If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ll remember how difficult networking used to be. In the past, the best way for REALTORS® to network was face to face. You’d go to events, exchange business cards, give a five-second elevator speech and hope that you were building good connections.

Fast forward to the age of Facebook. The recent introduction of groups by this social media networking giant has made networking a great way to grow your business. No longer are you face to face, offering a handshake to get to know someone. You can rub shoulders and swap stories with the rich, the famous, the newbies and the shy, without leaving home.

If you are a REALTOR® networking is essential. Getting to know the people and what they do and need is the fastest way to build connections and grow your business. Building relationships builds your potential customer base.

Having a group of peers who can help you out when you are having a problem with some aspect of your business, or for bouncing ideas and questions off of, or for referring new business to each other, is perhaps the best way to grow your business. Especially if they are not in your market area.  You can assist each other with out the worry that they are competitors.

Even though you already know the benefits of business networking, it’s not always easy to get started. Some of us are too shy or embarrassed to go to local networking events or visiting local businesses that are in our niche. Facebook has created a solution with its groups. 

So how do I use it to build my business?

Glad you asked. 

But wait – before we get into how you can use Facebook groups for networking, let’s discuss what Facebook groups actually are.

What Are Facebook Groups?

This is what Facebook says about groups:

“Facebook Groups make it easy to connect with specific sets of people, like family, teammates or coworkers. Groups are dedicated spaces where you can share updates, photos or documents and message other group members. You can also select one of three privacy options for each group you create.”

When you’re a member of a Facebook group, you get notifications when someone posts a new message in the group. This happens for anyone in the group when you post something as well. 

Keep in mind that you can only join groups using your personal Facebook profile rather than your business page. One way to show that you are a business is to have a link to your business Facebook page on your personal page. This make it more like traditional marketing. The only difference is you are using business page links instead of exchanging traditional business cards.

Why You Need to Participate in Groups

One of the biggest reasons to participate in Facebook groups is the opportunity for visibility it gives you. With its notifications option, when you posts in groups you’re participating in, active members will receive notifications of the post. Facebook pages are less likely to show up in your newsfeed. 

In some Facebook groups you are allowed to openly promote your business. In other groups, this is frowned upon. In this case, you can participate by giving good advice, sharing good content and being a support to others. In return you will receive the same. 

Participating in groups gives you access to thousands of people who are potential clients. 

So, how can they help you network?

Simply put, Facebook groups can help you network more easily. Instead of networking with a variety of businesses and people, groups are specific to certain topics. This makes it easier to network with people who have the same interests as you. 

Throughout this guide, you’ll find ways to locate relevant groups, how you can be a valuable participant in the groups you join, and the importance of connecting with administrators and moderators. We will also give you some networking tips.

How to Find Facebook Groups That Are Relevant

Now that you know the importance of using Facebook groups for networking your business, it’s time to find relevant groups to join. There are millions of active groups on Facebook, in every interest you could imagine. When you are looking to network to grow your business, it’s best to track down groups within your industry. That way you are connecting with your peers and prospective customers who are interested in what you have to offer.

However, with so many groups to join, how do you find the ones that fit your needs?

Begin by asking colleagues and others in your niche as well as your customers what groups they are active in.

Tip: Once you find groups, read their descriptions. You want to see a couple of different things –whether the group is open to new members and whether it is relevant to your niche. 

Using the Graph Search Feature

Make sure you are using Facebook as your personal profile. 

Step 1: Click the search field at the top of the Facebook screen.

Step 2: Type the niche you are interested in into the search field. Use the string “groups of people who like TOPIC or PAGE NAME.” The top entries for that niche appear. For example if you are interested in needlework-related groups, type in “groups of women who like needlework”. Or like the example above, we used “groups that craft” to search for people who like to craft. 

Step 3: Click the “More” tab and then Groups from the list.

Step 4: Scroll through the groups to find ones you are interested in. Look at their About page to learn more about them. 

Step 5: Click the “Join Group” next to the listing of any group you want to join. 

Focus on Certain Criteria before Joining:

• Active members lets you know how active the group is. Note: If it’s a closed group, you won’t be able to see the activity until you join. Go ahead and join if you think it might be relevant. You can always leave the group right away if it isn’t for you.
• A good description in the About section should be available, which describes exactly what to expect from the group. .
• Spam control should be in place. You don’t want to be part of a group that allows anyone to spam its members.

Tip: Connect your business page to your personal profile. Since you can only join Facebook Groups using your personal profile, you need to have your business information easy to find on your profile. This is easy to do; just add your Facebook page to the list of places you worked.

Use the search tool and Facebook suggestions to find groups to join. Look at what your friends are members of. Find ones that are relevant to your niche. 

This is Part One of a Three Part Series.  Look for Part Two Next Week.