How to Generate Social Media Followers Using Direct Mail
From Fortune 500 companies to mobile poutine trucks, a huge variety of businesses have used Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to generate buzz, strengthen their brands and increase their sales.
The value of a successful Facebook Page or Twitter following can be immense, both for big brands and local businesses. The task of finding those social media followers, on the other hand, can be immensely challenging for even the smartest marketers.
With Facebook’s bid-for-likes advertising option delivering mixed results and Page likes that aren’t exactly ideal, marketers are exploring new ways to generate social media followers that engage with their Page and buy their products.
One of the best ways to generate new Facebook followers is by using targeted direct mail. In this guide, we’ll share how you can use social media postcards to grow your business’s social media audience and expand your reach online.
Give people a good reason to follow you
Few people will follow your Facebook Page for no reason, and the ones that do, for the most part, aren’t the type of followers you want to attract. In order to convince people to click the “like” button, you need to offer a good reason.
There are two types of incentives you can use to encourage people to follow you on Facebook: incentives that are directly related to your business, and incentives that aren’t related to your business.
In our example postcard for ACME Bakery, we’ve used a directly related incentive: the possibility of winning a $100 voucher to spend in our bakery. Incentives with a direct link to your business tend to attract highly engaged and valuable followers.
An example of an unrelated incentive is a voucher for Starbucks, Wal-Mart or any other business that isn’t your own. These incentives tend to attract followers that are less likely to engage with your page over the long term.
Give people a good reason to follow your page and you’ll not only maximize your follower count from your direct mail campaign; you’ll also attract a social media audience that’s genuinely interested in your company and what it has to offer.
Can you think of a good incentive to use in your social media postcards? If you’re struggling to think of something that would encourage people to take action and follow your Facebook Page, try one of the following incentives:
- A voucher to spend in your store
- An exclusive Facebook-only discount
- A sneak peak at your latest product
- Exclusive access to upcoming events
Make it as easy as possible for people to follow you
With the right incentive, you can make your audience interested in your company’s Facebook Page. With the right incentive and the right call to action, you’ll mobilize your audience and get them to take action.
In our ACME Bakery postcard, we’ve included two easy ways to like the company’s Facebook Page. The first is to type in the URL printed at the bottom of the postcard, while the second is to scan the QR code using a smartphone.
Both options send the postcard’s recipients straight to ACME Bakery’s Facebook Page, making following them a simple, two-step process. Type (or scan) and click the “Like” button – that’s all it takes to be entered into the drawing for a $100 voucher.
The simpler the process, the higher your response rate will be. Add QR codes, short URLs, Twitter usernames, Facebook Page IDs and more to make it quick and easy for your direct mail campaign’s audience to follow you online.
How could you expand your social media audience?
Over the last decade, social media marketing has grown from an innovative strategy into a proven way to engage customers online. From Fortune 500 companies to local businesses, it’s a tactic that any business can benefit from.
With the right direct mail campaign, your business can improve its brand perception and grow its social media following at the same time. Is your business ready to start its social media postcard campaign?
