Social networking is still in its growing years. Since the social media revolution started with in introduction of Web 2.0, businesses have taken the reins and are still learning ways to make social media work for them. And surprisingly, very few small business owners have a social media policy or promotion plan.
Here are four ideas you can use with your business Twitter account to start getting traffic to your website and people in your store, which can result in additional sales.
Retweet Contest
Continue to gather followers on Twitter. One way to encourage them to get the word out about your business is to have them “retweet” (RT) a special deal. Write a short promo along with a keyword. Keywords use the hashtag “#” in front. An example might be, “RT this for a chance to win $25 toward our stock of #megacupcakes.” To determine a winner, simply do a search for the keyword you placed in your promo. Pick a winner by random choice and be sure to announce it in your status.
Hashtag Contest
Using a special keyword with a hashtag, ask your followers to come up with clever phrases that they can incorporate in their own tweets. Find all the comments and choose a winner based on originality. Award them a promo item or gift certificate.
Make It a Race
Once in a while, encourage your followers to get to your store. Post a tweet saying the first one to your store and tells you the password gets a free item, gift certificate, or whatever you choose. Then sit back and watch as your Twitter followers flock to your store. Even after the prize has been delivered, people will likely stay, shop, and buy.
Create a Treasure Hunt
Another great contest idea is to have your Twitter followers search your business website for specific information, like a treasure hunt. For instance, announce that a $15 gift certificate will be awarded to the first person who successfully finds the missing ingredient to your homemade confection, or perhaps finds the ‘secret link’ on your website. You’ll be surprised at how much your traffic increases, as well as your online sales.
Twitter is full of customers who want to get involved. Make your contests and promos fun and engaging. You’ll likely enjoy more followers, greater web traffic, and especially increased sales.
