Are You a (Facebook) Jailbird?

You've heard of it, you've seen friends complain about it, maybe you've even got locked up yourself. Facebook Jail...a term that didn't even exist five years ago but that's now as common as peanut butter and banana sandwiches. (yep, that is gross, btw)

Urban Dictionary defines Facebook Jail as "Facebook itself blocking you due to something you've either posted, words you've used or for harassment of another user." Let's dig a little deeper...

Ending up in Facebook Jail doesn't necessarily mean that you're unable to use Facebook altogether. Generally you will be blocked from just specific features of Facebook, usually the ones on which whatever offense occurred that landed you in jail in the first place. So, for example, if you sent messages through Facebook Messenger that people reported to Facebook, you might be blocked from using Messenger for a period of time. If you posted something in a closed group that someone reported, you might lose the option to post to groups. If you friend requested too many people that denied you and marked you as a spammer, you might be unable to friend request any more people for a set amount of time. Facebook will limit your functionality, or jail you, for anywhere from 24 hours (think first offense, or just one complaint against you) to 30 days (serious repeat offenders get that 30 day sentence.) If, after a 30 day sentence, you've still not learned your lesson, you can probably expect to have Facebook shut down your account altogether.

So, you're thinking...but WAIT, I'm no spammer!! Hey, we get it. We believe you when you tell us you have nothing but the best of intentions. But here's the deal: sometimes you end up in Facebook Jail anyway. Call it wrongfully accused, appeal the conviction (which rarely works) but it happens. So let's look at the best ways to avoid the Facebook Slammer completely, shall we?

1. Stop taking other people's content! When you take those great company pics that everyone else is using and throw them out on your customer page, business page, etc. there's a really good chance that those images have a spammer label attached to them already, simply due to their widespread usage, and you putting it out there throws your name in the spammer pile. Instead, create your own images using Canva, PicMonkey, etc. 
2. Don't post in random local groups asking for bookings, sales, recruits, etc. Let's say you're in 6 local groups (you know, yard sale groups, local mom's groups, business women's networking groups, etc.) If you write a post talking about the amazing sale you're currently having or how you are looking for "just two more women who want to make money from home", and then you copy/paste that post into all those groups, there's a really good chance Facebook is going to jail you. First off, THAT is spammy and gross, and just don't be that girl. And secondly, if you're using the exact same content back to back in rapid fire procession across all these places, that's a red flag to Facebook regardless of the actual content of your post. Which brings me to our next point...
3. If you're running multiple Facebook parties over the same span of days, and using a fabulous scheduling service like Cinch Share, do NOT schedule all those posts to go into all those events at the exact same time. For the same reason as above - it's a red flag that you might just be a robot. Stagger your post times from event to event so that you're not gushing about your customer special in all 7 Facebook parties at the exact same millisecond. 
4. While we are on events, if you're doing a single night live party event, make sure that you're staggering the posts for that. Every three minutes is a good rule of thumb right now. If you're posting more frequently than that, Facebook might snatch you up and not let you post at all, which is WAY worse than your guests having to wait and extra minute for your next pearls of wisdom in the party.

Hopefully those tips will help keep you from racking up a Facebook criminal record. If you've been jailed for something else, leave us a comment, we promise not to laugh at you!!

Your Store is Open, But Are Your Customers Coming In?

Your Facebook Business Page
In the realm of Facebook, you can think of your Facebook Business Page as your storefront. It's searchable by Google, you can list items for sale right on it, and anyone looking for you can find you, even if you are not connected on Facebook. But if you're not getting interactions on your page, that's a lot like opening your doors and nobody coming in to see you.

It's a bit of a vicious cycle...if you aren't getting interactions you'll rank low on Facebook's algorithm, and if you rank low on Facebook's algorithm, your content won't be displayed very frequently in your fan's news feeds, thus making it more difficult to get interactions. See the problem? So how do you break out of the cycle? First let's look at the Facebook algorithm for a second so you understand what I'm referring to when I say that, and then we'll look at how to up your reach.

The Facebook Algorithm
You hear people talk about this all the time, but what does it really mean? The average person now spends nearly two hours of their day on social media, and Facebook wants to own as much of that time as they can, rather than letting it go to YouTube, Pinterest, SnapChat, etc. So, in their continued effort to keep you captivated, they want to display things into your news feed that you are most likely to click on, like, comment on, or share - basically things you will spend your TIME on. So they are more likely to show you items from your friends, pages you like, groups you frequent, IF those items are already performing well. Posts that already have multiple likes, comments and shares have "proven themselves" so to speak, so Facebook deems them hot content and displays them more frequently.

So What's a Determined Direct Seller to do?
The best thing you can do to help increase your Business Page interactions, thus allowing more people to see you, is by putting out creative, unique, relevant content that is specifically of interest to the people who follow your page. Please note that this does NOT mean all business all the time. You might very well sell a fabulous line of jewelry, but if every single post on your page is a piece of jewelry, that is going to get old very quickly for your fans, yes? Instead, why not share relevant articles, such as runway trends, hot colors for the upcoming season, ideas on taking your look from day to evening seamlessly, etc.

Make a Plan, Work Your Plan
Creating content for your business page doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming, but you do need to carve out a little time to do it. As you're getting started, try out our Roadmap to Business Page Engagement below to help you along. Start compiling a list of post ideas - I always just refer to this as a brain dump. Look over your list...what common themes are you seeing? Those might be things you want to create a schedule around, or things that will be part of a multi-day series. We've given you best posting times and a hashtag of the day to get you thinking. Use your creativity to come up with other hashtags that work for you, your products, your company, and your industry.

CANI days for your Facebook Parties

Keeping up with Facebook changes (algorithms, policies, event, group, newsfeed looks, functions and features) and keeping our parties fresh and relevant - including content posts, new products, trends, tips and tutorials...how do we stay up to date?

I highly recommend that you implement Constant and Never Ending Improvement (CANI) Days!! These are days I schedule specifically to freshen up my party posts, my pictures and my videos. I find a quiet place to brainstorm. It could be the library, a quiet corner in my favorite tea shop, or just another area of my home. I settle in and I write down everything I think of around what's working (and what's not working!) in my parties. This is my brain dump, if you will.

Once that is complete, I pull out my Roadmap for Facebook Parties and freshen up or even rebuild parts, or all of my party. 

I use a variety of resources for inspiration: My own notes after my parties (what worked and what didn't), industry magazines, influencer's social media pages and blogs, files on my computer that I keep on things I want to revisit for creative bursts…I even have a Facebook group with just me in it that I share posts into that inspire me to create similar posts with my own spin. You get the idea…things that spark my own creativity to build engaging, fun, or educational party posts.

From there I think, what is working well in my party already, and what needs freshening up? Then I build the new posts, and make plans for new graphics and videos. 

Your Facebook party is an experience that YOU have created through your roadmap. This is not a one-time deal that you just create and forget. You must continue to tweak, enhance, throw out and write new fun posts through your CANI days!!

Be the consultant that doesn't just want to be good at her Facebook parties. Anyone can be “good.” Strive for extraordinary in every post, graphic, video and interaction you have with your hostesses and guests, because Social Media is a blessing and a curse in our business...a blessing because we have 2 Billion potential connections at our finger tips, but then a curse because if we aren't entertaining them with our party content, they can quickly search for a consultant that does. 

So, when are you scheduling your CANI day?

5 Ideas to Increase Your November Sales (Without Leaving Your House)

If you've been in direct sales for any length of time you know that RIGHT NOW is the busiest time of the year for our industry. But what if your calendar isn't quite where you want it to be? Try one of these easy ideas to get some extra sales in (and some extra cash in your pocket before the holidays!)

1. Hold a turkey trot. You may have heard this term before. Basically, you get a number of people (generally 6 or 12) to agree to collect $100 in orders, and in return they receive a portion of the hostess rewards. So, let's say for example that with a $600 party, your company offers 3 half price items and $100 in free product. You would take those rewards and divide them up between the six people who collected orders, so one person receives $50 free, two people receive $25 free, and three people receive a half price item each. This is a fabulous choice for those that want to reap the rewards of your company without hosting an entire party themselves. Set a deadline by which the orders need to be in, and then draw for who receives which rewards. Boom - an extra $600 or $1200 in sales for you!
2. Create a product bundle and have your hostesses market JUST that bundle to her friends. When she sells a set amount of them, she gets her bundle for free. Let's say you sell make-up. Assemble a bundle with a mascara, an eyeliner, and two eye shadows and figure out how many of that bundle would need to sell in order to accumulate that amount in hostess rewards - that's how many bundles the hostess will need to sell in order to receive her bundle free. The beauty in this is, you're able to reach people who are turned off by the "idea" of hosting. They're not "hosting" per se, they're not earning "hostess rewards", they are just sharing this great bundle set with friends and getting one for free. They get product, you get sales, it's a win-win.
3. Host a holiday theme party inside your Facebook closed customer group. Theme parties are great any time of year, but this time of year is particularly fun, because there are so many fun themes you can come up with, depending on the industry your company falls into. One theme that works well across most any industry would be a "Stocking Stuffers Party". Showcase your less expensive items ($30 and under generally) and encourage people to think about shopping for teachers, aunts, cousins, neighbors, nieces, etc. Turn it into a mystery hostess party and give the rewards away, with guests earning tickets for purchasing, booking their own party, sharing ideas, and commenting on  your posts. 
4. Have a texting party. Give your hostess a graphic to send to her friends asking them if they are interested in participating in a texting party (check out RedStamp.com for creating awesome text able images). Those that respond yes, you will text each of those people once a day for five days with the party link and a product or bundle image. People are busy busy busy, so this can be a great way to pick up some extra sales without a lot of time spent on your party or your customers.
5. Hold a Christmas Stop & Shop cocktail hour on Black Friday in your home. People can come by after hitting the mall and have a couple drinks while shopping either your catalog or your in-stock inventory. Pick up some cute wrapping paper from the Dollar Store and set up a couple wrapping tables, too, so that people can get their essentials wrapped before they take them home (think about how much easier it is on mom to not have to sneak the toys into the house and hide them from the kids after Black Friday shopping - this alone is a HUGE draw!!)

Try one or all of these ideas to give yourself a sales boost this season. Have other ideas? We would love to hear them below!

Free Q&A Happening Tomrorow

Who's joining us tomorrow? We've got a LIVE Zoom training and Q&A on "Customer Facebook Groups that Thrive Not Die." Two times to register:

Daytime - Thursday, September 28th

10:30 am PT/11:30 am MT/12:30 pm CT/1:30 pm ET

Evening - Thursday, September 28th

5:30 pm PT/6:30 pm MT/7:30 pm CT/8:30 pm ET

Go here to sign up for the Q&A and receive the free 3 part series: https://social.lifelinecoaches.com/bonus-qa/

We've just launched our "Social Media Communities that WORK" ecourse - your step-by-step program for building a community of customers that increases your income! Visit the library and click on the button that reads ‘Social Media Communities that WORK!

True or False?

Y'all have no doubt heard the saying "you have to spend money to make money", right? Do you believe that or not? I personally do. Today is Monday Mail Day in my business, and all of these things are happy mail going out to my HOTM club, my VIP hostesses, my upcoming hostesses, or my team members. Yes, it costs me my time to find the things I want to send to them and to package it all up. Yes, it costs me money to purchase them, purchase the envelopes, and the postage. But the rewards I reap make it all worthwhile. These little things show the people receiving them that they are valued. They help strengthen the relationship I have with each one of the recipients. They let these people know they are part of my tribe, and that I was thinking of them when I put these together.You have NO idea how much feedback I get on my "pink mail". Everyone that receives a pink envelope in the mail KNOWS it's something just for them. It's not a bill, it's not a bank statement, it's not just another solicitation...it's something FUN, simply designed to put a smile on their face after a long day at work or a tough day doing the stay-at-home mom gig. And that's priceless.

Customer Facebook Groups That Thrive Not Die

We would like to invite you to join in on our FREE 3 part series on Customer Facebook Groups That Thrive Not Die. Online Customer Communities are CRUCIAL for direct sellers - to build relationships, maintain communication, and continue to find new hostesses and team members. But what if your existing Facebook group is not working for you? Well, we have tips for that! From post ideas to get your customers engaging with you, to how to manage content on your fan page vs. your profile vs. your group, look for tips that you can implement right away to start seeing changes in how you're achieving success online. The free library goes live Monday, September 18th - sign up here: www.fbgroupsuccess.com.