As social media and marketing professionals, we all spend lots of time thinking about how to use social networking to improve our business, contact lists or to advise others to do the same. Part of this process is looking what others are doing and transposing successful ideas into our own campaigns but how often do we put our professional interests to one side and see what is on offer for us in our personal lives?
By following various social networking pages there are opportunities to get discounts, free products and enter exclusive competitions. In return for a simple 'follow' or 'like' click, we can all take advantage of deals exclusively offered via Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare. Why would you not want to save yourself some money or be in with a chance of winning something, especially if you're already a user of social networks?
There are deals and discounts to be had from a whole host of businesses, especially when shopping online, so it's worth following Savoo if you're in the UK or Savings in the US for deals of the day and exclusive discounts from thousands of brands, including the big ones like Sony and Apple. Only this week in the UK there have been offers for 20% off all Coast purchases and 15% off Thorntons chocolates and 30% off GAP in the US.
Levi's engages directly with its audience on Facebook by asking which products its followers would like a deal on and following the response, a discount - 30% off this week on the 511 and 553 jeans for US customers - is offered via a wall post and link. Travelocity's Roaming Gnome Facebook page offers deals and promo codes, exclusively to followers and just yesterday, Lush, have given web users until 7pm BST to follow @lushltd on Twitter for their chance to win a box of goodies - 7 retweeters and another 8 followers will be picked as winners. In May, Foursquare offered its first ever nationwide mayor special, meaning mayors of individual Starbucks stores could get $1 discount on a Frappucino. Starbucks also gave its Facebook followers access to a coupon that would give them a free pastry with a purchase of a coffee drink.
I've heard that some non-chain coffee houses also do similar offers for their local customers but if yours doesn't, why not suggest it to them. Local clubs or bands often advertise their nights through social media and create VIP lists for free entry or offer you your first drink free. Often the giveaway is for the first so many people who reply to the shout out so make sure you start following your regular hang outs. Next time you're visiting your favourite local business, whether it's a clothing shop or restaurant, ask them if they have a social media presence and you never know, you may be able get a well deserved, rewarding discount.
As social media and marketing professionals, we all spend lots of time thinking about how to use social networking to improve our business, contact lists or to advise others to do the same. Part of this process is looking what others are doing and transposing successful ideas into our own campaigns but how often do we put our professional interests to one side and see what is on offer for us in our personal lives?
By following various social networking pages there are opportunities to get discounts, free products and enter exclusive competitions. In return for a simple 'follow' or 'like' click, we can all take advantage of deals exclusively offered via Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare. Why would you not want to save yourself some money or be in with a chance of winning something, especially if you're already a user of social networks?
There are deals and discounts to be had from a whole host of businesses, especially when shopping online, so it's worth following Savoo if you're in the UK or Savings in the US for deals of the day and exclusive discounts from thousands of brands, including the big ones like Sony and Apple. Only this week in the UK there have been offers for 20% off all Coast purchases and 15% off Thorntons chocolates and 30% off GAP in the US.
Levi's engages directly with its audience on Facebook by asking which products its followers would like a deal on and following the response, a discount - 30% off this week on the 511 and 553 jeans for US customers - is offered via a wall post and link. Travelocity's Roaming Gnome Facebook page offers deals and promo codes, exclusively to followers and just yesterday, Lush, have given web users until 7pm BST to follow @lushltd on Twitter for their chance to win a box of goodies - 7 retweeters and another 8 followers will be picked as winners. In May, Foursquare offered its first ever nationwide mayor special, meaning mayors of individual Starbucks stores could get $1 discount on a Frappucino. Starbucks also gave its Facebook followers access to a coupon that would give them a free pastry with a purchase of a coffee drink.
I've heard that some non-chain coffee houses also do similar offers for their local customers but if yours doesn't, why not suggest it to them. Local clubs or bands often advertise their nights through social media and create VIP lists for free entry or offer you your first drink free. Often the giveaway is for the first so many people who reply to the shout out so make sure you start following your regular hang outs. Next time you're visiting your favourite local business, whether it's a clothing shop or restaurant, ask them if they have a social media presence and you never know, you may be able get a well deserved, rewarding discount.