Are you breaking Facebook rules
Over recent weeks, I have had a number of new ladies join my Facebook group only for them to have their posts deleted and a message being sent explaining why and what to do in future if they want to stay in the group.
I have also had a few ladies contact me as they have found themselves banned from other groups that they were in.
I’m sure the majority of us use other social media groups to build relationships and promote our businesses but before you fall foul and get yourself banned, try adhering to these simple rules.
When joining a new group, before doing anything else, READ THE GROUP RULES
It’s so simple but so many don’t bother to do it. The rules can usually be found in the group description or sometimes at the top of the page as a pinned post. If you don’t read the rules, you are pretty rude and don’t be surprised if you get kicked out.
And here are a few other things to consider:
Mistake 1 – Promoting Yourself in a Non-Promotional Group
It’s quite simple – you will get banned. There are a number of groups that don’t want their feeds saturated with ‘you can make a million in a week – come find out how’ or some other promotional spam. Even if it’s not spam, if it’s a non-promotional group, you can’t promote in it. Simples!! Which part is not understood? It really annoys me that people join my group and can’t be bothered to read the description and group rules. if they are that lazy, I simply ban them.
Mistake 2 Jumping on Someone Else’s Post to Promote Yourself
This is what happens. Someone asks a question or starts a conversation. They strike up a conversation with their ideal client and are building a relationship with them by giving them valuable help and advice. You see this and decide to jump on board. You leap in to tell the ideal client what you can do to help them and tell them to get in contact.
Let me tell you, THIS IS PLAIN BLOODY RUDE AND UNACCEPTABLE
Don’t be so lazy. Go start some conversations of your own.
Mistake 3 Sending Friend Requests and Private Messaging Other Members
This has to be one of the biggest irritants of all time. It’s false. It’s spammy. It makes you look unprofessional and desperate.
Before approaching anyone privately, you need to build a relationship with them. Not just jump on them as soon as you see a glimmer of an ideal client.
If you are genuinely offering free help to them or giving them some valuable advice in private, then ok. But if your sole intention is to sell to them, don’t be surprised if they report you to admin and you get yourself banned instantly from the group.
Mistake 4 – Joining a Group and Making your First Post a Promotion
Why would you do this? Again, it makes you look unprofessional and desperate. You wouldn’t go to a dinner party where you didn’t know anyone, walk into the room and start shouting at everyone what you do. You would (if you have any manners) walk in, introduce yourself, ask others what they do and get to know people a little first.
You need to start building relationships and trust before bleating about what you do. I would suggest at least a couple of weeks of interacting with others and getting the feel of the group before any type of promotion.
Mistake 5 – Arguing with Admin
Yes, sending private messages to admin that you have a special case for promoting your latest craze and telling them how to run their group is likely to get you banned also. I have had a few of these in the past where people have contacted me to say how everyone wants promotions to be allowed freely so I ought to change the rules. Nope!! My group. My rules. If they don’t like it they can go somewhere else.
In future, use some common sense and some manners when joining groups for the first time. Yes, we all mistakes but learn from them and be respectful to others. Alternatively, set up your own group and do whatever you want!
