There’s nothing like free stuff to get people talking about your small business. Everyone loves a good contest and offering giveaways and promotions on your website and social media pages is a great way to keep your customers engaged. Sure, you’re giving away your swag gratis, but it’s hardly a loss if it adds to your small business’ loyal following. Read on to learn more about promotions for small businesses.

1. Gain new clients…and keep existing ones loyal.

There’s a strange psychology behind promotions and giveaways. Your customers think they’re getting something for nothing, but they’re actually giving you a lot for the entry. In order to win, they have to perform a specific action that helps you in the long run – whether it’s following your small business on social media, signing up for your mailing list or entering their email. You may be giving away swag, but you’re generating leads and getting your message out there, too – and that’s priceless.

Sure, some of your new followers may abandon you after the contest is over. However, if you keep posting engaging content, most will stick around to hear more and watch for another chance to win.

2. Get valuable user-generated content.

Content creation is hard. You’ve got to be on your toes, keeping up with the latest trends and posting unique updates and pictures regularly to your small business’ website and social media pages. This can be time consuming and exhausting.

So why not outsource some of it to your willing audience instead? As a condition of your promotion, have your followers post the pictures, suggest blog topics or write about your small business themselves! Offer a prize to the post that generates the most comments, Likes, favorites or shares.

Your fans will get access to a great promotion, and you’ll get lots of valuable content to share with your customers.

3. A little reward goes a long way.

You care about your customers. After all, they’re keeping your small business afloat. Show them how much you appreciate their support by offering an exclusive discount, hosting an after-hours valued customer sale or allowing the most vocal members of your fan base an opportunity to buy your newest offering before anyone else.

When you make your customers feel important, they’ll tell their friends – and despite all of the ideas in our marketing books, nothing beats positive recommendations.

Giveaways and promotions aren’t free. But when they’re done correctly, the benefits outweigh the financial commitment. If you need suggestions for the perfect small business promotion, give Mischa Communications a call. We’ll make sure your customers aren’t the only ones who win when it comes to promotions for your small businesses.