When it comes to advertising and online marketing, there is nothing like having a Facebook page with a healthy fan following.
Lots of Facebook fans will make your company look trusted, which is a great way to draw in more potential customers.
And who doesn't like to do business with a trusted company? The trick is, how do you start attracting fans when you're a newcomer to your particular niche? Being friended by your mother, sister, and best high school chum may be a nice way to stay in touch, but it won't do a lot to build market credibility (sorry, mom).
Facebook marketing has evolved into a kind of sub genre of organic, Web2.
0 online marketing; it has its own set of rules and techniques.
One of the most effective ways to attract Facebook fans is to host a contest.
Some pretty big players in the consumer sector have used the contest technique to attract more friends.
And why wouldn't they? Most people will throw their names in the hat if the if there's free stuff at stake and the risks are minimal or non-existent.
Here are eight tips that will help get you started: 1.
Determine which type of contest you want to run There are four types of contests you can run on your Facebook page: Sweepstakes, essay, photo, and video.
Keep in mind that video, photo, and essay contests require more work on the part of your contestants.
If your aim is to promote user interactivity, these types of contests may be the way to go.
If you just want to gather basic information while making it easy on your new-found friends, you probably want to use the sweepstakes contest.
2.
Get to know the rules As tempting as it may seem, you cannot use the Facebook "Like" button as a means for your readers to enter your contest.
Since the whole purpose of promoting a contest is to gather Facebook friends, using the "Like" button might seem like a sure-fire way to accomplish your goal.
Facebook says this is a major no-no! Another stipulation is that you must notify your winners before you publish their names (on Facebook or anywhere else).
You can do this via email, snail mail, or private FB message.
And the granddaddy of all Facebook contest rules: you must clearly state that Facebook is not sponsoring your contest in any way.
Facebook will provide you with the communication medium, but they do not want to take on the liability of your promotion.
Can't blame them, really.
Go to Facebook.
com for a complete list of sweepstakes guidelines.
3.
There's an app for that...
Facebook requires users to run their contests through third-party apps.
There are plenty of these apps in the marketplace, some cheap or free, others...
not so much.
If you're looking for a free app, keep in mind that you'll need an app that is customizable, embeddable, and that has mobile capabilities.
Beware, free apps may not offer all (or any) of these features.
The tried-and-true rule of consumerism indeed applies to Facebook contest applications: you get what you pay for.
To get you started, here are two of the best apps that fully support your Facebook contest efforts: Fanappz Offerpop 4.
What's in it for your readers? Don't go cheap.
Don't give away junk.
This bit of advice may not even seem worth mentioning, but many a contest campaign has flopped because the promoter didn't want to part with stock and/or revenue.
If your business designs Websites, do one for free.
If you sell cameras, shell out the wholesale cost for a Nikon D40 and give it away.
If your objective is to gain more traffic through Facebook friends, think of your prize as part of your advertising budget.
Also, if you don't pique your reader's interest with a decent giveaway, you won't attract any friends anyway.
Your campaign will be a total waste of time and energy.
5.
K.
I.
S.
S.
What's the best way to run a successful contest campaign? Keep it simple, sweetheart.
Many of the Facebook contest apps you will find are highly customizable, which means you can design an entry form to account for many different details.
Don't do it! The quickest way to make a contest fall flat on its face is to make it too difficult for your readers to play.
Contests are supposed to be fun, not work.
If you are asking for more than the reader's name, email address, phone number (optional), and in the case of a video, photo, or essay content, their entry file, then you're asking for too much.
Also, make the contest app easy to find on your page.
The second quickest way to make your contest flop is to advertise it and then turn finding the submission form into an Easter egg hunt.
6.
Get the word out If you have a Twitter account, Tweet about your Facebook contest.
If you have an email newsletter, mention your Facebook contest in bold letters.
If you have a Web site, add a blurb about your Facebook contest on the home page.
Consider advertising your contest an exercise in driving traffic from multiple sources.
You want to drive traffic to your Facebook page, which will in turn drive traffic to your blog or Web site.
eMarketing is a cycle of traffic, and you want to make sure you're coaxing it, tweaking it, and always keeping an eye on where it's coming from and how fast it's coming in.
7.
Facebook ads Once you start getting the hang of contest marketing through Facebook--that is, once you start seeing some positive results--you may want to consider making a small investment in Facebook advertising.
Facebook ads make it easy to target users who share your interests and demographics.
It's also a good way to reach beyond the people who already like your page by placing them where your ideal demographic hangs out.
8.
Follow up Your work isn't finished once you've announced a winner.
Building a database of potential customers was the objective of this project in the first place, so make sure you follow up with them.
Keep all the information they send you in a spreadsheet and send them a friendly email thanking them for their interest in your campaign.
In your thank you email, ask them if they would be interested in receiving details about your products, services, or future contests.
Ask them, do not spam them! Keeping your message friendly, conversational, and honest is likely to add at least a few more subscribers to your newsletter database.
Facebook contests have been proven an effective way to attract leads and augment your client base.
Plenty of major corporations use this technique with great success, and you have access to the same method and tools (albeit on a smaller scale).
If you make your contest fun, easy, and personable, you're likely to make some friends who will stop by your site every now and then to see what you're up to.
And isn't this what making friends is all about? At least the Facebook kind.