Is it just me, or are you noticing that direct sales consultants are using copycat posts, graphics, and even comments on all their Facebook Parties? It’s like the movie Groundhog Day, except Bill Murray’s daily do-over experience leads to positive change. On Facebook, everyone seems to be posting the same Facebook Party titles and graphics over and over again, without changing anything.
As a result, Facebook is reading all that copycat content as spam, landing some direct sellers in Facebook Jail. That means your party posts and comments can be blocked. As in, you are out of the Facebook Party business. Yikes.
Keep your Facebook parties out of Facebook Jail by delivering an authentic virtual party that lets your personality shine through. That’s known as building the know, like, and trust factor, which is the #1 reason people do business with you. Get started by making these three changes to your Facebook Parties right now:
Use an Original Facebook Party Title or Theme
Give your invited guests a reason to join the Facebook Party by communicating that they will learn something of value and solve a problem. For example, instead of ‘Jen’s Virtual Nail Bar’, try ‘Easy Mani in Minutes’ or ‘5 Must-Have Fall Nail Trends’. If you need inspiration, pick up a magazine that your customers might read and look to see what topics and trends are featured on the cover. There are at least three Facebook Party theme ideas on the magazine rack in your supermarket checkout line.
Opt for Original Graphics
I’ve seen the same version of a ‘Roll Call’ graphic and verbiage posted in 22 Facebook parties (and counting). No wonder customers are tuning out and flagging Facebook Parties as spam. Instead of using the same photo every other direct seller is posting, use a picture of your actual hostess and make her the star of the show (meaning party). Above the picture of your Hostess, ask guests how they know [hostess name] and if they’ll be watching the LIVE party. Post in your own voice so you’re speaking to your virtual party guests, and not at them.
For your ‘Ask Me A ? About My Job’ post, use an original photo that tells your story. For example, share a photo of you having fun with your hubby on an incentive trip, playing with your kids in the backyard, or a team selfie at your direct sales convention. Original pictures of your products are better than catalog-looking photos, too. Better yet, ask your hostess and guests to share pictures of your products that they use and love and let your customers do the selling for you.
Go Live on Facebook
Facebook LIVE is as original as you can get. There you are, doing YOU, live and in person. Guests don’t just tune in, they get to interact with you and have a two-way conversation going on in the comments with you and each other. Live-streaming is an interactive customer experience that = better Facebook Party results. Go LIVE for your introduction, go live for a Q & A ‘After Party’ or ditch all the posts, and do the whole party LIVE. Better yet, use StreamYard [affiliate link – I may receive compensation if you click and make a purchase] – a cloud-based live-streaming platform – to invite your Host to go LIVE with you. Cool features, like showing comments on-screen and adding an overlay with customer testimonials, make StreamYard my go-to virtual party tool. Bring on the FOMO and stop wasting time trying to create the perfect graphic. Instead, use Facebook LIVE to create a virtual party that is most like an in-home party or pop-up experience.
Does all this originality mean you can’t use a scheduling tool, like CinchShare, to schedule some of the Facebook Party posts? No. It just means you’ll want to edit photos and posts to change things up. And like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, learn from what worked and what didn’t so you can improve and become better at holding Facebook Parties. Let’s put an end to scrolling overwhelm and refresh frustration and bring your online party into the future by using LIVE video. PLUS, you’ll keep your Facebook parties out of Facebook Jail!
I’d love to hear your original ideas for Facebook Parties. Please share in the comments below.
And if you need more help holding successful Facebook Parties, enroll in my best-selling virtual party course, Facebook Party Pro. You’ll get a fun bonus printable, The Ultimate List of 32 Words That Sell. See what’s in the course here.
Lynn Bardowski is an award-winning entrepreneur and bestselling author of Success Secrets of a Million Dollar Party Girl. She speaks to global audiences about work-at-home success, vision and branding and is a resource for press, media and bloggers. Like her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
