Are You A Lion Or A Sheep?
A Facebook group needs strong leadership and clear direction if you want it to succeed. If you act like a sheep, the herd might follow you for a moment and then lose interest or move in a different direction.
Launching a successful Facebook group is a definite art. If you are thinking of starting a new group or already have an existing group, here are a few essential pointers to get you going viral and effortlessly attract new members.
1) Choose a Killer Title For Your Group Name
Without a memorable name that is both colorful and sticky your group will fail right from the beginning. It has to be compelling and dynamic and press peoples emotional hot buttons. For Ideas look at the groups that have grown to over 1000 members and compare the names to those that that are still stuck at around 150 members. If your name is boring most people automatically assume your group will be too.
2) Pick A Graphic That Captures The Essence Of Your Group
A picture speaks a thousand words, does the image you choose convey the essence of your group. Get a striking image and then use photo shop to add some text on top of the picture. Make sure it can still be read when it is reduced in size. Many groups make their Logo much longer than its wide it then becomes a full banner advertisement and takes up more space when its listed on the group page giving it more prominence.
3) Leverage Your Friends
You can’t grow a group huge without the help of other people. Groups go viral because people invite their friends to join. If your initial network hasn’t reach 500 people you will have a hard time getting enough momentum for your group to take off. In that case find another friend and launch together. Make them a group admin too. Its much more fun launching a group with several people than having to do all the work on your own.
4) Target Your Initial Members
Having powerful and influential friends as core members of the group is vital. Hand select the people who you want to be there and send them personal invitations. Make them feel special. You need to choose people who are dynamic on Facebook or Twitter, people who are famous, people who have huge followings, people who have large networks and people who are already experts and leaders within your niche. Having these people as initial members instantly gives your group credibility. Honor those who first join by making them officers and ask them what title they would like under their name.
5) Create A Whisper Campaign
Tell your friends about the group in an indirect way long before you are going to launch, hint about it in blog posts, in teleseminars and in wall posts and in all your communications with your potential core members. Get them excited and they will start to talk about your new group even before you open the doors. Get your favorite bloggers to write an article about your group. Start a discussion using Facebook Notes and make your group the logical solution to a problem that people might face. Create the content for your group before you launch and tell people what you are doing.
6) Turn Your Group Launch Into An Event
By turning your group launch into an event you automatically stand out and get noticed. Plan it the same way you would a big party, You want all your guests to arrive at the same time so that the dance floor is packed. People won’t join if they turn up to your group page and find a cold empty room with no music and no refreshments.
Use Facebook Events and hold a teleseminar to publicize it and/or write Facebook notes and tag all your initial members, get them interacting with each other and keep sending them back to the group page to post on the wall and participate in the discussions.
Groups are not just confined to a single location, they spill out all over the place. Like a crowded house party that ends up with lots of people milling about on the front lawn. Anyone who drives down the street will always know which house to go to.
7) Include An Irresistible Offer
Offer an incentive for people to join, give away a free ebook, mp3 recording or video straight away.
Promise to supply more exclusive content in the future for those who join the group early and become active participants. Identify those special members by signing them up to your optin list or joining your Fan page.
Focus on adding value and encourage your group members to share their own talents. Your group will become a valuable resource instead of a derelict notice board for spammers
8)Aim For Viral Visibility
The more activity you generate the bigger your viral foot print will be in Facebook’s newsfeed.
You want to get your group to 500 members as quickly as possible so that it maintains its growth velocity. After this point it will hit critical mass and continue to grow on its own.
Stimulate activity on the group wall and discussion board, ask questions and continue to supply fresh content on a regular basis. You want you members to keep returning and posting within the group.
9)Advertise Your Group
If you are holding a party you need to put up some posters and give out flyers. Use your status updates wisely; be creative, use humor, and learn about link baiting. Attract members from a whole range of social media platforms, like Twitter, YouTube, Ustream, Friend Feed, Ning. Advertise in other similar groups and online forums. Get your group members to help you and reward those who put in the most effort by helping them to promote themselves using your group as a platform. Self promotion before contributing value should be discouraged.
10) Launch Strategically And In Several Stages
Have a clearly defined and mapped out strategy. Create a revolving door Pre launch, launch, post launch, relaunch. Sequence. After initial activity your group may need restimulating. By holding regular events you keep your group in the public eye and your members will continue to feel connected. Get your active members to participate in your relaunch process, and make it a win win situation for all involved
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