The Market Your Message Show
The Market Your Message Show
How 1 Private Facebook Group Made $10M+ (Ch 9. Build Your Audience)
Leveraging Private Facebook Groups for Explosive Growth
Grab a Copy of the Build Your Audience Book: https://platformgrowthbooks.com
In this episode of the Market Your Message Show, Jonathan Milligan discusses the incredible journey of Landon Stewart and Chris Stapleton, who transformed their fortunes by creating a thriving private Facebook group. From humble beginnings as bartenders to generating over $10 million in revenue, their story showcases the power of building a community, not just an audience.
Chapter nine of Jonathan's book series, 'Your Message Matter,' focuses on the Private Facebook Group Traffic Playbook, including actionable steps, common pitfalls to avoid, and strategies for rapid group growth. Listeners will learn how to define their group's purpose, craft engaging entry questions, and leverage Facebook features for maximum impact.
00:00 Introduction: From Bartenders to Marketing Rock Stars
00:32 Welcome to the Market Your Message Show
01:20 The Rise of Landon Stewart and Chris Stapleton
02:56 The Power of Private Facebook Groups
03:32 Common Mistakes in Facebook Group Management
05:04 Building a Thriving Facebook Group
07:52 Strategies to Grow Your Facebook Group
10:12 Exercise: Mapping Out Your Facebook Group Vision
12:24 Key Takeaways and Conclusion
Two bartenders, a failed business in one Facebook group that changed everything. Landon Stewart and Chris Stapleton didn't start out as marketing rock stars. They were just two guys from a small town America trying to figure things out. But when their backs were against the wall, they launched a private Facebook group, and within a year it exploded. 18,000 members, a seven figure business, and it all started with one decision. Build a community, not just an audience. Hi, I am Jonathan Milligan and welcome to the Market Your Message Show. We are currently going through book number four of my book series, the Your Message Matter series and book four is all about building your audience. And today we are going to jump into chapter nine, all about how to leverage a private Facebook group. So if you want a copy of the book to go along with the audiobook series that we're releasing here on the podcast, you can go to platform growth books.com, pick up a copy, whether it's Kindle, paperback, hardcover. We even have a workbook to go with this book as well. So grab your book, jump in, and let's get started.
Speaker 18:Chapter nine, the Private Facebook Group Traffic Playbook. Landon Stewart and Chris Stapleton weren't always the success stories. They are today hailing from a small farm town in Illinois and working as bartenders in Connecticut. These two had their fair share of failed businesses. However, their fortunes changed when they met at a marketing event hosted by Mark Hoverson in 2015. Under Mark's wing, Landon and Chris learned the ropes of managing a Facebook group with 2000 clients. They honed their skills in engaging and rallying a community. Little did they know how crucial this experience would be. Fast forward to 2018, after Mark's passing, Landon and Chris found themselves in a tight spot financially, but their entrepreneurial spirit wouldn't let them give up. In January, 2019, they launched their first Facebook group, social Media Entrepreneurs. Within a year, it exploded to 18,000 members and generated significant revenue riding a wave of success. They founded Clients and Community in January, 2020. It focused on teaching others to grow profitable Facebook groups. Their methods gained quick fame. They got speaking gigs with industry giants like Tony Robbins and Russell Brunson. By July, 2022, clients and community had raked in over 10 million in revenue with their clients collectively earning more than 100 million. Pretty impressive, right? But here's the kicker. You don't need to be a marketing guru or have a huge following to replicate this success. The secret is to leverage private Facebook groups. This chapter will explore private Facebook groups. They can help you build a dedicated audience, grow your email list, and generate revenue. Why is this important? Because your audience is already on Facebook. You're tapping into an existing user base. You're creating a community around your niche or business. You're doing this by providing a space for them to engage with you and like-minded people, ready to unlock the potential of private Facebook groups. Let's get started. What most people get wrong when starting a Facebook group. Many well-intentioned creators stumble when launching their Facebook groups. They're excited about building a community, but often miss the mark on key elements that make a group thrive. Mistake one, the open door policy. One common misstep is creating a public group with no entry barriers. It seems logical. More members mean more engagement, not quite without any filtering. You might end up with a mismatched crowd that doesn't align with your group's purpose. It's like throwing a party and forgetting to send invitations. You never know who might show up. Mistake two, the silent treatment. Another frequent mistake is neglecting to foster engagement. Some creators build a group and expect members to start chatting automatically, but without consistent, valuable content and discussion prompts, a group can quickly turn into a ghost. Town. Members need a reason to participate, share and return. Mistake three. The self-promotion trap, perhaps the most off-putting error is turning the group into a nonstop promotional channel. It's tempting to use your group to promote your products, but overwhelming members with sales pitches will drive them away. People join groups to connect, learn, and share, not to be constantly sold to. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you are already ahead of the game. Remember, a successful Facebook group is about creating value for your members. Not just for yourself. It's about building a community, not an audience. Keep this in mind and you'll be well on your way to creating a thriving, engaged Facebook group that members love to be part of building a Facebook group. People love. Wanna create a Facebook group that thrives? Think of it as an exclusive VIP club. Make your group's purpose clear and enticing. Members should feel special part of something unique. Be the host who keeps the party going. Serve up engaging content consistently. Mix it up with insights, questions, and debates. Keep your members excited to return. Focus on relationships first and business second. Build trust and genuine connections give freely of your knowledge and time. Business opportunities will naturally follow when you've nurtured a community that values you. Remember, creating a successful Facebook group is a long game. It's about building a community that enriches lives. Do this well, and you'll cultivate a tribe of loyal fans and potential customers. Step one, define your group's purpose and target audience. What's your superpower? What can you offer that no one else can? Maybe you're a fitness guru for busy moms or a tech whiz for seniors. Find your sweet spot and own it. Get inside your audience's head. What keeps them up at night? What do they dream about? If you were a mind reader, what would you see? This inside is gold. Now, craft your group's elevator pitch. Make it snappy, clear and irresistible. If your ideal member stumbled upon your group, would they hit join without hesitation? Think of your Facebook group as a themed party. The more specific and interesting the theme, the more excited and engaged your guests will be. A pizza party is okay, but a build your own gourmet pizza night with a professional chef. Now that's a party people will talk about. Step two, set up your private group with strategic entry questions. Your entry questions are your VIP bouncer. Make sure only the right people get in. Ask about their biggest challenges. Goals and experience levels. Get creative. Sneaky, nah, smart. Absolutely include a question to capture email addresses. This is your ticket to building a relationship beyond Facebook's walls. What do they hope to get from the group? This info is like a compass guiding your content strategy. Remember what Jimmy Johnson said? The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra, your entry questions are that extra. They ensure quality members and provide valuable data for audience building. A well-defined purpose attracts the right audience and sets the foundation for a thriving community. It's like planting seeds in fertile soil with the proper care, they'll grow into something beautiful. Step three, grow your Facebook group fast. You've set the stage. Now it's time to fill the seats. Let's explore seven powerful strategies to skyrocket your group's growth. One, use the common groups feature. Ever wonder where to find your ideal members? They're already in groups. Use the common groups feature to target people already interested in your topic. Click that blue invite button on your group. Select groups in common. Search for groups in your niche. Boom. You'll see friends who are members of these related groups. Invite away. Two. Leverage your Facebook fan page. Do you have a Facebook fan page? It's time to make it work for you. Link your group to your page. Use the invite feature to invite followers to your group. Here's a pro tip. Enable automatic invites for top fans and recently active followers. Three. Create a pin post on your fan page. Create a compelling post inviting people to join your group. Include the link, now pin it to the top of your fan page. This pin post is visible to every visitor to your page. And works for you. 24 7 4. Optimize your personal Facebook profile. Your personal profile is often the first impression people have of you online. Edit your intro to include a call to action and link to your group. Create and pin a post about your group on your personal profile. Five. Engage in other Facebook groups. Choose five groups with your target audience regularly. Answer questions and provide value. Optimize your group profile for each group you're active in. Change your cover photo to promote your group. Six. Use email marketing. Your email list is full of potential group members. Include a link to your Facebook group in your welcome email sequence regularly. Promote valuable group content to your email list. Seven, cross promote with Facebook posts. Create valuable, engaging posts in your Facebook group. Then share these posts via email, encouraging list subscribers to join the group for more content. Remember, growing your group isn't about quick fixes. It's about consistent strategic effort. Keep at it and watch your community flourish. Today's exercise, map out the vision for your Facebook group ready to turn your Facebook group idea into reality. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. This exercise will help you lay the foundation for a thriving online community. Start by carving out 15 minutes of uninterrupted time. Grab a pen and paper or open your favorite note taking app. We're going to define your group's, DNA. Step one, define your group's purpose. First, let's tackle your group's purpose. Write down three to five sentences describing why your group exists. Ask yourself, what problem does your group solve? What value does it provide? Keep refining it until it feels precise and compelling. This is your group's North Star. Step two, create your ideal member persona. Next, let's paint a picture of your ideal member. Create a brief persona. Who are they? What are their interests? What challenges do they face? What are their goals? Be as specific as possible. Remember, you can't please everyone. Step three. Craft your entry questions. Now, let's consider how you'll welcome new members. Brainstorm five to seven potential entry questions. These should align with your group's purpose and target audience. Pick your top three. Make sure one of these aims to capture email addresses. This will be invaluable for growing your community beyond Facebook. Step four, bring your vision to life finally. It's time to bring your vision to life. Head over to Facebook and set up your group. Use the purpose target audience and entry questions you've just crafted. Step five, review and refine. Take a step back and review your plan. Does it excite you? Great. That energy will shine through in your group. If not, keep refining until it does. Your future group members are waiting for you to create this amazing space for them. Remember, a well-defined group attracts the right people and sets the stage for meaningful interactions. You're not just creating a Facebook group, but building a community. Now go make it happen. Key takeaways. A private Facebook group with a clear purpose attracts quality members who are likeer to engage and convert. To grow your audience, you must engage them. You need to post valuable content and manage your community actively. Using Facebook group features and cross-promotion can greatly boost group growth and engagement.