It’s not enough to set up a fan page on Facebook or a Twitter account and expect people to follow you in mass numbers. Granted, if you enjoy a strong following via a company blog or existing portfolio Web site, there’s a good chance visitors will migrate to your social networks for updates and interaction. You can place buttons on your main site, and post and tweet to your heart’s content to build your following, but what happens when you plateau and can’t quite reach a friendship goal?

Word of mouth is the strongest marketing tool out there, and often one has to mouth off quite a bit before people get the message. While recommendations may drive traffic to your fan pages and profiles, there has to be substance and activity to persuade them from clicking that ever-important “join” button.

The key to increasing fans and friends lies, naturally, in encouraging present friends to spread your gospel. Tell a friend, and they’ll tell two – but in this age of short attentions and instant gratification one will wonder what’s in it for them. You have already established your social media presence as a means of promoting your business and/or products, so now is the time to really make it work.

Incentive: You can set up Twitter to notify you when people follow your account, and if you check the fan member list of a Facebook page you’ll see the most recent fans at the top. Hold a membership drive where newly joined fans can receive a discount on products, maybe a freebie, or something equally attractive. For existing fans, offer an equivalent promotion if they write a blog to recruit fans or retweet your Twitter posts. Use the information you receive to reward their loyalty.

Partnership: Are there businesses or group in your area that can benefit from mutual promotion strategies? Maybe you are associated with a civic organization and have sponsored events in the past. Connect with others to devise a plan to cross-promote your social media endeavors. You might find fans at one network will join yours as well.

Expertise: Above all else use your networks to expand upon your experience and skills in your chosen area. People should follow your Twitter and Facebook because it provides a valuable resource of information in your field. This is your chance to prove just that.

Interact and inform – the more content you offer means a greater opportunity for people to share your wisdom.