Facebook groups are a great way to connect with customers, especially if you offer services in their area. These days people spend a lot of time on Facebook, and it’s the perfect place to build your business and engage with potential local clients.
Facebook groups can help increase awareness for your company or services, by getting you in front of a fresh audience of people outside of your regular followers.
This blog post will discuss what Facebook groups are, why they can be such an effective marketing tool for home service companies like yours, and how you can get started!
What are Facebook groups?
Facebook groups are like forums, but with a Facebook twist. Groups allow people to communicate and share about topics they’re interested in.
You can join any public group you want that matches your interests or niche, making it perfect for marketing to potential customers who might need your services!
You can always join a private group too, but you may have to answer several questions about your purpose for joining, and you could get denied entry depending on your responses. And people who aren't members of the group won't be able to see the content you share.
Groups make it easy for businesses without a large social media presence to reach new audiences on Facebook and develop lasting relationships with current customers.
And the more you engage in a group, the greater chances someone will take notice of your business!
Let’s say you provide lawn care services — there could be an entire group of homeowners in a local gardening group who need landscaping help every week and would love to know about you!
Groups are a place where people go to get advice on their questions and problems. This is especially important when it comes to home improvement projects that involve major investments of time or money; homeowners are often looking for recommendations and second opinions before making these types of decisions.
Sharing your professional advice could help attract and convert people who already have a need for what you do and will value your services (and pay you what you’re worth!).
Participating In Groups The Right Way
Every Facebook group has a unique set of rules, created by the moderators or admins. Many groups do not want you promoting your services, and could ban you if you don’t follow the “no self-promotion” rule.
But that’s perfectly fine because a better way to connect with potential customers is not by spamming them with constant offers, but by giving away value.
The more value you give without being salesy, the more likely they might be interested in booking you as their service provider!
Join a local group and try engaging with other members by answering questions that are relevant to your services.
When you comment, don’t respond with “we do this at the following price!”
Instead, say something more specific and helpful that shows you know what you’re talking about.
Give away tips, free advice, and your professional recommendations.
People are much more likely to remember who helped them out when it comes time for them to book a service provider. They’ll think of you, who gave them value, instead of just trying sell to them.
Other people who read your comments will also get value out of your responses, even if they don’t join in on the conversation. These “lurkers” may just be your next customer too!
You should also post your own questions to learn more about what homeowners need in your area. This can give you really valuable insight about your potential customer base and what their needs, goals, and pain points are.
I created a FREE resource that includes a mix of some questions to inspire conversation on social media...and these questions could be used in groups too!
Fill out this form if you don't know what to write about on Facebook or in your groups! 👇
Finding Good Local Groups To Join
Facebook Groups can be an excellent source of customers for any service company that’s looking to attract more local clients and develop relationships with them.
But not all groups are created equal...
It’s important to make sure you sign up for ones that will work well with your business goals.
That means finding existing groups in your area where people who might need services like yours also congregate online.
The best way to find the right group is to explore the “Groups” section of your Facebook homepage. Click the “Discover” tab, you can then search for groups by keyword.
I recommend starting with a search using your city, neighboring cities, your county, or your state. Scroll through the results and look for groups that seem to be a good fit.
If you find one, make sure it’s open to the public so anyone can see posts inside of the group without being a member themselves.
You’ll also want to scroll through some of the recent posts. If they’re not relevant or appropriate for your business goals, keep looking!
A few other things worth bearing in mind are how often members post and what kind of conversations happen within the group; these might give clues as to how active the group is and what kind of content will work best for that audience.
Should You Start Your Own Facebook Community?
Starting your own group can be the most powerful way to connect with the people you want as customers. You can create a group that fits your exact target demographic, and then share content that you know will resonate with them.
Creating your own local group is especially smart if you can’t find many groups for your area on Facebook. It means you’ve found a gap in the market that you can fill!
But starting and moderating your own group will take more time and energy than joining an existing group.
Make sure starting your own group is worth the time and effort you’re putting into it. Here are some tips on creating a successful local group:
Know who your target audience is
Share content that’s relevant for this particular demographic
Make sure there aren’t already other groups with similar topics or demographics; if there is another good one nearby then consider joining them instead
Consider recruiting other people to help moderate the group. You could partner with other business owners in similar industries who would also benefit from being a leader in this group too.
Facebook groups are more like online communities than just places where you can post and get likes. Starting your own group could be an ideal marketing opportunity if you’re up for the challenge!
Are you just trying to get a grasp on this whole social media thing? These tips might help 👉 How To Launch Your New Home Improvement Business On Social Media
How To Start Your Own Local Group
Creating a new group is fairly straightforward. Head over to your Facebook profile and click the “Groups” tab on the left if you’re in desktop.
Click “Create New Group” and then fill out the form.
The name of your group should be short and specific, so people know what it’s about right away when they see it.
Select “Public” as the privacy option to allow anyone on Facebook to view your group content. Public groups also show up in search engines, so it will give your group more visibility when people Google topics related to your group name, location, etc.
You’ll then have an option for adding administrators who can help you manage your new group. If you go this route, pick some trustworthy people who understand your business goals for the group.
Add a picture that represents your group well.
Finally, create a brief description of the purpose for your group and include any rules you want, like no political posts or no spam.
With this new Facebook group, you’ll be opening yourself up to an entirely new world of customers that live nearby and are interested in what your business has to offer. So make sure it’s worth their time by being an active participant!
Tips For Getting More Members To Join
When you first start your group, you’ll have the option to invite friends to join. This is how you’ll start to grow your group.
People will also organically join as they discover your group (just like how you can search for existing groups in the “Discover” tab).
Facebook also offers you advertising opportunities to get more people in your group and increase engagement. You can do this using your Facebook Business Page. But this option can be costly, and may not fit your budget.
That’s okay! Here are a few more ways you can promote your new group without spending any money.
Post a link to the Facebook group in the “About” section of your company’s page and place it at the top, so that people can find it easily
Promote your new group in other relevant groups, just be mindful of self-promotion/spam rules
Ask engaged members of your group to promote it to their network of friends
Share your group on other social media platforms (and ask members to do the same)
How To Get More Engagement From Members
What good is putting time and energy into a Facebook group if it doesnt grow or drive business? Here are a few tips to make sure your group is successful:
Share content that’s helpful or useful to your audience
Give members something interesting every day
Use memes and Gifs to make the group fun
Ask questions often to engage with members and learn about your audience
Support other members questions and requests by joining in on the conversation
Ask for feedback from active users about how they would like the group improved
Overall, keep things interesting, helpful and engaging!
When done right, groups are not only an easy way to attract customers in your community, but also fun and rewarding too!
If you’re looking for a way to engage with your local customer base, Facebook groups may be the perfect marketing solution. They can seem like a lot of work at first, but they are an affordable and effective to grow your business!
Have you used Facebook groups as part of your home service company’s marketing strategy? Let me know by sharing a comment below!