How to Make Your Facebook Group Work

Facebook Groups can be either a blessing or a curse. It all depends on how they are used.

Most Facebook users do not like that they can be added to any group without their permission and that it is up to them to leave the group if they do not like it.

Facebook Groups have the potential to be one of the best tools available to people with the right skill set, especially given the fact that groups can be open, closed or even secret.

If you have great leadership skills, you can use this group to serve, communicate, interact and perhaps even monitize your business through them.

When I launched The Social Business Academy, the first question I got was “Do we get a Secret Group on Facebook?”  My clients love the interaction that takes place in this environment!

It is private, it is helpful, it is inclusive and they want to be part of it.

If you are the admin of a group there are a few things you should consider from a leadership perspective prior to adding all 4,995 of your friends…

The first is it WILL take Leadership to make the group a success.

You will need to offer the members value of some sort if you want them to stay.

You must have a clear purpose as to what the group is for, how people should behave and what type of behavior is not permitted.

The number one issue when it comes to groups is spam.  People are using groups as a forum to market and sell without engaging in any conversation with the other members.  Members are tired of constant posts to sign up for this and buy that – it is sad that people incorporate 1980’s advertising into a space where you could be networking and building valuable business relationships.

The number two issue is that email notifications are automatically set to on and members get inundated with email notifications for all of this spam.  Receiving all this spam is annoying but the real problem is they miss the good stuff.

Let me say that again.  “They miss the good stuff”

This is where your role as a leader becomes important.  Set up some group guidelines for people to follow.

Be clear about what the purpose of the group is and have guidelines or rules around promotion.  When people do not abide by the rules – have a private conversation with them and let them know this is not the forum for marketing their “stuff”.

If it happens again – remove them from the group.

If you are going to start a group, you need to take ownership and demonstrate leadership to ensure that the members of the group are receiving the best possible value.  Otherwise, your original intention gets diluted, your credibility goes down and the members start to leave. Handled correctly however, this could be one of the best things ever to happen to your business!

Are you a member of a group or have you started one? Please share with us what works well in your group and why!