genève",
  "url": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/references-clients-ce-que-leur-prestige-ne-prouve-pas-a-geneve-en",
  "language": "en",
  "datePublished": "2025-03-12",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "SHR — Swiss Human Resources",
    "url": "https://www.shr.swiss",
    "address": "Esplanade de Pont-Rouge 9A, 1212 Lancy, Suisse"
  },
  "summary": "A prestigious client reference may attract attention without establishing that an offer is relevant. Research on social influence suggests distinguishing name recognition, shared circumstances and evidence.",
  "section": "Research",
  "topic": "High-Value Selling",
  "place": {
    "name": "Geneva",
    "region": "Genève",
    "country": "CH"
  },
  "keyPoints": [
    {
      "heading": "What the literature establishes",
      "point": "Robert B."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Shared context rather than prestige",
      "point": "Noah J."
    },
    {
      "heading": "The premature conclusion",
      "point": "One might conclude that prominent names simply need to be replaced with clients who resemble the prospect."
    },
    {
      "heading": "What these findings cannot establish",
      "point": "These studies concern narrowly defined behaviours, not complex purchases involving several functions, a budget and contractual responsibility."
    },
    {
      "heading": "A practical check in Genève",
      "point": "Within SHR — Swiss Human Resources' « Vente à forte valeur ajoutée » programme, one possible exercise is to replace the list of logos with a reference brief specifying the problem addressed, constraints, documented outcome and limits of comparison, with the named client's consent."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "authors": "Kallgren",
      "year": "1990",
      "source": "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology"
    },
    {
      "authors": "Griskevicius",
      "year": "2008",
      "source": "Journal of Consumer Research"
    }
  ],
  "wordCount": 466,
  "image": "https://www.shr.swiss/img/blog-Training-High-Value-Selling-Geneva-references-clients-ce-que-leur-prestige-ne-prouve-pas-a-geneve-en.jpg?v=4",
  "translations": {
    "fr": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/references-clients-ce-que-leur-prestige-ne-prouve-pas-a-geneve",
    "en": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/references-clients-ce-que-leur-prestige-ne-prouve-pas-a-geneve-en",
    "de": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/references-clients-ce-que-leur-prestige-ne-prouve-pas-a-geneve-de",
    "it": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/references-clients-ce-que-leur-prestige-ne-prouve-pas-a-geneve-it"
  },
  "relatedPages": {
    "programme": "https://www.shr.swiss/formation-vente-forte-valeur-geneve",
    "city": "https://www.shr.swiss/formations-ville/geneve",
    "blog": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog"
  },
  "citationPolicy": "Citation autorisée avec mention « SHR — Swiss Human Resources » et lien vers l'article."
}