Nonprofit Performance 360 Magazine Vol 5 No 1

JULIET CLARK

Community Crickets EngagingYour Facebook Group

It’s all the rage! Start a Facebook group, and watch your donations and participation explode. Social media experts have treated community-building the same way they initially treated Facebook business pages.They will tell you that massive numbers translate into social proof. The problem with that theory is that social proof doesn’t always translate into responses. Every day, coaches teach their clients to start a Facebook group and drive traffic to it with Facebook ads. The result of that strategy is a large group of disengaged people, who may or may not be the organization’s ideal client. Let’s face it: a small group of ideal clients who are engaged and involved is much better for a nonprofit than a larger number of disengaged people who do not get involved. Filling a community is an intentional exer- cise. Here are some of the ways you can su- percharge your community to provide value, build relationships, and generate donations and volunteers. 1. Ask Questions Before Approving Group Admission. Facebook provides three questions with written answers that can be structured before approval. Utilize those questions to find out more about the person asking to be a part of your group. This is a good place to find out what your potential participant is looking for, what obstacles are coming up for them, and if are they looking for solutions.

6. Use Facebook Live. This is a great tool to allow your group to see the real you, determine your passion level, and evaluate how credible your presence is. Present a short training with actionable results, and your group will love you! Who doesn’t like to see themselves move forward? 7. Engage, Care, Share, and Cheerlead. Communities don’t run on autopilot. People are there because you are a leader. Educate, inspire, and provide value. Above all, be a cheerleader. Keep selling to a minimum. The value for a group leader is obtaining consumer information and watching who is engaged. When you are ready to run an inner circle launch, the engaged group is your best target. A community build is not a magic bullet.This is a relationship-building tool. People who are familiar with your work are more likely to volunteer and donate, and to refer you and your services, when they know you, like you, and trust you. In a digital world, community building allows you to connect with a wide audience and spend time building meaningful relationships. Juliet Clark became an expert in marketing when she tried to sell her book. She self-published and created Super Brand Publishing and became a sought-after speaker teaching tools and actionable steps to begin communicating successfully with prospects. Juliet@SuperBrandPublishing.com

2. Set Clear Expectations and Editorial Days. Having group rules sets expectations for behavior within the group and establishes editorial days. Creating an editorial schedule ensures that you are consistently providing value to your group. 3. Create Original Content. Having a community means that you must provide value to keep them engaged. One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is not consistently creating content. Provide at least one new piece of content a week. This can be a blog, vlog, Facebook live training, or tips. 4. Ask Questions and Utilize Polls. The best way to find out information is to ask a question and begin a conversation. Craft your editorial around questions to stimulate answers. The more answers you receive, the more information you have about your participant. 5. Create List Transitions in Your Pinned Post. Using a tool like the Smart Biz Quiz allows your group members to assess their own skills around your area of expertise. It is also a list-builder and an avenue to drive groupies who are committed to additional involvement with your nonprofit. More strategy sessions mean more contact and more participation. There is also a huge nugget of information in this tool for you! When you review results and begin to see patterns in the answers, you can craft the exact products and services that your followers need.

16 I Nonprofit Performance Magazine