Move over Groupon, Facebook has jumped on the discount train by enabling businesses to create what they are calling “offers” for people who have “liked” their page. This new feature is a promotional link of helping fill the gap from online to in store by simply enticing your online community with an offer they can’t refuse and will help you turn that same community into an offline one as well.
What is Facebook Offers?
Facebook Offers is a type of offering you provide to those who have “liked” your business’s Facebook page. It is a created discount that you control that enables you to promote your brand and connect and engage with those online to in-store by treating them with a type of coupon that they present to you either by printing it off or showing you via their mobile device.
How Will Facebook Offers help my Business?
Facebook Offers is a free way to promote a product or your brand on Facebook, not only will it be seen by those who have “liked” your page but when someone “claims” an offer their friends (depending on their Facebook settings) will be able to see the offer. It is an easy and simple way to market your company online without looking spammy.
By using Facebook offers you are creating a “customer first” discount, providing them with a way to save money and encouraging them to go to your place of business. By putting the customer first your business will have a chance of promoting a product without infringing on your “likes” timelines.
How-To Create a Facebook Offer
Please be aware that Facebook Offers are currently limited to specific categorized Facebook pages so don’t panic if you do not see the ability to create an offer on your Facebook page, Facebook does intend to roll it out to all of its pages in the near future.
If you do have the ability to create an offer this will be located at the top of your Facebook page’s sharing timeline tool (the area located above your status update box)
1. Go to your Page
2. Go to the sharing tool
3. Click Offer, Event+ and choose Offer
4. Type a strong catchy headline for your Offer (ex: Purchase a Large coffee and get a FREE donut)
5. Upload a related image for the thumbnail that will be seen alongside the offer (for best results ensure the image is a rectangle and its dimensions are 90 pixels wide and 90 pixels tall.)
6. Set an expiration date with either today’s date or a date in the near future (you can choose unlimited but it is advised that you only do this for special offers).
7. Add any terms and conditions to your offer (ex: If you have an offer of “Free Oil changes for you and a friend” – then in your terms and conditions you would add “Must bring a friend with you and show this promotion to receive the two free oil changes.”)
8. Click to Preview your Offer
9. Review your offer and then click post
10. If after you click post you still need to edit, you can do so by clicking “Edit” and making your revisions.
When creating an offer you must thoroughly think of how you can creatively title it in order to sum up what you are offering without it being confusing or seen as spam. Discounts greater than 20% are usually more successful and of course anything free increases a greater chance for people to claim your offer.
People must click the “claim this offer” that is located directly on your offer and you will be able to view how many people clicked it to help base how many people may take part in your offer and how popular it is based on the people who clicked it and who actually follow through. Therefore you will have an idea of what the people actually want.
If you are looking to run an offer be sure to ask your audience by giving them specific options to choose from (you can even use the questions feature to help). If you have a popular answer then you should run that as your next offer since it is what your community chose.
Facebook Offers don’t have to limited to having people go in-store to claim a discount, get creative by adding a discount code that they can use when they buy online or have them compete for a luxurious prize, the bigger the prize the better.
This latest form of engaging with your customers will also help you gain “likes” to your page, market your brand and possibly gain new customers.
Whatever Industry you are in, ultimately you are in the business of making people smile, since happy customer’s increases your retention and create loyal advocates for your brand, in helping them save money, it will help you make more money by building lasting relationships that will remain long after the offer expires.
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