Tips & Talk 14 – Facebook Business Pages vs Facebook Groups
It’s time to answer the questions. Should you have a Facebook Business Page? What about Facebook Groups?
Today we cover how these are different, the pros and cons of each and what my recommendation is for your handmade product business. I believe when we’re done, your answers will be clear!
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Transcript
Hi there.
Speaker:I see that you made it over to the new tips
Speaker:and talk portion of the podcast.
Speaker:These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions and
Speaker:things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small business.
Speaker:Today, we're going to talk about the difference between Facebook business
Speaker:pages and Facebook groups.
Speaker:As with anything with your business.
Speaker:Some things are going to be right for you.
Speaker:Some things aren't,
Speaker:maybe both a page and a group would be right for
Speaker:you. And you'll be able to clarify that as we go
Speaker:through, but here's the thing just because you can doesn't mean
Speaker:you should.
Speaker:In other words,
Speaker:Facebook pages and Facebook groups are available for everybody,
Speaker:but just because they're available doesn't mean that you should do
Speaker:them. Depends on what your goals are for your business,
Speaker:where you are in the development of your business and what
Speaker:your purpose is for using not just pages and groups,
Speaker:but social media platforms.
Speaker:Overall, before we get started,
Speaker:I want to clarify what I mean by a business page.
Speaker:And this is really important because when you start with Facebook,
Speaker:you create a profile,
Speaker:which is your personal name.
Speaker:So for me,
Speaker:it would be Sue Mon,
Speaker:hide on Facebook,
Speaker:and then everything that I create,
Speaker:then moving forward on Facebook should be a subset.
Speaker:If you will,
Speaker:underneath my profile,
Speaker:Sue Mon height,
Speaker:I know that people are still doing this today,
Speaker:setting up a business page,
Speaker:but it's really a profile.
Speaker:In other words,
Speaker:they're going in and creating another account.
Speaker:That's really then another profile,
Speaker:but they're naming it,
Speaker:their business.
Speaker:When you start an account with Facebook,
Speaker:you start a profile and the profile should be your real
Speaker:name, not a fake name,
Speaker:not some crazy,
Speaker:additional name that you want to make up.
Speaker:It should be your real name.
Speaker:And then underneath that will be any other pages or groups.
Speaker:So it's all connected together.
Speaker:If you don't set up that way,
Speaker:you can be shut down and you don't go through all
Speaker:of this work of getting followers only then to be shut
Speaker:down because you didn't set it up correctly.
Speaker:Now let's talk about what the difference is between a page
Speaker:and a group.
Speaker:And when you should,
Speaker:or when you shouldn't have either of these,
Speaker:a page is what you would use to represent your business.
Speaker:I recommend that everybody who has a business should have a
Speaker:Facebook page.
Speaker:Let's think about how we work in our daily lives now.
Speaker:And people want to know if you have a website,
Speaker:it's almost like having credibility for business that you have to
Speaker:number one,
Speaker:have some type of website presence,
Speaker:but also be on not just social media,
Speaker:but be on Facebook.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:that's where people look in the very beginning.
Speaker:That's why I say absolutely positively.
Speaker:If you have a business,
Speaker:you should have a business page.
Speaker:There are some cons to having a business page.
Speaker:One of the problems with having a business page is you
Speaker:feel like you put posts up on your business page and
Speaker:nobody sees them.
Speaker:And it's true for every hundred followers.
Speaker:You have,
Speaker:maybe three of those followers are going to see a post
Speaker:that you put up.
Speaker:So you're going to say to me then,
Speaker:well, Sue,
Speaker:why even do it?
Speaker:Is it worth it in the first place?
Speaker:Why should I even bother the reason that you're going to
Speaker:want to have a Facebook page?
Speaker:Even if you get so little visibility,
Speaker:just organically,
Speaker:when someone's scrolling the feed,
Speaker:like I said,
Speaker:3% give or take,
Speaker:but if someone directly goes to find you on Facebook,
Speaker:then you'll be there.
Speaker:Then they'll see you.
Speaker:So there is visibility if it's customer initiated,
Speaker:but there isn't visibility.
Speaker:If it's organic,
Speaker:if you're expecting to put up a post and then someone's
Speaker:going to see you right away,
Speaker:that doesn't happen.
Speaker:Okay. 3% to me is almost zero.
Speaker:However, when someone wants to go and research your company,
Speaker:maybe they've just heard about you.
Speaker:And they're thinking about buying a product from you,
Speaker:but they want to know a little bit more about you.
Speaker:They're going to want to see that you have a website
Speaker:and they're probably going to want to see that you're on
Speaker:Facebook. So for that reason,
Speaker:you should have a page.
Speaker:And the other reason why you should have a page is
Speaker:if ever you're thinking that you want to do any type
Speaker:of Facebook ads for attracting followers,
Speaker:for selling product,
Speaker:for initiating any type of communication with the people who are
Speaker:already following you or attracting other people to follow you,
Speaker:that is all done from a Facebook page.
Speaker:The other reason is Facebook shops,
Speaker:another sales channel opportunity for you.
Speaker:You can set up Facebook shops in a couple of different
Speaker:ways. Now you can direct people to your website,
Speaker:to where all of your online products exist already.
Speaker:Or you can set up shops right inside Facebook,
Speaker:which is literally turnkey.
Speaker:You can put products up there.
Speaker:You can have customers buy through the Facebook mechanisms that are
Speaker:there and get shipping labels.
Speaker:All of that,
Speaker:there's a whole new it's called Facebook shops,
Speaker:turnkey system within Facebook so that you can sell products there.
Speaker:So it's for visibility.
Speaker:When people are reaching out and searching for you,
Speaker:you can run ads and you can sell your products.
Speaker:Those are the reasons to have a page.
Speaker:That's why I say every single handmade product business should absolutely
Speaker:have a Facebook page.
Speaker:Now, how do you work that page?
Speaker:Given that I told you only about 3% of people will
Speaker:ever see that information organically.
Speaker:You want to post on Facebook so that people who are
Speaker:initiating a contact with you will see that your account is
Speaker:active. I would suggest two or three times a week.
Speaker:You're posting something new on your Facebook page,
Speaker:knowing full well that the majority of your followers are not
Speaker:going to see any of the posts,
Speaker:but the people who are coming to your page will now
Speaker:let's move on to groups.
Speaker:And I think this is where some confusion comes in because
Speaker:people are thinking,
Speaker:Oh well,
Speaker:there's groups available.
Speaker:So I should start a group.
Speaker:Well, let's talk about what a group is for and the
Speaker:pros and cons,
Speaker:and whether you should have a group as a handmade product
Speaker:business. And I'm going to jump to the end first.
Speaker:And then I'm going to clarify this where I say that
Speaker:absolutely everybody should have a Facebook business page.
Speaker:When we come to Facebook groups.
Speaker:My answer is,
Speaker:it depends.
Speaker:And let me explain why I say that a business group
Speaker:is virtually a gathering of people coming together for a specific
Speaker:purpose. Some of you I know does by who's here are
Speaker:already in my group gift biz breeze.
Speaker:If you're not feel free to come and join us,
Speaker:we are a very defined group of handmade product,
Speaker:business owners or people who are considering turning a hobby or
Speaker:a craft into a business and want to start rubbing shoulders
Speaker:with other people who have it's all based on business,
Speaker:learning, business development,
Speaker:questions, and answers assistance with the business.
Speaker:So it's a very defined group.
Speaker:It is not a place to go place your product and
Speaker:sell. So it's not a buy sell group.
Speaker:It's very defined in terms of what the group is.
Speaker:Probably all of you are part of other groups that are
Speaker:specifically related to your product.
Speaker:So maybe you're part of a group that talks about soaps.
Speaker:And so that group could be,
Speaker:where are you sourcing your product types of issues that you
Speaker:might have when you're creating your soaps or adding sense to
Speaker:the soaps or all those types of things.
Speaker:Very product specific,
Speaker:lot of groups like that on Facebook that are specific product
Speaker:creation groups,
Speaker:depending on what industry you're in baking candle,
Speaker:making jewelry,
Speaker:pottery, all of that,
Speaker:a very defined purpose,
Speaker:gathering a specific community together towards a specific goal.
Speaker:The fabulous thing about groups is there's a lot of comradery.
Speaker:There's a lot of engagement and interaction that's free.
Speaker:You can easily join groups.
Speaker:So then we circle back to the question.
Speaker:Should you start your own group?
Speaker:Here's the big question for you to ask yourself about that?
Speaker:What would be your business purpose about starting a group?
Speaker:A Facebook group takes time.
Speaker:You need to monitor the group you need to be in
Speaker:there regularly interacting with members and promoting the conversation.
Speaker:So a question to ask yourself is,
Speaker:would the results of a Facebook group align with specific goals
Speaker:you have for your business?
Speaker:Let's cover three examples of Facebook groups that are formed for
Speaker:a purpose that could align with handmade product businesses.
Speaker:If you have a certain element of education as part of
Speaker:your handmade product business.
Speaker:So let's say you are a knitter.
Speaker:And so you sell your knitted,
Speaker:scarves and mittens,
Speaker:et cetera,
Speaker:but you also have patterns or teach knitting.
Speaker:A group could be a wonderful way to bring all of
Speaker:your students together and add additional support that lays on top
Speaker:of the educational programs that you have.
Speaker:People are then joining the group to get additional direction from
Speaker:you. Another example could be,
Speaker:if you are involved with your local community,
Speaker:maybe you gathered together business owners from within your community.
Speaker:And together you work towards creating promotional efforts that drive people
Speaker:into your downtown area.
Speaker:Maybe there's a sidewalk sale.
Speaker:That's put on things like that.
Speaker:So you're establishing yourself as a business leader within the community.
Speaker:How that helps you with your handmade product business is perhaps
Speaker:you're looking at getting placement within some of the local boutiques
Speaker:or you're looking for consignment opportunities.
Speaker:A third idea for a group could revolve around your product
Speaker:specifically, and the people who would be using your product.
Speaker:So your ideal customer,
Speaker:let's say you have a product that is focused on babies.
Speaker:So maybe it has to do with potty training or toddler
Speaker:clothes, things like that.
Speaker:You could create a group that is all moms.
Speaker:You have similar interests,
Speaker:similar challenges with your children,
Speaker:your product serves one need,
Speaker:but it could be a whole conversational support group for moms
Speaker:of young children.
Speaker:And I have a bonus idea for you straight from one
Speaker:of our Breezers Nene from Nene soaps.
Speaker:She's created a VIP group for her customers.
Speaker:Here's a snippet from a recent Instagram Maive,
Speaker:where we talked about her group.
Speaker:So Nene you're product in your group,
Speaker:and it's your friend,
Speaker:your family,
Speaker:and your customers.
Speaker:You have created a special place online.
Speaker:That's private,
Speaker:VIP people have to be directed there to know about it.
Speaker:And then you're offering specials to them.
Speaker:It is fabulous to hear that this is such a success
Speaker:and that you're getting business from your group.
Speaker:That amazing.
Speaker:The one thing I will say with that is when people
Speaker:join your group,
Speaker:you can ask them three questions.
Speaker:If you join the breeze,
Speaker:you'll see that I have three questions there.
Speaker:One of my questions is are you willing to share with
Speaker:me your email address that is really,
Speaker:really important.
Speaker:And the reason is if Facebook ever decides to shut down
Speaker:groups, you have no contact with them.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:this is the only thing that you need to be cautious
Speaker:about on social media platforms,
Speaker:anywhere, Facebook,
Speaker:Instagram, Pinterest,
Speaker:anywhere that if they change the rules,
Speaker:the only way you have access is through that platform.
Speaker:So if for some reason something happened,
Speaker:gosh, they shut down a group.
Speaker:For some reason,
Speaker:you've lost all those people who are in your group.
Speaker:How else are you going to contact them?
Speaker:The only way you know them is through Facebook.
Speaker:Let's summarize this.
Speaker:If you're considering a Facebook business page and you don't have
Speaker:one yet thumbs up 100%.
Speaker:Yes. As a product based business,
Speaker:you want a Facebook page,
Speaker:Facebook groups.
Speaker:You need to decide based on what we reviewed here today.
Speaker:And I'm going to go back once again to saying,
Speaker:just because it's available to us,
Speaker:doesn't mean you have to do everything.
Speaker:And now you should have the information that you need to
Speaker:decide. Exactly.
Speaker:What's right for you.
Speaker:That's a wrap.
Speaker:I bet get to the point kind of girl.
Speaker:And this is what you can expect from these quick midweek
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn.
Speaker:Go out and fulfill that dream of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.
Speaker:We want them,