When it comes to marketing via social media, there’s a balance to be struck. It can seem as though you’re doing all the giving, whether it’s promotions and offers or simply some fun tweets. Still, your followers are contributing, too. They’re doing that by liking you on Facebook, reading posts, or clicking on links. If they go the extra mile and leave feedback, that’s even better.
So, when do you get to take rather than just giving? Simple: when you stop talking AT your followers and start talking WITH them. It doesn’t have to be something material – a simple feeling of satisfaction is worth plenty.
“But keep an eye on the followers who are really promoting your brand – since they’re not being paid to praise your product, people tend to trust them,” advised Issa Asad, Florida-based entrepreneur and social media expert. Mr. Asad is the author of 4 best-selling social media and e-commerce marketing books on Amazon, and he is the CEO of Q Link Wireless, Quadrant Holdings, and Bond Media.
Here’s how to reward your social media account’s followers.
1. Use Coupons, Discounts, and Deals
It’s easy to use a tweet to thank your followers, but there are several ways to step up from that. One is simply customizing the emails you send them. You can go a good deal farther than that, though. As a marketer, you understand that money can be a great motivator – and that includes saving it. If your followers start to realize that buying your products may bring them coupons and discounts not available anywhere else, their interest will be heightened. Everyone loves feeling special, so exclusive deals will make sure they return for more – and more, and more! Everyone wins: you’ll benefit from extra sales and higher conversions, while the people who love what you do will get rewarded.
2. Encourage Them to Contribute Themselves
People love the feeling they get when they donate to charity – that warm, fuzzy sense that they’ve given something back. You can harness this powerful emotion yourself by making it easy for your followers to do something similar. One sticking point can be that it’s time-consuming to set everything up themselves – but if you get them started yourself, you’ll quickly reap the benefits. Your customers will see your numbers grow and feel you’re both on the same team. You could also try the nonosense.com approach. This company set up the “Socks for America” campaign, which had the aim of helping America’s needy kids by giving them one million pairs of socks. One pair was donated each time someone new became a fan of the company’s Facebook page.
3. Set Up Exclusive Follower-Only Events
To succeed in social media marketing, creating a buzz around your company and your products is vital. This goes double if you’re just about to launch something new. Letting your followers be the first to experience what you’ve created is a great way to do this, especially if you show up in person so they can meet you. Suddenly, you won’t just be a name and a photo to them; you’ll be a real person, and instantly more relatable. Once you’re seen as more relatable, you’ll find that people will be much more inclined to share their thoughts with you. In short, your engagement figures could go through the roof. So, next time you launch a new product, consider letting your loyal followers see it first.
There are many ways of giving something back to your social media followers, ranging from featuring them in advertising to running contests for them to show what they can do with your products. Let us know below what you’ve come up with.
