Did you know that Facebook has a rule against conducting commercial sales through a personal profile?

This is why having a Facebook Business Page is the way to go for Parties and sales!

Our favorite advice for growing your business is to use Facebook Groups (Public, Closed, or Secret) through your Business Page.

This way, you’re not violating any of Facebook’s terms of service agreements when it comes to conducting commercial sales.

We have collected the best advice when it comes to using Facebook Business Page Groups to grow your business & encourage repeat sales.

First, Keep Your Facebook Group Safe

To keep your business group positive and safe, remember to add rules and monitor the content so it continues to be helpful and not harmful.

Also, remember to explore your group settings for lots of options to make this easier. Here’s what we suggest you do:

• ON DESKTOP VERSION OF FACEBOOK: Open Edit Group Settings, where you can set privacy, link your page, create a questionnaire for new members, manage who can approve member requests, who can post to this group, select special functions, and much more.
  
  NEXT: Go to Moderate Group. Here you can Create Rules, keep an eye on activity and content in your group, and much more.
  
  CHECK IT OUT: You also want to check out the Group Quality tab in your group. This is where you will see if any content or posts have been reported by members or flagged by Facebook.

• ON THE FACEBOOK APP: Go to your group, then click the Admin Badge in the upper-righthand corner. This menu will show options to view Member Requests, Group Quality (where Facebook will show you if content has been removed or flagged), Admin and Moderator activity, Members, Rules, Membership Questionnaire, Group Settings (where you can link your page), and an Education Center that takes you straight to learning more about managing groups.

Second, Get Creative with Your Business Group

The main function of Facebook groups is to encourage community by building positive relationships in a safe place for discussing and sharing common interest topics.

Here are some ideas for your community-building group:

• VIP CUSTOMERS – keep in touch with your customers about exclusive specials, new products, live videos, tutorials, etc.

• TRAININGS – train your team members on how to do their best in your team with links, docs, live videos, etc. You might also consider using the Units feature in group settings, to have lessons or sections for members to complete.

• SPECIALTY/SEASONAL/HOLIDAY PARTIES – Use a business group for fun, charity, seasonal or holiday-related parties, and specials. Use themed party games and raffles to your heart’s content!

• CLASSES – teach your customers how to use your favorite products, tips and tricks, go live to demonstrate tutorials, etc.

• TEAM COMMUNITY – build camaraderie and encourage teammates with live videos, post challenges, and inspirations.

• COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITY – focus on a specific topic such as cooking, makeup, organizing, healthy habits, etc., rather than brand-specific products, then link your own page or VIP groups.

• EVENTS – can be set up inside of any private group. Members will automatically get invited, and all the features of a Facebook Event apply. This is great for a group you already have set up, and want to offer a private sale or class with a deadline.

• MORE TIPS – Remember not to make your posts salesy. You want to connect, interact, and get to know the people in your group. Keep your posts engaging and thoughtful –  go live, use GIF’s, or Polls – and don’t post too much. Remember to reach out to your members with a personal message and let them know how special they are to you.

Lastly, What To Do After the Group Party

The most popular use for business groups in direct sales is for hosting Online Parties! But after your Party is over, you might consider these options to help build your small business:

• DELETE IT – to completely delete a group you will have to remove every single member of the group, including admins and yourself (last, of course). Everything will be deleted. This might not be helpful in building your business, but any group that is linked to your page will be listed there. So any inactive groups might be better off deleted or reused.

• ARCHIVE IT – if you plan to hold another similar function later on, archiving will essentially pause all postings and activities, until you reopen and post again. Everything will be kept the same, including members. This is a good option for holiday or annual sales or for your best-returning hostesses.

• KEEP IT – you can turn this party into a special VIP group for your customers, and post monthly specials or new product information or tutorials. Our favorite tip is to give this group to your host/new team member to help her start her own customer base for her new business.

• LINK IT – You can link another group (maybe an existing customer VIP group) and your business page to direct your party guests so they won’t miss new info from you.

• REUSE IT – Simply prepare for the next party by renaming the group, adding new hosts and guests, and changing your shopping link. Everything else is already set up!