Facebook™ remains the number one social media network for lead generation and online marketing strategies. It has grown into a mature platform preferred mostly by people over 25 years old. This means that you are most likely to find your target customers here (unless teenagers are your typical clients).
By now, you probably know the motto: organic traffic is dead, long live paid traffic. However, there are still ways in which you can use Facebook™ to generate leads without spending money on ads. Right now, you have a new avenue of possibilities to explore: Facebook™ has finally decided to allow Pages to join Groups.
Facebook™ Groups – the Portal to More Qualified Leads
Groups exist because people with similar interests want to be able to discuss and share information in a separate forum, away from the background noise of news feeds. There is a Facebook™ group for any human interest, from musicians’ fans to parenting, to business and professional development.
People who join groups expect a few simple things:
Relevant and friendly discussions
The opportunity to network with their peers
The chance to learn something new in their field of interest.
These three expectations make Facebook™ Groups the perfect place to increase your brand exposure and find new leads. Here is how to do it:
1. Join Relevant Groups
Relevant groups are:
Focused on your business niche;
Active (many groups are stagnant, with few members still posting and taking part in discussions);
With members falling into your target customer group: local area groups, young professionals, new parents, etc.
To put things into perspective, it is just as important to join relevant groups as it is to segment your target audience accurately when you create a Facebook™ ad.
2. Share Highly Relevant Content and Links
Group administrators are some of the best watchdogs on Facebook™. As soon as they receive reports from other members that someone is spamming the group with irrelevant content, the offender is banned from the group.
Leaving this warning aside, your first steps as a new group member must be to win everyone’s goodwill and show them that you are a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable member of their group.
Types of content that is very popular on Facebook™ groups:
Breaking news regarding developments in the field of interest;
Educational content: how-to articles, video tutorials, cheat sheets, etc.
Motivational content: share your story, what inspired you to go in business, how you overcame obstacles, etc.;
Entertaining content – remember you are on a platform for socialising, a bit of fun and an anecdote here and there are always welcome.
3. Take Advantage of Promo Days
Groups understand their members’ need to mix business with pleasure. Even those groups with strict rules against self-promotion organise special days and events when members are welcome to share their offers/ landing page links.
Even new members are encouraged to take advantage of these days. This is when you can come forward with a special offer. It would be a great idea to create a special promo code available only to your Facebook™ group members.
4. Promote Your Freebies
Not all promotions made within a Facebook™ Groups must be about sales. Actually, you should be as little salesy as possible. Instead, promote your free ebook, your webinar, your upcoming step by the step video tutorial or other similar lead magnets.
You will obtain more qualified leads in this manner than by pushing a direct sale onto the group members.
5. Create Online Polls
Facebook™ allows users to create a quick poll within the platform – but you should opt for an external survey platform (like SurveyMonkey, for instance) so that you can capture email addresses.
Think of a recent and controversial topic, one which will attract the attention of the group members and prompt them to share their opinion on that issue