How to Cut Through Facebook Clutter Without Spending a Dime
Few things are more effective at driving online traffic and increasing customer engagement than the almighty Facebook freebie. For small to mid-sized companies with limited resources, however, trying to attract new eyeballs with lavish promotions, discounts and giveaways may not be a viable option, especially in the long run.
But fear not, all it takes is a bit of time and effort (not to mention a dash of marketing ingenuity) to develop a successful, yet budget friendly, strategy that will secure the "likes" of many a Facebook user.
Here are seven ways to attract and maintain the attention of Facebook followers at little or no cost:
Start a Dialogue – Consumers-turned-followers are clearly looking to establish a direct line of communication with your business, so give them what they came for by asking plenty of thought-provoking questions. Adopting a proactive approach here will help break the ice and allows you to gather crucial feedback on goods and services without spending a dime.
Offer Sneak Peeks – Boost future sales and reward their online loyalty with exclusive, members-only previews of upcoming product launches and special events – information that the general public won't be privy to for weeks.
Unlock the Mystery – A behind-the-scenes glimpse into your company’s day-to-day operations – however mundane it might seem to insiders – is bound to pique customer interest. Here at my email marketing company, VerticalResponse, photos of our CEC (Chief Executive Canine), Dwight, always get tons of comments and likes; read more about this particular phenomenon on our blog post, “Do Kids and Puppies Rule?”
Up the Fun Factor – Challenge people to answer quirky trivia questions, or ask them to share photos of themselves enjoying your products or frequenting your business.
Find a Common Purpose – Does your company contribute to a worthy cause? Get the word out by linking your company's philanthropic gifts to fan activity and pledging a donation that's based on the number of "likes" accumulated within a certain time frame. You’ll be surprised at how generous people can be when it’s for a good cause.
Express Your Gratitude – Demonstrate how much you truly value your Facebook community’s input by acknowledging responses to status updates as well as comments – both the positive and the negative – on a timely basis.
Be (Reasonably) Generous – Of course, a freebie every so often usually gets people to emerge out of the woodwork. Try things that don’t cost a lot of money, like free schwag, product samples, coupons, etc. After all, a little generosity usually does go a long way!
Got any other surefire methods to engage Facebook users for next to nothing? Let us know!
Janine Popick is the CEO and founder of VerticalResponse, a provider of email marketing, social media, online survey, event marketing and direct mail marketing solutions.
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i need to rid of all my fb clutter. so hopefully these points will help me start