#VAin30 - Day 11: Using Facebook Groups to Grow Your Business



Many people use Facebook for their business. Posting status updates, funny quotes, and sales information can keep your followers updated on your business and grow your business page.  However, there is another way to use Facebook to grow your business -- even before you start your Facebook business page -- that you may not have thought about. Using Facebook groups, especially as a virtual assistant, may be one of the most important online activities you do to grow your new business.

Using Facebook Groups


Facebook groups are relatively new, and every day more groups are added.  Finding groups that pertain to your field of business can be a smart career move.

Once a member of a group, you can share business strategies, tips, and success stories.  Often, some members of the group will share jobs that they know of but can't personally take themselves.  In addition, you can form friendships with some of the members and help promote one another's businesses.

There are even Facebook groups specifically designed to connect VA's to clients. These are usually invite-only groups or require you to have a good list of recommendations before you are added. Once you have been accepting, however, you can usually post your services and find buyers for your work relatively quickly. 

How to Find Facebook Groups


When you're looking for the first group, simply search under a keyword.  For instance, if you're a virtual assistant, in the search bar, simply type "virtual assistant."  Some suggestions will come up, and you'll also have the option to "find all groups named virtual assistant."  Join the ones that interest you.

If you get too many results, you can use the sidebar box that says "refine this search" to limit your search by membership type, privacy, name, and what the group is about. 

Since many groups are closed groups, you won't be able to join right away and will need to request entry. In addition to having the references needed, the moderator may contact you and ask you a few questions to make sure you legitimately work in this field.  A closed group is often the best one to join because there are often fewer spammers than in an open group.  When you ask questions and leave comments in a closed group, they do not show up on your regular Facebook stream. 

After you've joined a few groups, keep an eye on the ads in Facebook on your sidebar.  Usually, Facebook will advertise similar groups, which is a great way to find new groups to join. And remember, you aren't required to stay in a group forever. If you find that it doesn't meet your needs, is something you spend a lot of time on, or doesn't have a truly supportive community, you can simply leave the group -- no explanation needed.

Once you find several groups, you'll be able to make connections and grow your business even further with the help of your Facebook peers.

Have you joined a Facebook group before?  What was your experience?

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