Posted by: Sid Williams

By now, the astute viewer of trends will notice that Facebook is all about fans. A fan page can be anything from “Pepsi” to “Can this pine cone get more fans than Nickleback?” and everything in between. However, as much as fun, crazy things like these can get fans, fan pages were definitely built originally for businesses (followed closely by celebrities, haha). As business owners, we want to know how to get more fans. because as we all know; more fans means more people reading you have to say or seeing what you share. Also, it’s a way for you to be connected and have conversations with the people buying your product or service. Unfortunately, the vast majority of fan pages end up with little to no involvement.

How do you change that? Here’s 3 tips:

1. Have Contests or Giveaways

More accurately, have contests or giveaways that involve getting people to invite their friends to become fans. You do this by simply making the contest stipulations to be “X number of fans”, and when the number has been reached, you randomly draw from said fans for whatever it is you are willing to give away.

Having a good reward is important. It has to be a prize, something free that you can give away and of course has something to do with your business. If you own a clothes store, for example, you give away an outfit.

It works! I’ve done it myself and I’ve seen my fan page grow 100 fans in a day.

2. Talk To Your Fans

Social media is all about communication. Your fan page is no different. Ask your fans questions, get them talking and involved in some way. Maybe it’s a poll on their favorite aspect of your business, or maybe you want their opinion on what you should call a certain dish.

Also, answer questions and respond to comments (especially if they’re negative). If your fans know you’re listening, they’re more likely to get involved. In a world of huge corporations with customer service systems that are impossible to navigate, it’s very nice to be able to just be noticed.

3. Just for the Fans

Do small things just for your fans. Invite them to come by your store for a sample of your product, ask them to test a new product, or anything along these lines. If you engage them and talk with them, they’ll feel like they’re part of the team and therefore become more loyal, as we all know it’s all about brand loyalty.

If you’re catering to your fans then it creates a sense of exclusivity. Like a group of VIP’s at a club, they will feel like they’re getting something extra and the great thing is that they’re right.

Your reward will be people that have your back.

There is so much more to having a great fan page with lots of followers, and I would encourage anyone who’s interested to check out great resources like Mashable.com or even other successful fan pages. In the end, it’s all about conversation. Now more then ever, your company has to open it’s doors to the consumer, and these three tips are great stepping stones to get you going in the right direction.

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