There’s a goldmine in Facebook that a lot of people use but only a handful of business owners leverage. There are places in Facebook where tens of thousands of consumers, everyday people, gather looking for recommendations for local services and to hear about others' experiences. If you’re not using Facebook Groups, then you’re missing out on tons of free business.
Facebook Groups are a place for group communication and for people to share their common interests and express their opinion. They let people come together around a common cause, issue or activity to organize, express objectives, discuss issues, post photos, and share related content (lifewire.com)
There are so many choices for practically everything from the brand of milk you buy, to places to go to get your brakes done, to choosing the best preschool for your kid. As consumers, we are overwhelmed with options. At the end of the day, we all just want to know one thing- “Before I give you my hard earned money in exchange for your goods or services, are you going to treat me right and do a good job?”
Groups like “411 for the 719” allow residents in and around the 719 area code in Colorado Springs to give and get advice and recommendations for local services. At just over 41,000 members, it’s become a great place to find out about new, or not-so-new, businesses. The real bonus of belonging to this group, is that you’re allowed to post a business advertisement for your business once a week.
This means that once a week, a business owner who is a member of the group has the opportunity to tell 41,000 people, about your company and what services you provide or what products you sell for free. Every time your post gets shared by another member of your group, your exposure increases. Each week, highlight just one or two of your products or services and focus on what the benefits of the product/service are to your customer. Tell your audience where and how to get in touch with you and be diligent in responding to anyone who leaves comments.
There are thousands of groups that anyone can join or you can start your own group. From buying and selling things on marketplace, to finding lost pets or lost pet owners, to special interest groups and everything in between, there is something for everyone.
What Group is Right For You?
Think about your target audience. What kind of group would they be in? If you’re a junk hauler or do hoarding cleanup, a yard sale group might be ideal. Mechanics might like auto-focused groups, while a psychologist may consider the self-help and support groups. Veterinarian’s, pet sitters and dog-boarders can look at a number of animal-focused groups, and so on.
There are local and national groups, so if finding local customers is your goal, make sure to join local groups. Once you join, you’ll begin seeing posts from the group in your news feed. The more you engage with the group, the more posts you’ll see. Feel free to offer support, advice, recommendations, encouragement, help or whatever is appropriate.
Find Groups
To find groups to join on Facebook, login to your personal page, find the “Groups” under “Explore”, choose a category or search for specific topics. Some groups are public and all you need to join is to click the button. Others require approval and, as long as your not a bot and appear to be a real live person, your request will be approved fairly quickly.
Read the rules of each group you join and don’t violate the policies, or you risk being kicked out of the group. Now that you’ve found some groups to join and are familiar with the rules, you’re free to like, comment and share! If you decide a group isn’t for you after you join, simple “leave group” and find a better one!
For more great marketing tips, check out the Thin Air Marketing Group’s official blog or contact us for a one-on-one consultation.
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