How are you using your Facebook fan page? Starbucks recently used theirs to send out free ice cream, according to Springwise.  Sounds messy, but it turns out that the promotion was actually for a coupon entitling several hundred fans to a free pint. The promotion was set up so that a certain number of coupons was given out every hour, building excitement and rewarding customers for joining the fan group.

This also built “buzz” about new flavors that were being introduced, with the hope that even those who didn’t get a coupon would try the flavor. (Come to think of it, Starbucks knows a lot about creating buzz.) In this case the company is using Facebook to reach the group of people willing to try something new and then talk about it — now dubbed “trysumers.” 

Your shop does have a Facebook fan page, doesn’t it?  You need to have a personal Facebook page in order to set one up for your store, but beyond that, it’s a fairly simple process.  And it’s free, which is always a plus in stretching your marketing dollars.

The challenge is coming up with perks for your Facebook fans.  You might want to use a link to a page on your web site with a special offer, or upload a JPEG photo that is actually a coupon.  You could also create a special event that is only open to those who hear about it on Facebook, and their friends.    We’ve also taken the easy way out and just said “mention this promotion” on our Twitter feed.  You do use Twitter, don’t you? It’s  free…

It makes sense to use these social networking tools whenever you can to try to reach out frequently to your most loyal customers. And as I said, free is good when you are stretching your marketing dollars — especially if your efforts bring more shoppers into your store today. 

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder