#97: How to Grow a Profitable Facebook Group

Today we're diving into a new aspect of Facebook marketing that may very well surprise you! If you've hosted a webinar or an online course, you have probably also created a private Facebook group as a bonus for your clients. In addition to offering extra support and relationship, private Facebook groups are an amazing way to galvanize your clients into a true community. (Always a great thing when it comes to brand loyalty!) But did you know that the community-creating power of private Facebook groups can be a hugely effective sales tool? My guests on the podcast today are Josh and Jill Stanton from Screw the 9 to 5, and they're going to share their secret strategy for using private Facebook groups to warm up your audience for sales. Using Facebook groups in this way is really unique to Josh and Jill--as far as I know, nobody else out there is using this strategy to grow revenue. That's because we usually think of Facebook groups as being an "after the fact" thing. You create the product, people buy it and then they're part of the group. But what Josh and Jill have realized that there's a ton of sales power in making your audience "part of the group" before they ever spend a dime with you! Re-think Your Page Right off the bat, Jill makes a statement that could ruffle the feathers of a lot of online marketers: "Facebook Pages are dead to me." Once you recover from that bombshell, don't rush to the "Delete" button on your page! There's definitely a place for Facebook Pages...even Jill and Josh still use theirs. But what Jill is saying is that the Page setup is really more of a one-way street when it comes to interacting with your audience. For example, when fans comment on your page, their words show up in a sidebar...not exactly a real conversation, is it? Turning Your Brand into a Facebook Family By contrast, a Facebook group lets the "family atmosphere" of your brand really flourish. When you gather the people who have genuine interest in your business into a private setting--one in which they can interact with you as another member (an extra-knowledgeable and authoritative member, of course)--you're able to build a community of affinity and trust around your brand. A community in which you are the go-to source for what your audience wants to know/solve/accomplish. A community that is brought together by the experience of your program, product or service. If you're ready to find out the nuts and bolts of this ingenious Facebook marketing strategy, click here to listen to the whole episode now! ...Oh, and be sure to pay attention for a special bonus topic in my conversation with Josh and Jill: what to do when you realize that you don't really like your business model. (Yes, it's possible to change!)