I do not suggest a “forced-to-like” app.  The whole point of social media is to be open with your followers/likes/friends.  

When I first visit a page I will take a look at the Welcome page to see what kind of thought and effort the page owner put into their page.  I will then hop over to the wall to see if what they are posting is interesting to me.  If it is, I will then like the page.  If it is not, then I leave.

If you force people to like your page just to see your wall, then a good number of them could also “unlike” your page.  Then you have invested $450 just to see people jump ship.

Provide good quality content and authentic communication and your page will grow.

@tasgolabruner I agree with what’s been said.  I always look at the wall to see if the posts are useful before I Like.  If I couldn’t see the wall or if I had to optin to some App, I wouldn’t click Like.  I’m not even sure how this app would work because I think it would have to be an App with permissions since Facebook Pages are public by default.  

Is there some way you could achieve the same purpose?  Have your best content delivered by e-mail that they would have to opt into but good teaser content on the wall?

@tasgolabruner the quick answer is – I would not take that route because it is about engagement not numbers.   

Quite often people obsess over the numbers like they do on Twitter. If one is going to obsess then it should be an obsession on how to build quality content that customers (fans) will engage with by clicking Like and/or Share so that what you have posted will go to their friends and possibly friends of friends.  

Building quality numbers and generating interaction is truly a multi-faceted approach. Besides developing quality content, you also have to reach out and learn what your customers really want from you. Use the Questions feature on Facebook as a starting point to drill down and find out. However, make it a fun activity where possible. 

Reach out to your biggest advocates through email and/or newsletter campaigns and let them know that you are on Facebook. Be sure to let them know the benefits of joining you there. Think content on everything that you send out and that includes your emails and newsletters.
 
The human mind quite often works on the mentality of ‘what’s in it for me?’, because people just don’t have the time to waste. They want solutions, fun, an escape. I don’t know which applies to your customer base, only you know that.  

Good relationships in life are earned and developed over time. The same applies in increasing people on our Facebook business pages. Remember, we want real talking people not numbers.  

The advice that @AndreaVahl will provide this group will be invaluable. As a writer for Social Media Examiner and co-author of Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies we have a great leader.  

If anyone in the group is new to Facebook marketing, I do suggest you read Andrea’s book. I am a BIG reader.  

Wow, I think I just wrote a mini blog post. See, this is what happens when you awake at 3:30 in the morning and can’t go back to sleep.  

Cheers,Donna

@tasgolabruner to enforce what was said above by @tasgolabruner

As shown by the Twitter-powered political revolutions, power is shifting to the masses–and businesses need to understand the same thing is happening in their world, LeBrun said. Old patterns of customer interaction, such as making people wait on hold, aren’t going to be acceptable in the new business reality, he said. “Businesses need to line up for customers, rather than expecting customers to line up for business.”
Companies must embrace enterprise social media in 2012 or be overrun by it, says Marcel LeBrun.

Offer something of value on your social media channels. The evidence is clear in this article: The Major Disconnect Between Brands and Consumers When It Comes to Social Media | Social Media Today

Chalk up another vote in the consensus column! 

I am fairly new to social media management/marketing myself, and I also get a little frustrated over slowly building numbers. But I get MORE frustrated when I can’t find the right hot buttons to get my fans engaging. To me, the quality of good engagement trumps quantity every time.

As for forcing likes, I can tell you from my own viewpoint: if someone tries to force a like or a contact address from me before I know what his/her business is about, I move right along. My thinking is, if the person feels I need to be forced into giving up my information, or compelled to like a page, there mustn’t be anything of true value there.

My page is about to hit 10,000 fans and I haven’t harvested any of them. I agree with what the majority have said here. Focus on engaging and responding and the interest will follow.

I would instead create a FB custom page. Here are 10 apps suggested by Social Media Examiner:How to create a custom facebook page

I agree also with much of what is being said here.  Use the fans/likes as potential customers but that doesn’t happen right away.  It’s important to get the like, but its just as or more important to then continue posting great content to engage your customers, encourage conversation, then down the road when they need your service, they already have a relationship with you to then “remember” you and hopefully you will then get the sale

I think the majority here is saying No, do no spend the $450.

Heather

Wow, thank you, everyone, for your immensely helpful responses! I really appreciate them.

I apologize for the delay in thanking you (the holidays, work – you know how it is.)

I’m going to go through your responses in detail and will likely come back with questions.

Tasgola

@tasgolabruner What business are you in?