Abridged: VerticalResponse

When it comes to social media marketing and Facebook in particular, the name of the game is engagement. Conventional wisdom says that the best way to keep your Facebook fans engaged is to reward them, the most obvious way being with free products, discounts and other types of giveaways. For many small businesses or businesses with limited resources, though, doing this on a regular basis is tough. So, instead of thinking of this as a barrier, think of it as a creative challenge.

• Provide Exclusive News – Have a new product or service coming out or an upcoming sale or discount that hasn’t been announced yet? Reward your Facebook fans by sharing the news with them a few days early and let them share it with their friends and fans. Doing this gives more traffic to your Facebook page.
• Let The Games Begin – It’s not a secret that all your time on Facebook isn’t spent on business, there are a few minutes here and there spent on your favorite game. Take advantage of these few stolen minutes playing a game and be social.  Try asking your fans trivia questions or share favorite games with you. Engage socially with them more.
• Rally Around A Cause – If your company already contributes to a charity with any sort of regularity, why not get your fans involved? Cause marketing is an extremely powerful way to engage your fans, make a difference, and give your brand a bit of personality while you’re at it. Don’t know what cause to support? Ask your fans for their input. Try tying in fan activity for the cause.
• Give Credit Where Credit Is Due – Simply recognizing your fans is a great way to bring smiles to their faces. Consider selecting a fan every week to feature on your wall and thank them for their support. A little goodwill goes a long way.
• Be Responsive – Another form of fan recognition that is often overlooked is to respond when they leave a comment on your wall. If a fan leaves a compliment on your wall or responds to one of your status updates, take the time to acknowledge it. There’s no better way to show your customers that you’re listening.
• Take It Offline – Engage with fans by sending them a message and inviting them to visit your store, or if you don’t have a store to one of your events, social circles or just out for coffee and get to know them better. Engaging with them offline will help them fully engage in your business as you with theirs.
• Don’t Give Away The Farm but Give Away A Dozen Eggs Instead – Okay, so technically this costs money, but the point is it doesn’t have to be a lot. Have a fan contest. What little rewards might you have that fans will appreciate nonetheless? Gift cards, USB drives, and a small discount off their next purchase…little rewards have the ability to delight your customers and go a long way. By doing small rewards also give you the opportunity to do more promotions on a recurring basis. Doing this creates buzz and make one winning fan really happy, a lot of small ones make it so the fun doesn’t have to end.