One of the questions I get asked the most is, “How do I use Facebook to meet new people, without being spammy?” I’ve created a formula to make it super easy for you and it’s called REACH™.
REACH™ = Reply • Engage • Ask • Comment • Help
Ok, so I’m kind of addicted to acronyms. 😀
I’ll break it all down for you (watch the video above to learn more) but first, this formula is for you if you’ve ever thought or said:
- “I’ve contacted everyone, but my friends and family all said No.”
- “I’m hearing crickets on my posts and I don’t know why.”
- “I live in a small town and don’t know enough people to book more parties.”
- “My area is saturated.”
- “I think my Facebook friends are hiding me.”
Spoiler Alert. It doesn’t matter where you live because there are billions of people on Facebook and Instagram. Billions.
Did you just picture Dr. Evil with his pinky finger next to his mouth when you read that? Me too.
But I digress.
Get out of your warm market and use my REACH™ formula to make hundreds of new friends right from your phone and find the people who are looking for you.
Here’s how R•E•A•C•H™ works:
Reply
Reply to someone you don’t know, who commented on a friend or follower’s post. Not in a salesy way, but in an ‘I get you’ way. That means you’re not going to mention your business. Pinky swear on that. Your intention here is to be interested in other people so you can get to know them, and they can get to know you. Odds are, they’ll naturally be curious and follow the bread crumbs back to your profile to learn more about you. If they like what they see, they might even send you a friend request. Read this to learn how to optimize your Profile to attract more leads.
Engage
Engaging with interest-based Facebook Group communities is a fast way to make new friends. If you’re on Instagram, you can follow interest-based hashtags. That way, posts of people who share your same interest show up in your Feed. Nothing bonds people faster than a shared love for coffee, travel, hiking, reading, Pilates, crafting, decorating…or maybe it’s knitting for you. You do you. Look for Facebook Groups and follow Instagram hashtags based on interest and location. Then you’ll be able to make new long distance friends while finding friends in your local area.
Ask
Questions communicate that you’re interested in learning more about what others think vs. posting about you. The real magic happens in Facebook and Instagram Stories because you can take the convo right to Messenger – or Direct Message on Instagram. Use Poll, Questions, Quiz, or that cute sliding emoji to start a conversation. And, in case you didn’t know, you can change the emoji slider to any emoji by swiping left at the bottom and tapping on the + sign. You’re welcome.
Comment
I know, this is kind of a Duh. But don’t just ‘react and run’. That doesn’t build a relationship or get you noticed. Instead, drop a meaningful comment. If someone takes the time to reply back to your comment, that’s a win. You’re starting a conversation. Whoop! Now do that with a few posts to get noticed and get a follow or friend request.
Help
Add value & share tips on your social sites. Then funnel new friends and followers over to your Facebook Group. A Group is where you can connect and convert. Even better if you use a lead magnet to get their contact info once they become a member so you have control of your lead list. Lead magnet examples are Google Forms (quiz or Survey), How To Video, Blog Post, or PDF. Think: Tips, hacks, step-by-step how-tos, recipes, etc.
If you’re a leader, this would be a fun team challenge that could literally solve every problem. Challenge your team to make 5 REACH™ connections per day, 5 days a week, and they’d be reaching out to 25 people per week = 100 per month. Goal getters could go for even more. 10 REACH™ connections per day (5 days a week) = 50 per week = 200 per month. Multiply that over a few months and imagine what your business would look like! How many new friends could you make after 6 months, or a year? REACH™ could be the simple but powerful action plan you’ve been looking for.
And a bonus tip: Use Google Sheets to create a shareable spreadsheet to track your team’s daily REACH™ efforts and results.
Have a question? Send me a DM on Instagram @milliondollarpartygirl
Warning: This will not work if your Facebook or Instagram posts look like one big marketing message about your business. Tone it down there m’friend and clean up your timeline before you try this. Delete any posts that had zero interaction, look like a marketing flyer, or sound like an ad.
If you want an example of a meaningful post, here’s one from my Facebook profile that has 233 comments.
And this Instagram Reel has 33 comments, 2 shares, and 7 saves.
