Recently, we highlighted ways that brands could recognize and reward their fans for free. Some readers were more anxious to see these techniques used in real social life, so we did some digging and found brands that are doing exactly that. Did you miss our original post about rewarding your social super fans? Pay attention to the techniques below and adopt them to your own strategy.
“Thanks for sharing!”
One of the easiest ways to show appreciation for your super fans is to simply send a “thank you” tweet their way. It lets them know that you have noticed and appreciate their efforts to spread your content, products and brands to a potentially larger audience. A little “thank you” goes a long way, because simply taking the time to do it shows that your brand cares.
Examples:
@velocitydigi Thanks for sharing!
— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) April 24, 2013
@corey_northcutt Good tip, Corey! Appreciate you sharing the article though, @steadfastnet.
— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) April 24, 2013
Sharing fans’ own content with their larger audience.
Regardless of what products or services your brand sells, you’ve probably got experts about your industry right in your followers list. Check out the content they’re sharing (whether they tag you in their post or not) and see if you think it would be valuable to pass on their content to the rest of your followers. If it is, either ask for permission to share, or send a retweet, and then give credit to the source(s).
Examples:
RT @cleigh31: Are #SMBs Using Social Media Correctly? @susansolovic weighs in ow.ly/kbLGm via @foxbusiness @constantcontact
— Constant Contact (@ConstantContact) April 18, 2013
@goodbadandfab Darling!What a fabulous set of photos!And the dress looks stunning!Would you mind if we promoted the pics on FB?
— Unique Vintage (@uniquevintage) April 2, 2013
Giving special offers to dedicated fans.
You may notice that some fans are a little more vocal than others, and these dedicated fans may deserve some extra benefits. For example, opening up opportunities for a circle of bloggers to get exclusive products or access to services can show your appreciation for their work, while also putting you in front of a new crowd. And alerting vocal fans to a giveaway shows that you’re paying attention to their activity and you want to give them the opportunity to win some great stuff.
Examples:
@annforstie Thanks for including us in your post! Make sure you’re signed up for Birchbloggers!: birch.ly/13Yjn09
— birchbox (@birchbox) April 24, 2013
@clairemccool Yay! If you do an unboxing post/video, tweet the link w/ #FromtheGarden for a chance to win a $50 Birchbox gift card!
— birchbox (@birchbox) April 24, 2013
Are there other brands that you’ve noticed using these techniques? Highlight them in the comments below. And if you need help finding and identifying your super fans, check out our guide.
