In today’s episode I want to work through three things NOT to do if you want to use your Facebook Group to grow your business. Time and time again women come to me telling me that their Facebook Group is dead, or that their ideal client isn’t even on Facebook. And if that’s you, I have a some tough love for you. The reason why your Facebook Group isn’t working for you, is YOU. And so today I want you start to unpack this a bit and show you that a Facebook Group can be an amazing lead generation tool, when done correctly.
My point of view with Facebook Groups is that they are beneficial for all online entrepreneurs. Facebook is the world’s largest social media network and is not going anywhere anytime soon, so odds are that your ideal client is on Facebook. Again, it’s a matter of using your Group strategically and intentionally to grow your business.
The first thing to NOT do with your Facebook Group:
Your Facebook Group is a billboard for your business. And I see this a lot with network marketing professionals, so if that’s you listen up.
What do you do when a commercial comes on? You change the channel, get up to get a snack, do a load of laundry, you tune out! You’re not interested in watching commercials.
The same goes for your Group members, they don’t care about this amazing new product, they don’t care about the sale, they don’t care about how amazing you company is. They’ve come to your Group because they like you OR they want to learn more about whatever the promise is that your group makes.
So let’s say you’re partnered with a toxin-free cleaning company. Your Group members want to learn about toxins to get out of their homes, how to read labels intelligently, how to spot toxin-filled products, why getting rid of toxins is so important. They don’t want to be pushed product after product after product, even if those products solve the pain point they are experiencing. Educate them first, then sell.
Something you should be doing is showing your group members how you use the products. What kind of results they can expect to get? How does it compare to more conventional brands? This is attraction marketing at it’s best.
Educate your group members and get them tied to the problem that your products solve. Empower them to make the change, you’re not the hero in your story, they are. It’s your job to guide them to the answer.
The second thing to NOT do with your Facebook Group:
You’re talking at your Group members, instead of with your Group members.
Your Group members should be doing a whole heck of a lot more talking than you are. It’s your job to facilitate conversation, as the head of your Group. When you can open up the space for your Group members to talk, teach, get a bit vulnerable, and ask questions, that’s when your Group will start to grow.
As your Group is banded around one cause or purpose, there are going to be other experts in your field that come into your Group. And that’s ok, do not view them as competition. They might learn from you through what it is that you are teaching, but they also might have conflicting points of views from you, and that’s ok too! There is more than one way to live life/do business/clean your house/prepare your food (whatever it is that your Group’s purpose is) and that’s what makes the world go ‘round! You’re not made to serve everyone and people are allowed to have different points of view from you.
So let them talk. Open up the space for your Group members to share their knowledge. Empower them to create posts or do Facebook Lives and to teach and share their point of view. And if they have a different point of view from you, have a conversation about it.
An example from my business. I have a former client who I love and collaborate with often. She HATES Facebook Groups. And clearly, I love them. She created a post in my Facebook Group about how much Facebook Groups are a waste of time. And so at first, it triggered me. I started to get defensive. Who is she to come into MY Facebook Group and hate on Facebook Groups? Like what was she thinking?!
But then I checked myself before I wrecked myself, and dove a bit deeper. What was really going on here?
And as I re-read the post I realized what she was saying. She was saying that she didn’t have the time to put into a Group and to serve it’s Group members in the way that they deserve. It was a “her” thing, not a “Facebook Group” thing. Her experience was that her Group wasn’t thriving because she wasn’t leading it in the way that it deserved or needed. Not that Facebook Groups in general were an invalid way of building your business.
Her point of view is totally valid, and while it differs from most everything I teach, it’s still valid because it’s how she experiences and lives out her business. And let’s take this one step farther here, the fact that she felt comfortable enough coming into my Group and sharing her point of view that she knew differed greatly from mine, shows a level of trust that she has in my Group. She felt comfortable enough to post something in my own group that I would view as somewhat controversial, given my stand on Facebook Groups. It’s really a huge honor!
Give your Group members space to share their thoughts, ideas, dreams, and struggles. It will only make you look more like a boss. You want your Group to be the go-to place for your ideal client to learn.
The third, and final, thing NOT do with your Facebook Group:
You’re not actively growing it.
Sometimes you just need more numbers. Now I would rather you have a highly-engaged group of 200 members vs. a dead group of 1,000 members, but how about we get the best of both worlds and create a highly-engaged group of 1,000 members? I want you to have a big Group AND I want it to be highly-engaged!
How do you go about doing this?
One option is through paid advertising. Now I’m a huge fan of growth, regardless if it’s paid or organic and there are pros and cons of both types of advertising. With Facebook and Instagram Ads you can place an invitation for your new subscribers to join your Group in the emails you are sending, that you made contact with through Facebook or Instagram Ads. And contrary to many people’s beliefs, Facebook and Instagram Ads do not have to cost a small fortune. At the time of this recording, I have four Ads that are running to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, that are all converting between $0.85 and $1.75 per email address. The days of inexpensive Facebook Ads are NOT over. You can grow your email list and your Facebook Group simultaneously.
Facebook and Instagram Ads can get you in front of cold audiences quickly through effective Audience targeting in the Ads Manager. Really, the possibilities are endless when it comes to Facebook and Instagram Ads and you can see some massive momentum start in your business, quickly!
Now, the second option that you have to grow your Group is through organic strategies. Meaning, strategies that you don’t pay for. You can use Facebook’s algorithm intentionally to get you Group presented at the top of the Suggested Groups section, at the top of the search bar when certain terms are searched, and on the right-hand side toolbar within Facebook. When you do the actions, the things that Facebook recognizes as high-value in your own Facebook Group, they will reward you by promoting your Group in those areas.
Facebook’s algorithm recognizes certain habits as more valuable than others. So when you do those habits, you get more visible.
Both paid and organic growth are important. I believe that one traffic source isn’t superior, but that we should know what works and what doesn’t work for our unique and individual businesses. And that every single tool we have in our business’ primary function should be to generate leads, that generation should be DAILY. If your business isn’t growing, it’s dying, and your numbers need to grow every single day.
RESOURCES:
Download the Optimize Your Facebook Group for Leads Guide
