Dear savvy business professional: There is more to creating a Facebook presence than setting up a page and hoping for the best. So, here are a few valuable tips and suggestions on how to enhance your Facebook presence and get the most of it. 1. Make a long-term commitment Unfortunately many page administrators eventually become inactive. Here is what happens: they start a campaign and get the ball rolling, but if their activities do NOT generate immediate results, they lose interest and their enthusiasm subsides. One thing is for sure: it takes time to build your FB presence. It requires long-term commitment, patience and availability on your part. You should continue interacting with your fans, even if you do not see the benefits right away. You should find and create content that your followers or fans will find interesting, informative and stimulating. Are you concerned that your fan base is small? You should do everything it takes to cultivate it. Yes, it will take some time. However, your efforts and commitment will pay off in the long haul. 2. Direct Traffic to Your Custom Tabs As you know, FB is a busy place. Your fans have a great deal of articles, videos, press releases and other materials vying for their attention. Besides, "build and they will come" doesn't work. Don't assume that your fans are aware that your custom tabs exist. You have to let them know. If you have a new tab with a poll you just set up, post a status update telling your fans about the poll, and most important, link them to the tab. 3. Avoid the Allow Prompt I think it's a good idea to limit or even eliminate the allow prompt. On the one hand, the allow prompt enables businesses to learn a whole lot more about their fans. The problem is, most internet users are extremely concerned about identity theft and can be reluctant to share information online. 5. Pay Attention to Quality Let me assure you that the number of fans should not be your primary concern. You should focus more on quality fans. So, how do you target the right kind of fans? FB ads are one way. Another important strategy is to create valuable and engaging content your fans will want to share. Quality fans are the people you want, simply because they have the potential to turn into customers. 6. Avoid Spamming Your Fans Common sense, right? Who likes to be spammed? Some page administrators may eventually fall into this pattern over time. The big challenge is to win credibility and get your company in your fan's news feeds without being spammy. 7. Optimize for Feedback Being social is one of the best ways to get your fans' attention without spamming them. FB users expect to engage in conversation. So, they will converse and correspond with you if you approach them as a friend, not a sales target. Here is the 80/20 rule: Make posts and comments that are relevant to the community 80 percent of the time, and discuss your business just 20 percent of the time. Always remember: your fans are on FB for social interaction, not to purchase products or services. If your sales pitches are being ignored, there is no need to post them over and over again. Instead, take the time to re-evaluate or fine-tune your messages and come up with more subtle ads. I hope my suggestions above will come in handy and help you create a successful Facebook presence that will help you grow your business and take it to the next level. Good luck with your endeavors! For more information about Essential Communications, please visit www.kambarian.com