The other day I created a Facebook Group out of a need for a local creative community.

I thought, “I need help on creative projects but I don’t know who to turn to for help. Wouldn’t it be cool if I could just create a post on Facebook about a project that I’m working on and see if anyone wanted to help?” Then, I realized that other creatives might have the same need and that building a community is the answer!

Following the creation of the group there was a surprisingly high level of engagement. Members were eager to share questions, articles, tips, and their own personal projects. I never once mentioned or promoted my own business but I noticed that shortly after I created the group, people started to get interested in what I was working on or what I had to offer. Using this to my advantage would be a great way to build my own business.

Now that I have created this group, I am excited to share 4 reasons why Facebook Groups foster community and build business growth.

  1. It’s Personal and Exclusive

Compared to a Facebook Business Page, a Facebook Group feels more personal and exclusive. It’s more of a personal touch because you, as the owner, have created a community just for your followers and they follow you for a good reason – you provide value. In addition, people want to be a part of a closed group’s exclusivity. With a closed Facebook Group, members are either invited or they request to join the group, so members feel special when they are included.

When naming your new Facebook Group, a good start would be to name it about the topic of the discussion. For example, if your business is about beauty and skin care, you could name it “Beauty and Skin Care Lovers”.

If you want a more focused group name, think of adding in a location or name to associate the group with, such as, “Cleveland Beauty and Skin Care Lovers” or “K.R.Shay Beauty and Skin Care Community”. Adding your name to the title creates an added personal touch.

  1. It’s a Community of Shared Interests Right at Your Fingertips

Once you have created a community of like-minded individuals, you have the power to instantly connect with them whenever you want! And who doesn’t like building their list of contacts? They are eager to hear from you as long as you offer them consistent value and attention.

If you consistently provide value to your community, you will stay top-of-mind. Engage your followers through discussion, offer motivational quotes, helpful tips, and provide special offers. This is a space for you to promote yourself as well as others. After a while of building your community, you will build trust. The trust you build as an authority in your industry will translate into your business as well.

  1. Your Community Can Provide Instant Feedback

One of the main reasons why I love my Facebook Group is that I can receive instant feedback on my creative projects. I can post an art piece or video that I have made and receive constructive criticism from several people within minutes. It is also a great place to validate new ideas that I may not have been ready to introduce to the public.

  1. Facebook Groups Provides Helpful Tools to Stay Organized

Facebook Groups offer helpful tools such as creating polls, organizing events, adding files, building documents, adding photo albums, and selling products.

Facebook-tools

Marketing your next business event just got easier with a whole community ready for you to invite within minutes. Want to learn more about your prospects or clients? Or are you looking to gather more feedback on your product? Create a poll and gather answers right now! Want to sell a product directly to your audience? Upload it to your Facebook Group. Do you have an eBook you’d like to share? Provide helpful files and documents your community can access exclusively through your group.

Take advantage of Facebook Group tools to add a new level of organization to your business.

The Bottom Line

Don’t miss out on building a new community. The best part is your Facebook Group will grow as you grow and the more members you have, the more of a targeted audience you will reach! As a step-up from a Facebook Page, your Facebook Group will create a symbiotic relationship between you and your community to offer personal and exclusive engagement, a platform for the discussion of shared interests, instant feedback, and the tools to offer more to your prospects and clients as well as building your brand.