Do you participate in Facebook groups or are wondering if you should create one to help boost your business?
In this eTip video I’m talking with Heather Wilson who is an authority on using Facebook groups, and I’ve witnessed her successes first hand.
6 Ways to Create Successful Facebook Groups with Special Guest Heather Wilson
Heather is the CEO of The Canadian Coach which is a fantastic resource website we developed for her that services Canadian coaches by promoting, uniting, and supporting them.
Using groups to your advantage without selling is exactly how Heather and I met. We started working together with an intention of helping out with a problem but without any return.
As a result, Heather has referred many clients to us where our relationship and success is due to a mutual respect of wanting to be of service to others.
Heather has a few Facebook groups on the go but The Canadian Coach is her main focus. In this group she has strict rules on self promotion and selling and she focuses on building relationships instead.
The Canadian Coach is a go-to resource for Canadian coaches who are looking for support and help. They can even ask for feedback on their existing marketing or find out what they need to know about running their business such as what kind of insurance they need.
When Heather allows any promotion at all it’s on selected days. This is important to her relationship building and her success. She even takes things offline for meetups all over Canada.
If you’re a Canadian coach, this group is well worth seeking out to help build your coaching career.
To qualify to be a member of The Canadian Coach website and Facebook group, you need to be a coach who is Canadian. Even if you are living outside of Canada, you still qualify as long as you are Canadian.
By creating her own Facebook group she has been able to connect with coaches all across Canada and the reception has been fantastic. Her group and community are thriving!
She opted for a group over a page first because her page she perceived to be the equivalent of her store front. She was looking more so for a community. She wanted to connect with people to build trust and network with peers.
By forgoing any for-profit angle she saw her community build with sincerity and drew in members with good intentions rather than a forum for people to post self serving ads.
Heather has a multi-pronged approach in creating a successful Facebook Group outline here:
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Consistency is the Key
Heather makes sure she has pre-scheduled posts – daily posts that ask a question. Always ask for feedback in the form of a question!
Strive to add one post a day. Facebook loves the consistency so make sure you keep it up!
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Add Random Posts
Add off-the-cuff posts on a regular basis. Heather has found that random, candid posts asking about things like books she’s read has encouraged a lot of user engagement.
Encourage members to ask their own questions. Heather has opened up the floor to others asking questions too and that kind of engagement is very valuable.
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Strive for 300+ Members
Only 10% of the members will be engaged. So according to Heather’s experience, once you reach that 300 milestone you will see a serious improvement in the engagement and performance of the group.
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Keep Posting
Facebook will share your group organically when regularly posting. This is key. Don’t let the initial silence discourage you and slow you down.
Once you’ve built up a presence you’ll see Facebook rewarding you with prevalence in group searches by users.
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Realize it’s a Time Investment
Managing a Facebook group is laborious so be prepared for the long haul. However, you don’t have to sit and stare at the screen just log in and check in on it regularly.
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Use Facebook Live Streams
Heather has seen great returns on using Facebook Live in her groups to reach new people and get conversations going.
Adopted this strategy into the group really help grow engagement and brings in users.
Heather also explained some of the bigger challenges to running Facebook groups.
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Getting people in the group
Get people to initially see the value of belonging and joining. This is a big challenge because of the volume of group invites that users get. Persistent and consistent posting is essential.
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People being engaged in the group
Once or twice a week Heather goes in personally and messages any new members with unique, personal messages. Not bots! This shows she cares and makes a big difference for her members.
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Staying in the group
Provide reasons to stay. Post authentic content that rewards membership and create your community.
The Canadian Coach Facebook group is 100% free so if you’re a Canadian Coach then you’re in.
The Canadian Coach website has paid membership options that include being listed in a coaching directory, access to valuable training as well as special member-only deals.
If you’d like to join, head over the her website and sign up! Even if you’re not a coach but possibly need a coach that website again is TheCanadianCoach.ca
This aligns quite well with our monthly membership program AMPLIFY! Business Academy. AMPLIFY! is it’s own coaching in a way that helps users by teaching the importance and usage of social media and online marketing to promote your business.
If you are liking these eTips, please show me some gratitude and subscribe to my YouTube Channel and better yet, subscribe to our weekly newsletter where we share articles and strategies specific for the entrepreneur and small business owner to help you better navigate through this complicated digital marketing world we find ourselves in.
To your business success,
Susan Friesen
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About the Author, Susan Friesen
Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia’s premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is an expert in helping businesses establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity.
Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the branding and marketing industry.
Visit www.BrandIdentitySteps.com and download your FREE guide: "Unlocking Customer Trust and Business Growth: Your 7-Step Guide to Defining a Compelling Brand Identity that Appeals to Your Perfect Clients".
