The Facebook Success Summit 2011 was one of the most informative and relevant events this year. 90octane chose to participate in over 15 sessions in which industry experts presented the “ins and outs” of Facebook marketing. Over the next few weeks, we plan to break down some of the highlights from the Summit and include examples and ideas for how to manage and execute Facebook marketing campaigns. Enjoy!
One of the most valuable sessions was a panel discussion led by social media experts Victoria Ransom of Wildfire, Ben Pickering of Strutta and industry author Mari Smith. During this session, entitled “How to Build a Loyal Fan Base Using Facebook Promotions,” the panel discussed everything from regulations and prize selection to messaging.
We’ve recently worked with our client Globus family of brands to successfully execute two Facebook contests that have resulted in learnings consistent with the content of the Summit. Since one contest launched in October, we have seen fan growth of over 90%!
Here are five tips for launching a Facebook promotion:
1. Understand Facebook Guidelines
Facebook has clearly defined rules and regulations for every company that engages in a promotion or contest. Consequences for non-compliance are serious – your Facebook page can be completely shut down. This is also an area to keep an eye on as, like most things in online marketing, these guidelines change over time. Specific information on guidelines can be found here.
2. Establish Contest Goals
To launch a successful Facebook contest, begin by setting clear and concise goals. Consider your company’s core “why?” of launching a Facebook contest. Your goals should be specific, as they will serve as the foundation of your contest, and will guide decisions concerning target audience, appropriate prize, messaging and channels of contact.
3. Choose a Relevant Prize
Yes, the millions of contests giving away iPads and flat screen TVs perform well – a lot of people want to win those things – but fans tend to fall off post-contest with these types of prizes. If you’re a florist, why give away a digital camera? A daily bouquet of flowers for a week, or free floral consulting for a wedding would be far more likely to resonate with your audience. These prizes give you a chance to engage with customers who care about your product, and nurture those relationships long after the contest is over.
4. Market Your Contest
During the Summit, panelist Ben Pickering mentioned the idea of “if you build it, they will come.” He describes this as the misconception that companies have when they believe that by simply hosting a promotion, people will automatically participate. Not true. You’ll need a marketing strategy to promote your contest to your target audience, which could include Facebook advertising, mailing to internal email lists and developing marketing campaigns with 3rd party publishers.
5. Consider Post-Contest Engagement
Now that your contest has launched and you have a plethora of new fans, what should you do with them? The worst case scenario is that all the effort you spent on your contest is lost and, after only a few post-contest weeks, you start to see your fans drop off significantly (some of this will happen—there are those who hunt Facebook for contests and jump from page to page, liking and un-liking brands). This is a critical stage to plan for. It’s important to understand that your new fans visited your page for the chance to win something and once that offer goes away, you need to keep them engaged. You’ll have to tell them why they should stay.
Stay tuned for more recaps and learnings from the 2011 Facebook Summit!
