So you've got your Facebook page and you've tried the whole "give
away an iPad" thing, and it just doesn't feel right. You want your
Facebook page to reflect your unique business, but so far it's like
every other business page out there - boring, avoided, and liked only by
people who were hoping to win a prize.
So what do you do? It's time to get creative. Here are 5 ways which you might use to really stand out, and to get some new and ongoing attention for your Facebook page and your business.
1. Create a networking group with local businesses.
Help your potential customers really connect with your local presence by connecting yourself to businesses they already enjoy. Try calling up a few popular, but perhaps unrelated businesses and organize a social media campaign together. Create a contest with not one, but multiple prizes. For example, a nearby dentist may offer a free teeth cleaning. A grocery store may offer five pounds of bulk candy. Give each fan an entry for each business in the group they like on Facebook - and have each business link to the rest of the group, drawing clients from one company to another. A simple, free program like rafflecopter can help you pull it off.
2. Give a 'Facebook only' coupon for customers.
If you have a popular place, but not a lot of online attention, this might work well. You create a coupon and put it on your Facebook page for anybody who becomes a fan of your business. A good example of this is Panda Express. They will create a coupon for a free entrée, good for that day only. Knowing that it's only good for a few hours, the post spreads like wildfire.
3. Share a picture.
George Takei started out his Facebook account in March of 2011. One year later he had over 1.4 million fans. One year later, over 3.5 million. How did he do it? Sure, he had some fame coming in, but other Star Trek alums, Wil Wheaton and William Shatner are in the low hundreds of thousands of followers. The secret to Takei's success? Sharing stuff that people wanted to share with others. You may want to try something similar out. And it doesn't have to be silly cat pictures, either. Some Facebook users find a lot of attention sharing historical photos of their city. Want to get more college students? Share pics of the mascot. See what your own friends are sharing on Facebook, and try to duplicate that method.
4. Scavenger hunts.
If you're a local business, you might try having some fun with your fans. Offer a prize to the first person who can share a picture of a landmark - or perhaps your own store front! Invite stalking by saying "the first person who comes in and tells us what color the clerk's shirt is gets a free latte." Try to think of ways to blend real world and cyber interactions.
5. Encourage check-ins.
Try putting up a sign on your front door which offers a free gift to anybody who 'checks in' on Facebook and tags a friend. They bring up their phone to show they've done it, and you hand them a cupcake or a soda or something. People actually want to do this kind of thing, so you're just providing a reminder and an incentive.
Bonus tip:
If you're going to engage your Facebook audience, be sure to make it a regular effort. You can't do a "Ten Dollar Tuesday" only once and think you'll have success. The additional work is worth it, though, as you become famous in your community and loved for the personality you present online.
So what do you do? It's time to get creative. Here are 5 ways which you might use to really stand out, and to get some new and ongoing attention for your Facebook page and your business.
1. Create a networking group with local businesses.
Help your potential customers really connect with your local presence by connecting yourself to businesses they already enjoy. Try calling up a few popular, but perhaps unrelated businesses and organize a social media campaign together. Create a contest with not one, but multiple prizes. For example, a nearby dentist may offer a free teeth cleaning. A grocery store may offer five pounds of bulk candy. Give each fan an entry for each business in the group they like on Facebook - and have each business link to the rest of the group, drawing clients from one company to another. A simple, free program like rafflecopter can help you pull it off.
2. Give a 'Facebook only' coupon for customers.
If you have a popular place, but not a lot of online attention, this might work well. You create a coupon and put it on your Facebook page for anybody who becomes a fan of your business. A good example of this is Panda Express. They will create a coupon for a free entrée, good for that day only. Knowing that it's only good for a few hours, the post spreads like wildfire.
3. Share a picture.
George Takei started out his Facebook account in March of 2011. One year later he had over 1.4 million fans. One year later, over 3.5 million. How did he do it? Sure, he had some fame coming in, but other Star Trek alums, Wil Wheaton and William Shatner are in the low hundreds of thousands of followers. The secret to Takei's success? Sharing stuff that people wanted to share with others. You may want to try something similar out. And it doesn't have to be silly cat pictures, either. Some Facebook users find a lot of attention sharing historical photos of their city. Want to get more college students? Share pics of the mascot. See what your own friends are sharing on Facebook, and try to duplicate that method.
4. Scavenger hunts.
If you're a local business, you might try having some fun with your fans. Offer a prize to the first person who can share a picture of a landmark - or perhaps your own store front! Invite stalking by saying "the first person who comes in and tells us what color the clerk's shirt is gets a free latte." Try to think of ways to blend real world and cyber interactions.
5. Encourage check-ins.
Try putting up a sign on your front door which offers a free gift to anybody who 'checks in' on Facebook and tags a friend. They bring up their phone to show they've done it, and you hand them a cupcake or a soda or something. People actually want to do this kind of thing, so you're just providing a reminder and an incentive.
Bonus tip:
If you're going to engage your Facebook audience, be sure to make it a regular effort. You can't do a "Ten Dollar Tuesday" only once and think you'll have success. The additional work is worth it, though, as you become famous in your community and loved for the personality you present online.
Greg Hamblin is a marketing professional who helps attorneys
with their local marketing. He has been known to share the occasional
cat image as well as like a Facebook page just for the chance to win a
free prize. Never won anything, though.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Hamblin
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