How to creatively introduce yourself and your business in Facebook groups
I spend time in many Facebook groups.
And one of the things that I’ve noticed is that there are a lot of people who join groups and I’m assuming they are doing it for networking purposes.
But then, they don’t take advantage of the huge opportunity they have to introduce themselves in a memorable way.
I’ve heard some people say, “Oh what’s the point?” because they think that there are too many people in the group to get noticed.
If you have had those thoughts, I’m here to tell you that you are wrong.
If you go about introducing yourself in the right way, you will get noticed right away.
Whenever you go into a Facebook group, it’s a networking opportunity for you. You want to attract attention, get remembered, and ultimately get leads.
And it all starts with your introduction.
When you first join the group, you want someone to know that “Heeeeey, Wendy is in the house, yo!”
You want people to notice you and think, “Wow! That gal or that guy has something going on. What is she/he all about?”
You want them to feel your energy and know you are approachable. And, you want people to quickly understand that you are an authority in your industry.
If you haven’t been doing this because you are nervous or you don’t know exactly how, I completely understand. When I first started joining Facebook groups, I had this same problem.
I would join and not provide an introduction to let people know who I am and what kind of business I run.
I would just lurk in the group and occasionally answer a question here and there.
It wasn’t getting me noticed. And it definitely wasn’t getting me any business.
So, I changed my approach. I started introducing myself and figuring out what people would really make people engage with me.
Now I have a little formula that works wonders and gets people really excited! And I’ll share it with you below.
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My formula for a memorable Facebook group introduction
Step 1: Create a signature greeting for Facebook groups
Everything you do is part of your brand. So, one of the things that you can do in all of your Facebook group posts (and in your videos) is to use a signature greeting.
This is probably an expression that you already use, but may not be aware of it.
Examples include:
- What is up?
- What’s going on?
- Hello, hello
- Hey, hey, hey!
- G’day mates (might work best if you are Australian)
- Hi friends
- Ahoy!
- Aloha!
- Howdy
- Hullo
- Heya
- Hiya
- Ciao
- How’s it going?
- Good morning/good evening
- Well hello!
- Yo!
- Hello lovelies!
- Hey there friends!
You get the idea.
It may seem silly at first, but using a signature greeting is actually quite powerful. It becomes one more way to carve out a difference, express your personality, and attract people who are similar.
You can use this in all of your messaging online including videos (which has even more impact). Over time, people will begin to associate this greeting with you and feel like they know you better, increasing the Know-Like-Trust factor.
When you say “hello” to the group members, make sure you use the group name. You want them to know you recognize that they are part of the tribe. Let them know that you are excited to be a part of their tribe.
So, for instance, in my group, you could say “What is up, The Business Profit Engine, I am so thrilled to be here!”
Step 2: Introduce yourself in the Facebook group
Next, tell the Facebook group members your name and what you do.
But don’t say it in a boring way. Say it in a memorable way. Tell people what makes you interesting and remarkable.
See if you can make people go “Hmmm…” or “Wow!” or make them smile.
I have several variations on my introduction that I keep in an Evernote file. I modify these slightly when I join a Facebook group, but it’s the same basic foundation.
Here is one variation that gets people responding:
I am a happy, online marketing strategist for entrepreneurs who want to apply savvy systems to create a business that is not only wildly profitable but also allows them the freedom to take some time off. Seriously, why hustle so hard if you can get the processes in place to automate and delegate (and enjoy more financial freedom)?
I recommend writing several variations and see which ones get the best response from the groups that you post it in.
Another thing you can add in this section (sometimes I do it and sometimes I don’t depending on the Facebook group vibe) is some fun personal facts about yourself. These can create an affinity with group members who have those things in common with you and can open up new conversations.
Here is an example of this part of my intro if you would like to do something similar:
Here are a few fun facts about me!
- My house is ruled by two feisty young boys, two dogs, and two cats (yes, it’s a circus)
- My husband is a pro mountain bike racer and screams down trails at 40 mph. He sometimes breaks bones. {SIGH}
- To deal with my home chaos, I regularly go to the gym and lift heavy weights.
- English breakfast tea and dark chocolate are my addictions.
- I dabble in being a mixed media artist.
- I just started playing violin about 10 months ago and I sound horrid (but I love it)!
Sometimes I put fun emojis instead of bullet points to grab people’s attention.
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Step 3: Tell Facebook group members where they can learn more
Quickly tell them where they can learn more about you. This isn’t a huge component of a Facebook group introduction, but you do want to make sure you mention it since people are just learning about you for the first time.
So in my Facebook group intro, I add one sentence. I say:
I run a Facebook group called The Business Profit Engine and have my own site with helpful resources at WendyMaynard.com
I don’t hotlink the group or website URL because not all Facebook group hosts look kindly upon this (and I certainly don’t want to ruffle any feathers). But, I do want to let people know where they can learn more about my services and connect further.
Step 4: Offer to help members of the Facebook group
This is a crucial component of your remarkable introduction but it is an element that I notice most people miss (which is a huge mistake).
You need to let people know more about your area(s) of expertise. This way, you position yourself as the Go-To expert in {your skill set}.
If you position yourself as an authority in your area of expertise right from your introduction, it sets the stage for everything else you do in that Facebook group.
People in the group will begin to ask you questions about your specialization, and eventually they’ll begin tagging you when other people ask about X (this is when the real magic begins to happen).
Here is how I position myself and offer to help group members:
Feel free to ask me anything about online marketing, especially personal branding, social media, or getting more clients. I’ll geek out getting so excited to help you with it!
The reason I am so passionate about online marketing is because I’ve realized that the purpose of my life is to spread happiness through entrepreneurship (yes I believe that we can change the world!). Helping entrepreneurs with “savvy” online marketing allows to do that.
Using this offer to help, I actually get people to respond directly to my introduction with requests. This kicks off the relationship building right away and positions me as an authority.
What can you incorporate as an offer to help in your Facebook group introduction that appeals to group members, provides value, and is written your personal style and voice?
Step 5: End with excitement and a big thanks
When you end your introduction, tell the Facebook group members (using their “tribe” name) that you are looking forward to getting to know them and thrilled to belong. Tell everyone why you joined the group and what you want to get out of it.
Make sure to thank the group leader and tag her or him. This will not only show the group host your appreciation for all of the hard work that has gone into building their community, but it will also bring attention to you.
By bringing the Facebook group host’s attention to you, you open up the possibilities for collaboration or a referral – you never know if they are looking for a partnership with someone who has your skills. Or they may touch base with you to interview you for their podcast or a Facebook Live.
They may also hire you or have clients who need what you have to offer and send you business and referrals in the future.
Step 6: Add an interesting photo
This is big opportunity to begin the know-like-trust factor with the Facebook group members. Unfortunately, I only see about half the introductions taking advantage of this with only about 25% of those doing it in a memorable way.
Add a photo to your introduction that is visually interesting. This is NOT a logo or a boring headshot. You want people to get a tiny peek into your personality, so post a photo of you doing something fun.
Maybe it’s a travel shot or one of you hiking or playing guitar. Perhaps you have a photo of you with your family or with your pets or lifestyle-type shot in a glamorous dress that you love.
You can also use a fun selfie – I have a really silly one giving a thumbs up.
It’s not even that in focus, but people love it.
My homework for you is to write your Facebook group introduction down. Create several variations and use them in the Facebook groups you join. Incorporate different photos. Test which get the best responses.
