On this episode, Karen and Kathleen welcome Alicia Streger of Fit Pro Essentials. They discuss how you can utilize Facebook Groups, a free service, to help grow and expand your current wellness business. They discuss the difference between a business Facebook Page versus a Facebook Group, and different techniques you can use in your Facebook Group to set yourself apart from others in your industry.
Benefits of Facebook Groups
Strategies for Facebook Groups
-Keep promoting to a minimum, it’s a relationship building strategy. You don’t want to just make your group be sales pitch over sales pitch. This is your chance to show them who you are, give unique and valuable content and then every now and then invite them to learn more about one of your great programs or services.
-Have a strong name for your group. There are so many groups on Facebook, you need to be clear and defined about what you do and who you serve. Don’t be cutesy with it, be very direct about who you are and what you do. Groups evolve over time, so you can change the name if you want without it being a big deal. You can continue to refine your overall business and what you want to offer in this industry.
-It’s not just the numbers, it’s the right type of people in there. You want your target audience in there, not just anybody and you want to be able to control the conversation.
-Keep people engaged and interacting with each other. You must figure out what is the best type of communication with those in your group. What do they respond to the most, what do they really love engaging with. Do surveys and put up Facebook Polls. Find out exactly what your members want to learn about and then create that content.
-Set yourself apart as the expert in your group. You need to maintain that positive level of communication in your group. Remember, you control the flow of the content and conversations.
-Come up with challenges and contests to create excitement and a buzz with members. You can offer up one of your services as a prize which generates more genuine conversations about your products and sales.
-You group is full of people with real feelings and real problems that want some support. In your group, you can talk about something actionable you’ve done to help someone else with that same problem and how that added value to their life. Talk specifically to who your target market is and show them the positive changes you can help them with to change their lives.
-Post up client testimonial, case studies, and webinars or group trainings. That can be how much or as little as you want, do something big every month or every other month to keep your group engaged. Those big monthly events will let you dive deep into specific types of content and on the back end you can invite them to join you and your services, creating a genuine sales conversation.
- Add somewhat controversial posts and get people charged up! It can be as whatever topic you want but it’ll get people talking and energized. Have a stance, take a position and talk about it. That’s another thing that’ll separate you from the rest of the other groups out there.
-Use Facebook Live to help your group members not only get to know and love your authentic personality, but with contests, special sales, or even just a weekly hello. That is a powerful and free marketing tool at your service.
Marketing / Sales
In your group, you’re never selling think of it instead as offering people to take that next step in their life with you. If it’s a good fit for you both then you aren’t going to push them, sell them or force them to do anything that they don’t want to do. But if you can help change their lives in a positive manner, you owe it to them to at least offer them the opportunity to make such a positive change. Not everyone is always going to take you up on that offer, but some people will be ready and want to take you up on it and you can build your client base from there.
You can make the sales conversations in your group fun. It doesn’t have to feel like your group is vising a used car lot, have raffles, use Facebook Live, talk about your services in conjunction with a beneficial webinar. If you’re adding valuable content to your group on a consistent basis you can easily put up “sales” posts without it feeling like you’re just there pushing people into buying. Remember, if you don’t ever offer them an opportunity to work with you, then you’re both missing out.
Tips / Tricks
-Building a big and active Facebook Group is going to take some effort. It’s going to take time, it’s not going to happen overnight. Commit extra time right out of the gate to really build it properly.
-Always welcome your new members. Tag them in a welcome post, ask them a question, get them involved right from the start and feeling like they belong right away.
-If someone is commenting a lot in the group and engaging, send them a PM thanking them for contributing to the overall group.
-Add rules for the group and enforce them. Don’t be afraid to delete and block people if they aren’t following the rules you’ve set forth.
-Monitor who you let into the group, you can be particular about who you let in.
Need help Creating Content?
Check out Alicia’s 52 Week Done For You Facebook Content
Monday – Challenge of the Week post
Tuesday – Engagement Posts (Keep in mind these don’t have to be wellness based.)
Wednesday – Healthy Recipe
Thursday – Tip to help accelerate the weekly challenge
Friday – Mini workout
Weekend Warrior Workouts
Be sure to visit Alicia's Facebook Group and check out the FREEBIE OFFER ALICIA HAS FOR YOU
For more information visit Kathleen's Website, Karen's Website, and The Wellness Business Podcast on Facebook
