We are a sucker for free things. For example, when a new Chick-fil-A opens, they offer a year’s supply of Chick-fil-A to the first 100 customers for free. People wait in line, and even camp out for days to be one of the first 100 people in the restaurant. At a trade show, people will flock to the booth that is giving away free things, or enter contests to win something free, even if they are not otherwise interested in the company. You can use the “free” mentality to market your business, especially on social media.
Give Away a Free Gift
Offering a free gift to your customers will incentivize them to buy something in your store. Base the gift on how much they spend. If they spend $50, give them something small, $100, something a little larger, etc. Using this idea of a “free” gift makes your customers believe that they are getting something for free, but they are, in fact, buying something from you. Many places offer a discount if you spend a certain amount, and a steeper discount after you hit the next landmark.
Run a Contest
If you are interested in getting a new group of subscribers, run a contest that collects contact information that you can use in the future for your advertising. If you are doing this online, put a box on the contest form that says something like “Yes, I want to hear about future offers and deals from YOUR COMPANY.” If you are running a contest at a trade show, have a large drawing box that requires people to put their contact information down in order to win. After the expo, contact the people and let them know that they didn’t win, but, they can learn more about your business by going to your website.
Offering Free Things On Facebook
People are more likely to click an ad on Facebook if they are offered something “free.” Construct your Facebook ads to play into mentality. Offer a free gift, run a contest, or send a coupon to their email address. By doing so, you collect their email addresses for future advertising. Send them a reminder email in a few days to use their coupon code, or claim their free offer in your store. Remember that Facebook users are more interested in stories than ads, so find a way to tell a story with your ads on Facebook.