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So you have a Facebook fan page or you are contemplating starting one. With Facebook recently breaking the four million user-mark, you should be thinking very seriously about participating effectively. This can be a daunting task for even the most experienced marketers out there. You may have started a fan page months ago and you are lacking momentum – no one seems to care that you are “out there.” Maybe you have been thinking about staking your claim in the Facebook territory, but you have no idea where to start.

There are many ways to help create more interest in your fan page, but before you begin (if you haven’t already started) or before you decided to take a new direction (if you already have a fan page), you’ll need to take a step back and create a plan. Minimally, this plan should include an outline of what tactics you will use to create an interactive and interesting environment for fan and how you will manage that interest.

When it comes to creating interest in your fan page, it is good to take a look around the Facebook world and see what others are doing, gage their success and evaluate how you might implement something similar. A recent blog post by Matt Silverman, “5 Fantastic Facebook Page Ideas to Learn From,” Silverman discusses some wonderful examples of how to make your Facebook fan page more interactive and create more interest from fans. The examples include Walgreens’ fan page, which gives fans exclusive special offers and discounts, and Baby Gap, which offers fans an opportunity to upload a picture of their baby in their favorite Gap outfit.

Use these examples to create a social media marketing plan. Come up with several ideas, topics, and tactics that you will test out and measure. Then, come up with a plan to outline how you will manage the interest that fans show and how you will interact with them. Ask yourself: how much time will you spend on Facebook each day, each week; how often will you post;  how will you deal with negative comments? Having a plan will help you be prepared and give you the structure needed to create a successful Facebook presence. You can create the plan and implement it yourself or you can have your marketing department or firm handle it for you.

A lot of our social media clients are concerned about regulations surrounding there industry. Some think there is no way they can have a Facebook presence. Others are nervous about violating privacy or staying in compliance with laws governing their industry. If you are worried about similar issues in your industry, take a look around the web and find leaders in your industry and see what they are doing, or visit the website of the regulating body to see if there are any updates pertaining to social media. At this point, some of the laws and regulations have caught up, but others have not.

In a recent post on The Firm Voice, a publication from the Council of Public Relations, several PR professionals discuss regulated industries such as Healthcare and Financial Services. The nine tips offer advice ranging from training to advice on creating a social media policy.

So if you are asking yourself, “Can I even participate in social media?” Chance are you can, but you need to make sure you follow the proper procedures. In some instances, you may find that social media is not the right fit for your company, but at least you took the time to explore all of the possibilities.

Mary Grimborg