“There are 800 million Facebook users, so you HAVE to get your own Facebook fan page to benefit from their success as well.”

I hear this argument all the time. Even though I agree with one thing (every business should be active on Facebook), I think the argument is foolish or at least incomplete. Yes, it’s great that there are 800 million active Facebook users, but what most people tend to forget is that there are also millions of other businesses and fan pages that you need to compete with. Simply having a Facebook fan page won’t do you any good: the competition is just too strong.

So, what’s the secret of having a successful Facebook fan page? How can you be better than your competition? Here are some key success factors I came up with:

• Give people a reason to fan you. People won’t fan you just because you have a fan page. Give them something in return (e.g. discounts, exclusive news or content).

• Offer exclusives. Make it a priority to break news or offer exclusive promotions to Facebook fans only. They’ll show their appreciation by eagerly staying tuned to future updates.

• Establish a brand. Set yourself apart by having a profile picture and landings page that looks professional, in the style of your company.

• Respond to your fans. Respond to every single comment, it will make fans feel honored.

• Start conversations. Post updates in a human, open-ended manner, and try to invoke people to respond to your posts.

• Time your updates. Time your updates when fans seem to be most active on Facebook.

• Use multiple channels. Use other channels (e.g. email, other social media accounts, offline) to promote your Facebook fan page.

• Use negative feedback. Communicate with complainers, and use that knowledge to improve your products or service.

• Give a sneak peak. Show them what they can expect right on the landings page.

• Have a call to action. Ask them to like your page if they would like to get access to your special giveaway.

• Leverage your fans. Use Facebook applications in a smart way to make sure your fans will be eager to spread the news about your fan page.

I’d recommend to start thinking about how you could implement these success factors into your fan page

I agree with Andrea. I like these tips.

Really Awesome stuff Rick! Learning some much from everyone here!

@scottieschufford-anderson You will discover a wealth of tips and information within this network!

Thanks for the tips! @rlmosca

Nice post. Thank you.