‘Tis the season for giving thanks.
The holidays are a time when everyone shows their appreciation for one another, and as a small business, it’s the perfect time to let your audience and anyone who has done business with you know how much you appreciate them.
Customer Appreciation Infographic
In this social media infographic, I share four simple ways to use social media to show your appreciation for your fans while encouraging engagement and sales. Use these guidelines to engage with your audience throughout the holiday season and print it out to continue thanking them all year-round:
Express Gratitude
A simple thank you really can go a long way. Saying thank you helps build a more personal relationship between you and your audience. You can send out a collective thank you message following a special event or promotion, periodically say thanks to your clientele so they never forget that they matter, and thank individuals who have been especially engaged with your brand to show that you are truly invested in building personal relationships. Instead of a simple text post, use a thank you image to make sure your message gets seen.
Offer an Exclusive Deal
Let your actions express your gratitude by offering coupons and deals that are only available to those who are connected with you. You can share the coupon openly on your social media profile or have your fans submit their email address to claim a unique coupon code. If you have a brick and mortar store, get creative by sharing an image that has a “code word” in it and have people say the code word when they visit you to claim their discount.
Feature Your Clients
Ask your audience to take photos of themselves with your product. Take photos of them while they’re in your store or attending a special event. Take photos with them. Ask them to take a photo showing what your service has done for them. Then have them share the photos and tag you in them. Share these images with a message telling these clients and customers how much you appreciate them and how happy you are to be able to meet their needs with your product or service.
Give Away a Free Gift
Run a giveaway for a small freebie that you can offer in exchange for people engaging in a certain way. Think about what your current goals are for your social media campaign and require people to engage in a way that will help meet those goals. If you’re giving away something low cost, offer several chances for people to win. If you want to offer just one big prize, increase your participation requirements accordingly and consider some sort of small consolation prize so those who engaged still get something out of it.
Read more: How to Lose Followers and Alienate People on Social Media