This will be the first part in a series on how we online community-builders, social networkers, and interactive marketers can manage expectations in the workplace from our superiors. Social marketing is not a quick fix that will immediately bring in leads, and Facebook may be the most difficult (but most necessary) tool for this purpose.

Where do Facebook followers come from?

Well, for The Creative Circus, the first huge wave came when we started shutting down our illegal Profile page (we are not a person – so for branding purposes, we needed to use the business version). Loads of people migrated over, and since then, we’ve had about 30-40 new fans per week since February, 2010.

But where do those 30-40 come from?

Mostly, from additional OFFLINE efforts, including our Admissions team conducting interviews, college visits to our school, and our visits to other colleges and high schools. This online/offline combination is what really captures these potential students, and this is why the interactive space is so important. The leads will see our updates and shared content, so we’ll be on their mind, and interacting with them in their space. They may not, however, become workable leads overnight, which is why current and frequent content sharing is essential for building the community.

So how do we grow those 30-40?

Within Facebook, the administrator of the account should become friends with as many relevant people to the campaign as possible. I’m friend with students, faculty, and alumni, so I can tag them in status updates. These updates then appear on their wall for all THEIR friends to see…this is a social re-targeting effort and quite powerful. Adding relevant Pages to your Pages’ Favorites is another way to build a presence for your brand.

Additionally, content is still king, so make sure you’re posting good stuff, that people will WANT to share with their followers.

Outside of Facebook, other social media tools, such as Twitter, bookmarking sites, YouTube, etc. can be used from time to time to drive some traffic to Facebook. Also, optimizing your website to increase traffic, and placing strong calls to action for Facebook on your website will increase followers over time.

This is the reality of Facebook.

Not all your followers will buy what you’re selling. But they may know someone who might and refer them. Or they might find your industry fascinating, and tell all their followers. Be patient, and authentic, and your online presence will grow.