5 Easy Facebook Promotions To Drive Word-of-Mouth
Most mornings, while drinking my cup of coffee, I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed to see what’s going on. Who went where, what new pictures they posted, articles they shared, or companies they like. All of this information (the habits of my friends, and my friends’ friends) appears in my newsfeed. More often than not, if a few of my close friends like a certain business (or comment on or share that company’s post), I’m likely to click on it to see what it’s all about.
Typically, consumers (myself included) trust a friend’s message about a company over a company’s brand message. If my best friend says, “You have to go to this wine shop to get all of your wine and cheese. It’s the best!” there is a high chance I will check them out online and visit them at least once in person.
That is word-of-mouth marketing: consumers influencing the purchasing decisions of other consumers, regardless of (and outside of) the company’s higher level marketing strategy.
Facebook, and other forms of social media, are the modern forum for word-of-mouth marketing. Instantly (and publicly), consumers’ opinions reach a broad segment of other consumers.
An easy way to expose yourself and your business to this segment of consumers is to ensure that you appear in your followers’ newsfeeds on Facebook. If Sally, John and Bob all like your most recent Facebook post, it will probably show up in each of their personal newsfeeds, broadcasting their support of your business to their friends. This is how videos, articles and other posts go viral.
Facebook promotions or contests are an easy way to generate buzz around your brand! But don’t worry – they don’t have to be complicated or involve a 3rd party app – you can run one of these five contests below today!
1. Ask your followers to share your post for a chance to win a special prize: 25% off their next purchase, buy one get one free on a certain item, a free lunch, etc. Whatever makes sense for your business but the more special the prize is, the better your chance of people spreading the word! How can you make the prize REALLY worth sharing…that’s what Word of Mouth marketing is all about.
For this type of contest, it’s best if the post you’re asking them to share is something that would promote your business. Since you’re asking your followers to promote your message to their friends, you want to make sure it will help your business! For example, a post about your upcoming sale, new product launch or a special event would be a great option.
2. Ask your followers to like or comment on a certain post to enter a sweepstakes. If you’re asking your customers to comment on a post, have them answer a question or fill in the blank! “My favorite thing about Mom ‘n’ Pops Bakery is _______.” This type of contest requires minimum effort on the part of your follower, and will usually generate lots of likes and comments.
3. Post a trivia question and offer a prize to the person who responds with the correct answer first. The question could relate to your business or industry, or to a specific holiday, or just be a fun trivia question!
4. Hold a caption contest. Post a funny photo of something happening at your restaurant, retail shop or cafe, and ask your followers to write a funny caption for it. You can select the best caption to win , or ask followers to like their favorite caption submission. This requires a little more effort on the part of your followers, but also can ignite their creativity and competitive spirit!
5. Hold a photo contest. Ask your followers to post a photo to your Facebook wall as it relates to a certain theme or event. For instance, “Post a photo of your dog in a Halloween costume for a chance to win a $25 gift card to Dogs ‘R’ Us!” or, “Post a photo of you enjoying your favorite bottle of wine from our wine shop for a chance to win 25% off your next purchase!” This type of contest requires the most effort from your followers, but you can up the ante by offering a really special prize!
As with any contests, make sure you’re checking with your local city/state contest regulations, as well as Facebook’s Promotion Guidelines.
For more tips on making the most of Facebook as a marketing tool, check out our blog post on Facebook!
