Whether we are talking about animals, children, or consumers, we know that offering rewards reinforces positive behavior. In a desperate attempt to make their 
children cooperate, parents will often bribe their children to behave a certain way or perform certain tasks. Think back to your childhood and remember what simple things could make you do anything. For a candy bar, a toy, or even an almighty dollar, you’d try with all your might to do whatever your parents asked.
It is time for businesses, large and small, to see Social Media as more than just a way of talking to consumers. Finally, with the right plan of action, companies are seeing that they don’t have to try so hard. Consumers want to participate in contests and some will do almost anything for a great deal.
There are plenty of ways to provide incentives and rewards for new or old fans alike through Facebook, FourSquare, and even Twitter. All it takes is some imagination and initiative. Everyone loved reaching for the prize at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box; maintain that point of view and you’ll succeed.
FourSquare is perfect for providing treats to customers who are loyal or first-time visitors. There is also a sense of competition associated with FourSquare that will have customers coming back for more in order to gain “mayor-ship” over friends and strangers. Once certain levels are reached within FourSquare, patrons will be rewarded; you just have to decide in what way.
Facebook Landing pages often provide an incentive for Facebook users to click the “Like” button atop the page. Whether it’s a free iced coffee or your name etched on a Porsche, a treat is a treat.
We have yet to see many sweet treats on Twitter, but some great things going on are brands that Tweet out a code for followers to use when placing online orders or provide a password to mention to the cashier upon check out. This can prove to be helpful for retail shops, hotels, even restaurants. The bottom line is that brands must remember that nearly 40% of people who “follow” or “like” a brand on social media do so to receive some kind of deal or discount. Take advantage of an opportunity to reward your most loyal customers, because in the end, they are your “word of mouth” marketing.
Interested in learning more RealTime Rules about social media marketing? Terra Spero will be running two interactive workshops at the upcoming Social Media Strategies Summit in Boston September 20-22
