Small business owners see online contests and reward
programs as tedious and self-serving. Contests, prizes and rewards are all over
the internet. An easy way to bring these rewards to your business is with Facebook Offers. This online
marketing tactic is great for getting your name out there and to reach
potential clients you might have not been able to before. Here is a guide to
hosting an effective contest or rewards program for your business.
An effective online contest or rewards program will bring
your business:
- Publicity. Even if a person doesn't win they will remember applying for the promotion.
It can be a cash prize, promotional materials, or a magazine. Either way you
will get extra publicity!
- Differentiation.
A prospective client will remember your company as a brand that gives back to
its customers and cares about them. Offering
free stuff is a total hit nowadays especially in such frugal times we are
living in.
- Customer Loyalty. Those little
punch cards that tally customer visits will make customers want to come back
for the 10th free service, free shipping, and more. Remember to
reward your customers through loyalty programs to ensure that they're loyalty
to your brand.
Facebook offers are the newest trend in social media marketing. Offers on Facebook are a free
way to give discounts for your products and services. To create a Facebook offer
on your business page:
- Click ‘Offer, Event+' located by on top of your pages
timeline.
- Add an eye catching headline.
- Add an expiration date for your offer.
- Upload a square photo of the offer at hand.
- Add terms and conditions.
- Also, add a limit on people who can claim this
offer.
This Facebook offer will appear on your fan's newsfeed. They
can Like, Share, and Comment on the offer (which they most likely will). When
someone claims the offer, Facebook will email them the offer which they will
have to present when ready to use.
Facebook offers tips:
- Offers that give at least 20% off a service or
product perform well as do those who give away free stuff.
- Use simple, direct wordage on your headlines;
don't capitalize or over punctuate.
- Too many terms, conditions, or redemption rules
will be less appealing to the customer.
- Run sponsor stories and pin/share this offer
over time.
- Train your staff on the offer; customers will
not appreciate approaching a worker with the offer and getting a weird look.
Facebook Offers as well as other free
online marketing tools are helping small businesses promote their services and
products worldwide. As you see above 1,702 Facebook users claimed this offer,
12 shared and 163 liked the offer. These offers can and will bring back loyal
customers as well as new customers to help expand your brand.