When it reaches 450 followers, Potter Brothers will announce its Twitter trivia contest and prize winner.
"The lack of new followers is causing quite the pile of dust to form on these beautiful new Anon Goggles who just want a new home!" tweeted Bently Potter, the company’s online sales director.
Twitter is one way Potter plans to entice holiday shoppers to check out merchandise at its locations in Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Fishkill and Middletown.
With 13 days until the biggest foot traffic retail day of the year, stores are rolling out their Black Friday ad campaigns, including social media plans.
Consumers who "friend" or "fan" retailers on Facebook or "follow" them on Twitter will be the first to read about special promotions, extended hours, in-store events, online deals and more.
To reward social media followers and fans, retailers will provide coupons, discount codes and gift cards.
As the social media director of Kingston-based DragonSearch, Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy’s job is to promote her clients’ freebies all over the Internet.
"I’m getting ready to release my clients’ Black Friday deals. I will go put up that information on all the Black Friday Web sites, Facebook, Twitter, coupon sites, every place I can possibly find," she said.
However, social marketing is a trend that has been slow to catch on among family-owned operations.
Retail consultant Doug Fleener, of Massachusetts -based Dynamic Experiences Group, said social media use will be up this year, definitely by the national retailers and some mom-and-pops.
"The problem for independents is resources and time," Fleener said.
Businesses that aren’t using this channel are missing out, he said.
"I think one of the real opportunities is to drive business during non-peak times and create some additional traffic and urgency," he said.
Beacon-based technology consultant Nick Sialmas explained how to create buzz that draws people into your store.
"If I were a retail shop … I’d send out info about an upcoming sale. I may say, ‘If you read this tweet and come into the store you get 10 percent off.’ "
To get people to sign up, you have to give them value, experts say.
Sialmas said the key to making your social media holiday marketing work is this: "If you think about others and provide service to them, you are going to win. If you make it about just yourself, you are going to lose."
Sialmas said your customers want to know "what’s in it for me?" before they "friend" or "follow" you.
Once you’ve got them, you have to keep giving them value. "The value is in your words, what you are going to say," he said. "In the old world, people used to shout the advertisement out. Today, the people online are like, ‘Don’t shout to me. If I like you, I will come to you.’ "
D’Arcy said what you tweet what you update on your Facebook site should meet the needs of the target audience. "I have clients, their target audience wants to know what’s in the store, and how much is it, what’s on sale," she said. "It’s not social or personal. They don’t care if I had a headache."
Sometimes your customers will even tell you what they want from you.
Ask Poughkeepsie-based gift and fashion accessories boutique Country Gallery.
Facebook page facilitator and sales associate Colleen Nisi has fielded requests for "Cookies for Santa" plates and kid-size Pandora bracelets.
"Usually when I check it, people seem to have a specific product they are looking for," she said. "In the last few days, I’ve noticed customers interacting more."
In some cases, these relationship marketing Web sites have scooped more traditional sources touting Black Friday deals, such as Thanksgiving Day circulars.
Tuesday, for the first time, office supplier Staples previewed its Black Friday early bird deals to Twitter followers and Facebook fans, even before the company released the information to the media, according to Amy Shanler, Staples’ director of public relations.
Best Buy plans to use its social media sites to interact with Black Friday shoppers. Its Twelpforce Twitter account allows followers to ask Best Buy employees questions, ranging from technology glitches to gift suggestions, Lauren Coley, a company spokeswoman said.
On Black Friday, Potter Brothers will tweet about discounts and cheap lift tickets.
"We’ll focus on savings during these tough times," Potter said.
With the potential to reach 300 million active Facebook users (its Web site states) and 4.4 million unique Twitter visiters (comScore reported in June), it leaves one to wonder why so many haven’t signed up.
"There’s a lot of mythology involved in it. People are afraid of it," D’Arcy said. "There’s a lot of buzz and pressure, but they don’t know how to do it."
Jocelyn Klastow, marketing director and vice president of jewelery store Zimmer Brothers, is considering how to use its Facebook page to increase foot traffic during the holidays. "I don’t even text, but I do know this. More businesses are definitely doing it," she said.
The Town of Poughkeepsie jeweler said her business lends itself to relationship marketing. "I thought to myself, ‘What’s a way to stay in contact and give people information about events or fun tidbits about jewelry?’ I know everyone checks their e-mail every day and everyone under the age of 60 or 70 goes on Facebook."
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