How to Run a Successful Facebook Contest for Your Agency

This post is part of a series on insurance marketing and training sponsored by Astonish.

Just a few years ago, most businesses thought their social media marketing job was done just by creating a Facebook page and therefore existing in the world of social media. If this is still how your agency views social media, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to interact with and gain more customers.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Our page already has a good amount of ‘likes,’ so we don’t need to promote anymore through Facebook.” This is also another way of thinking that no longer works in today’s social media driven world. Unless you are posting relevant content that actively engages your Facebook followers, you might as well not have any likes at all. Engaging customers through social media platforms is crucial. But how?

Having a Facebook contest is a great way to interact online and increase your following. Don’t worry- we’ve compiled a simple checklist to help you through the entire process.

1) Determine the objective: A few basic examples are increasing the amount of “likes” on your page or, even better, increasing the number of people who are actively engaging with your agency online.

2) Budget: Before you consider all of the details of your contest, figure out your budget first. How much money are you willing to spend on the prize? On the contest itself? How about promoting the contest?

3) Pick the prize: The prize can range anywhere from a t-shirt with your company’s name on it (basically double promoting your brand!), to tickets to local sporting events. We recommend teaming up with a small business in your area so that both companies can promote the contest, and both can benefit from the marketing efforts!

4) Understand the RULES: This step is crucial. Facebook has very specific terms and conditions pertaining to contests that your agency must fully understand and comply with. Further, just because a contest may adhere to Facebook’s guidelines does not ensure that the contest is fully legal, so it is best to understand all the rules that may apply.

5) Pick an App: Facebook also requires contests to be conducted through a third-party application. Depending on the level of options and functionality you are looking for, you can choose between free or paid Facebook apps. Although it may be tempting to automatically choose a free app, those with costs tend to be easier to start and manage a contest. We recommend Wildfire, Easypromos, or Offerpop.

6) Don’t forget to promote the contest! This is almost as important as the contest itself. You could be giving away an amazing prize, but unless you adequately market your contest, no one will enter!

Facebook contests are a great way to interact with local consumers that your agency is targeting, and in turn can drive more traffic to your site and even gain more customers. So, what are you waiting for? Use this checklist to create a contest today!

About the Author: Adam DeGraide is the Co-Chairman and Founder of Astonish, which has been ranked on the Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest growing private companies in the U.S for the last two years straight. Astonish is the driving force behind a vision to help the insurance industry grow its businesses by using the Internet. Now currently serving over 800 retail brokers in America, Astonish is encouraging the insurance industry across the country to “join the Internet marketing revolution, or get left behind!”