Growing a client base with Facebook takes a little more effort than posting witty status updates a few times each day. Keep the company’s web presence professional and current. No company makes an impact by reaching out to customers once or twice a week. Since Facebook is live 24/7, use the free marketing tool often.  If you’re looking for some creative tips on keeping your social marketing efforts going in the right direction then keep reading!

Create a Buzz

Use Facebook like a news-alert system. Create posts about developments, progress and milestones reached. Sure, it’s a bit egotistical, but anyone who searches for the company online will see that it’s doing something. It’s a start-up making progress. Go ahead and post a link to the company’s new website or Twitter profile. Moving forward is the goal. Use online auto-posting services to streamline the Facebook updating process.

Have Contests

Encourage Facebook visitors to interact with the page. Contests directly call for participation. Use a service or product from the company as the prize. Once in the hands of a consumer, word of mouth marketing begins. Plus, contest winners will click on the “Share” button to spread the winning news, which in turn shares the company name on many more Facebook walls.

Share the Love

Get in the habit of sharing links to articles, photos and blog posts that relate to the business. These public posts are searchable by Google, and bring traffic to back to the business Facebook page. For example, a start-up bakery might post an article from the Blueberry Grower’s Association website about the nutritional value of blueberries — the newest pie flavor offered by the bakery. If the Growers find the article posted on the bakery’s Facebook page, they may create a link from the company’s website, to the bakery. On the Internet, related businesses scratch each other’s backs.

Be Human

The company is a start-up, not a multinational corporation. Talk about the local weather, economy or issues facing the area. It adds personality and locality to the venture. Just keep the talk professional. If the business offers bicycle rentals along the coastline, let customers know about the beautiful weekend weather forecast. This quick post might just plant a seed and encourage customers to stop by the shop and rent a bike. After all, everyone wants to take advantage of nice weather.

Post Pictures

When a new product debuts, snap a few pictures. Seeing a product is more appealing than a cleverly crafted paragraph of advertorial prose. Posting pictures of your employees working, creating new products, speaking at conferences or working with customers makes the business real. Take the process a step further and tag employees in the photos. Make sure the links go to a professional Facebook profile, not a personal account littered with weekend party pictures or political rants.

Using Facebook stretches the meager marketing budget of most new businesses. The free marketing tool gives the company a public identity, allows for interaction between potential customers and employees, and over time helps the company establish credibility.