Sometimes, a great question is all that’s needed for effective social media marketing. In Dunkin’ Donuts’ case, that question is: “What are you drinking?“

This question popped up in my Facebook feed this morning after a coworker posted her answer. I’m not a Facebook fan of Dunkin’ Donuts, but the activity sparked my interest.

Clicking through to the Dunkin’ Donuts Facebook page, I saw a big collage of profile photos:

By answering the question “What are you drinking?” users can add their profile picture to the collage. (You can also search by name, type of drink, or zoom in on the photos to read individual responses.)

I immediately wanted to add my own photo. I also wanted to check back to see how the collage was growing, and what kind of picture would be revealed.

This is a pretty big achievement for a marketing campaign. With just a simple question, Dunkin’ Donuts drew me to its page, involved me in a product discussion, and gave me a strong reason for returning (not to mention a craving for caramel lattes.)

Most marketing campaigns are lucky to achieve just one of these goals. Dunkin’ Donuts hit a home run.

Granted, the campaign also uses a fancy photo mosaic app – out of budget for most small business owners. But you can still benefit from the idea behind “What are you drinking?“

When’s the last time you asked a question on your Facebook or Twitter profile? When’s the last time you polled your blog readers about their likes and dislikes? By asking questions, you invite people to interact with you and your business in a way that makes you more memorable and shows that you care.

Dunkin’ Donuts also has a section on its Facebook profile to showcase its fan of the week – another great way to get people involved.

What do you think about the Dunkin’ Donuts Facebook promotion – will it lead to more sales? How have you used questions in your small business marketing? Let me know in the comments section below.