At one time, networking meant grabbing a stack of your business cards and heading to a networking event. You’d shake hands, tell countless other professionals what you offer and make as many connections as possible. And although networking events still exist, most networking is done online, mostly through social media, in the comfort of your own home.
In this post I want to cover the most effective ways I have been able to find paying clients using Facebook Groups.
What is a Facebook Group?
A Facebook Group is started by an individual who sees a need for a community around what he/she is selling or promoting. Usually a group is started as a way for a business owner to promote their business while connecting with like minded individuals.
How do I find a Facebook Group?
It’s as easy as typing in the facebook search bar. Most group names have some keywords in them so you can find a group that fits the type of community you are looking for.
I’m in a few Facebook groups that fit my business and I’ve listed them below to give you a starting point:
Women Helping Women Entrepreneurs
Location Independent Biz Babes
Your Savvy Business + Life with Heather Crabtree
The Social Media Management Club with Madison Tinder
There are hundreds and hundreds of Facebook Groups, but don’t go crazy requesting to join every one you can find. It’s better to stick to a few good ones than to try to keep up with dozens. Also, don’t underestimate the smaller groups, it can be much easier to make connections!
Facebook Rules:
This is where it can get a little tricky. As a group grows, the founder usually puts down some ground rules so the group doesn’t morph into a breeding ground for advertisements and self promotion. If you ever find a group with thousands of members and no rules, you’ll soon find out that the networking value is diminished tremendously. There’s a lot irrelevant content and too many pushy salesmen. When you join a group, read the group rules, appreciate them and then adhere to them. Otherwise you’ll likely get kicked out!
So how do you network and promote while still adhering to the rules?
Here are a few ways:
- Post in promotional threads – Most groups administrators will stay active in the group by adding specific posts throughout the week that will allow group members to promote their product or service within the parameters of that post. If you use this type of post to promote your product or service, stick around and engage with others. Connections are made through conversation, so don’t be scared to ask a question or leave a friendly comment.
- Job opportunities – Business owners join Facebook groups just to scope out a potential service providers. Sometimes they will even post a job opportunity. The number one rule when responding to a job opportunity is to read the post very carefully before responding or commenting. I have heard of many instances where prospects will use your response as a gauge. Can they follow instructions? Can they spell? Did they pay attention to detail? First impressions are everything, so before you start typing, take your time and make it count!
- Add Value – Many group members use Facebook groups as a way to ask questions and get advice. If you can lend to the conversation or answer a question, then do it! This is the meat and potatoes of networking and a great way to position yourself as an expert on a topic, build a positive reputation and get noticed. Again, the way you respond matters. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be exactly on point with your grammar, attitude and content. In fact, I currently have a long term client who saw a comment that I made on post and liked my response enough to learn more and book a consultation.
- Personal Messages – Personal messaging (PM) another member of the group may or may not be permitted depending on the groups rules. In some instances a member might request that a PM be sent if they are asking for help or for applicants for a job opportunity. In this case it is okay to do so. But, it’s generally a bad practice to cold message someone in the group without a specific reason. If you do this, you will likely be reported and kicked out.
- Follow up on leads – There have been a few times that another member has requested a PM and then not responded. It’s usually because they have posted in the group requesting information about a specific service and asked other members who offer this service to PM them. I’ve found that the reason I might not get a response is due to the number of responses, sometimes upwards of 50 people! As you can imagine, this can be overwhelming and causes your response to never see the light of day. What I do: When I respond to a job opportunity and get no response, I always follow up with a personal email a few days later. It’s generally very easy to find an email listed on a Facebook page or a website. A simple follow up with a subject line of “I don’t think you got my first email”, is a great way to get your email opened. I’ve found this method to be welcomed and appreciated. In fact I booked a client using this exact formula!
- Be upbeat and positive – Although many members use Facebook groups just to ask questions and vent about current issues they’re facing, I don’t believe that this is the best way to make a great first impression on a potential client. If you speak ill of others, even if it’s warranted, can be a turn off to someone who may have otherwise considered using your services. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” I think we can safely apply this old saying to Facebook Group networking.
- Assess your profile picture – A picture is worth a thousand words and since your profile picture is the first thing to be noticed, it’s fair to ask, what does your profile picture say about you? No one is going to take you seriously if you still have a Thanksgiving filter on a 10 year old picture or if you’re using a screenshot from Snapchat where you have puppy ears. People will start to associate your content and value to the group with your name and photo, so choose a quality head shot that represents you in the best way possible.
- Be active – Set aside time everyday or at the very least a couple times a week to spend 30 minutes or more to just be an active participant. Comment on posts, engage, add value to the group, and get yourself out there! The more you comment, the more people will see your name, and the more leads you will get!
There is no shortcut to networking online. You have to put in the time, you have to show up, you have to do the work. Connections and relationships take time. Trust isn’t built overnight and instant results are few and far between. Trust the process, be consistent and don’t give up. Success is right around the corner!
What is your favorite method of networking? Leave a comment or contact me and let me know! I love hearing from my readers!
