As a small business owner, we often turn to our family and friends to help us with our new venture… selling our business products and services. But the catch is that you don’t want to burn them out with everything that you have to offer. This is simple, because you want them to continue to be those great supporters by buying your products or services and maybe even sharing content, products or services on social media. Some of our businesses allow for home parties or events, networking, product launches, seminars, classes and etc. This means, we are likely to be inviting them to these events or parties, but the catch is that we need to be careful that we don’t inundate them with our requests.
The Facebook event/group invite
You know what I am getting at here, you create that Facebook event or group…. you think that since it is you and your friends and family loves you, they just HAVE to be invited. In doing so, you are inviting everybody you know to that group, WITHOUT their permission.
Yes, we know, that widget you offer is just super amazing and they would be a fool not to want it or these friends of yours, they just want to support you or Jane down the street, she just will love to come. And we know that to get 10 sales, we need like 20 to show up and to get 20 to show up, we have to invite like 100. However, that doesn’t mean we have to invite everyone we know, to every event, party or group.
Share your biz w/ your friends but don’t innundate them w/ your FB group/event invites.
It’s the catch 22 thing
Now I’m not saying don’t invite everyone, and I understand that we as business owners need to stop making the decision for other people of what they may or may not like, but we also have to be aware and conscious of what we invite people to, how often, what their interests are and just feelings of others.
So back to the Facebook event, please stop MASS inviting everyone you know. Not everything you do will everyone want to be a part of. Keep in mind too that friends and family or followers move which means that the event that you have in Virginia when those some followers move to say Texas, they can not make your event. This means get to know your followers, don’t invite them.
Get to know your peeps so you invite those more likely to share in your biz excitement.
Get to know them
Hey, did you catch that last part… get to know your followers? Remember business is about relationships and getting to know people… it just isn’t about you or your widget. Take the time to get to know people. Sadly I unfriended a few people because I kept getting invited to events back in Virginia when I moved from there 3 years ago. No this wasn’t an online thing either so I couldn’t buy their services and use them in Texas. Further, if you have these events every month or every week, please be aware of who you are inviting each time and who isn’t coming… maybe they are just not interested – stop inviting them!
Let’s round this up right here simply for you…
- Don’t invite everyone to everything, your widget is just not that great. While you may think so, it’s not about you.
- Get to know your followers
- know where they live so you aren’t inviting someone from out-of-town
- know what they like so you aren’t inviting a hunter to the PETA festival – don’t laugh, you get the idea though
- SHARE your Facebook event so others can CHOOSE to join your group or event but tagging them might not be the best way – (less intrusive)
- Just be sensitive of others… we get so many notifications, group and event invites, it gets irritating quickly
If you are building relationships on social media, sharing your products/services as well as industry related stuff, fun and motivation, then you are providing VALUE to your consumers and they will WANT to be apart of what you are doing… it’s best when they can come to you, but it takes work!
~Kristen
Katarina Andersson says
Good article, and, yes, it does take a lot of work and thought, to not overdo the whole event creation thing. 🙂
Kristen Wilson says
Thanks Kata.. it’s crazy how many Lululemon (sp) groups I have been invited to.. really people?! lol
Susan Mary Malone says
I wish everybody on social media would read and ascribe to this, Kristen! I get so much of this stuff. And I hate to unfollow or leave the group, etc., but I’m doing it more and more. And actually, I always leave ones that include me without my permission.
Timely post!
Jennifer Quisenberry says
I do the same thing. I’ve actually ranted about the “don’t add me to groups without my permission thing” so often (and I’ve blogged about it here) that I am starting to receive apologies when someone adds me accidentally.Sometimes I get the apology before I even see the add notification! LOL
Kristen Wilson says
Dang, you go girl… on the getting the apology first. I wish. Thanks Jennifer.
Jennifer Quisenberry says
Yes, I have to admit that it both pleases me and makes me wonder if I’m really just being a hard ass. LOL
Kristen Wilson says
Ehhh, hard ass isn’t such a bad thing.. after all, you are doing it for THEM! lmao
Kristen Wilson says
YES Susan.. same here.. I just can’t believe how many groups I get invited to WITHOUT my permission
Tamuria says
Great advice Kristen. I too become frustrated when I’m inundated with invitations to join groups or go to events that are not in my area. Pushing too hard is a great way to lose friends. I think there’s a fine line with how much you can push before you become a nuisance and yes – so important to know your followers.
Kristen Wilson says
Yep, exactly Tami.. I wish more would take notice and remember, it’s not about them.
Lori English says
Hello,
Great Advice about inviting other’s and if they don’t want to support that the way it is but there are definitely others that love and enjoy your work . It is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Lori English
Kristen Wilson says
So true Lori.. but don’t force me into your group so you can then turn around and sell to me. Do it right.. work your biz FB page!
Sonya Kolodziejska says
A very timely post, i have just been advising someone the very same advice. People become a little too pushy, they make it too much about what they’re selling and don’t seem ‘real’ anymore. This silly tactic needs to stop.
Kristen Wilson says
Agreed Sonya.. stop shoving YOUR business down my throat, right?!
Meghan Monaghan says
I love your point about “it’s not about you” – meaning that people need to stop putting themselves first and instead put their friends/potential customers first. For those of us who work in marketing for business, it should be a clear-cut mistake to act on the notion that everyone wants to buy your products, attend your events, and participate in your groups. In my case, it’s generally the people who aren’t familiar with social media marketing who are committing the most fouls. When someone suddenly starts taking a notice of you at the same time they are also starting their MLM business, well…it’s clear why they ‘care’ right? Big NO NO! Build relationships and over time the people who want to buy from you will. Nobody likes to hear that it takes time! 🙂
Kristen Wilson says
Thanks so much and I think a lot of it is that they think, only this once.. but could you imagine if all 1500 of my friends each ONLY invited me to ONE group… I’d have 1500 groups.. really? Thanks Meghan
Reba Linker says
Great advice. These invitations are not worthy of the name. They are invitations to be a customer, and the social title is a tiny bit misleading, so yes, it does get a bit annoying to receive too many ‘invitations’ from one source.
Kristen Wilson says
Great point Reba! They ARE inviting us into a group then to sell to us.. isn’t that what the FB biz page is about? hmm
Jennifer Quisenberry says
Ding! Ding! Ding! Invitation to be a customer. Exactly!
Robin says
“SHARE your Facebook event so others can CHOOSE to join your group or event but tagging them might not be the best way – (less intrusive)” really spoke to me. Such a simple change, but so very powerful. Great article, and great points, and I am happy to SHARE:)
Kristen Wilson says
That’s exactly it Robin… SHARE it so they can Choose to join IF they want. And thank you
Beverley Golden says
I also seem to get added to a huge number of groups, that I actually have shown no interest in. It’s amazing how many people feel it is okay to add everyone without their permission. I also get invited to a lot of events that aren’t even close enough for me to go to! I guess people figure that even if I live in Toronto and their event is in Vancouver, that maybe I would ‘refer’ people I know who live there. Let’s hope more people get the message about selectivity on FB and thanks for spreading the word, Kristen!
Jennifer Quisenberry says
I used to live in England, so I’m often invited to events there and across Europe. I have lived in California for the past 16 years, so I can’t possibly make it to about 98% of them. Sometimes, with plenty of advance notice, I make it to an event there. I try to plan my trips whenever possible around things that are happening involving people who are important to me.
Kristen Wilson says
Yep, same thing here Bev as you saw from my post. I lived in Va, moved and still got invited. Now, I get it.. you may not remember (gasp) that I moved, but if we aren’t that close.. why??
Alene Geed says
This is something we all need to be wary of. Even inviting friends to join your fan page can be overkill I think. I try occasionally to share one of my fan page posts to my friends. Then it is up to them to visit my page or move on to other things that are more to their liking. It sure would be fantastic if EVERYONE wanted my designs but sadly that is not the case?
Kristen Wilson says
That’s a little different Alene, you are usually only inviting them once and it’s done. With a group, you get added and then you get all of the notifications. If you leave the group and don’t click that box to never be invited again, you get pushed in there again. It’s nuts.
Joan M Harrington says
Hey Kristen 🙂
Awesome post and so important to remember, especially when it comes to inviting for your FB event. You are right it is SO NOT ABOUT YOU! 100% agree with you that you must get to know your followers and build that relationship. Sadly so many do not do that 🙂
Great tips!!
Kristen Wilson says
Thanks so much Joan.. it sure is. I wish more would think about the many friends they innundate
Lisa Swanson says
One of my pet-peeves, being added to groups on facebook and being invited to a million events that don’t even interest me. I hope everyone reads this article! LOL
Kristen Wilson says
Thanks Lisa, you are not alone.. I am so there with you!
Renee groskreutz says
This is actually an issue that I have been trying to figure out for a while now. There is a guy that I follow and he rocks his facebook with nothing but business. I actually love the way that he uses Facebook but it is very different and exactly the opposite of what you are saying here.
Your points are right on actually. However, I don’t use Facebook as a personal tool. This makes me wonder if I could transition my profile to pure business in nature and have nothing but business friends?
Kristen Wilson says
Thanks for this Renee as I would be interested in why he thinks it’s okay to invite ALL friends and followers into a group they didn’t ask to be in… or to an event that they can’t possibly go to because they don’t live in that state or country? Why would that be okay? I don’t know how many LuluLaRoe party groups I have been forced into and I can’t go because I don’t live there anymore and quite honestly, just not interested… I would say about 5 parties… just for this party alone. Keep in mind… we have our personal page and then our business page. You technically could transition your personal profile to only business friends, and not use it personally however it doesn’t meet the TOC of Facebook which is to ONLY run a business on a business page. Reach out if you have more questions.
Sheryl says
I love this and am proud to have shared it all over the place! Thanks for this reminder!
Kristen Wilson says
Awesome Sheryl, glad you love it and hope your followers take notice.
Joyce Hansen says
After I moved, I was quite surprised how many kept turning up advertising some business or invitation to an event. I responded with a note that I was no longer living in the area. Must say, everyone was good about removing me from their lists. I’ve even had a problem with some online marketers, where I’ve unsubscribed but still got emails. Love my report as spam button. I guess I’m lucky. So far, FB hasn’t been much of a problem.
Kristen Wilson says
Yea… same thing happened here Joyce.. hope they get the hint SOONER than later, for sure!
Mindy Iannelli says
Great article, Kristen, that everyone on social media should read! I’ve never added anyone to a group – that’s something I would tell them about if I thought it would interest them. It would be nice if Facebook would change it so that it is an invitation to a group instead of just adding people to it.
Kristen Wilson says
Yea… great point Mindy… because how can it be an “invitation” if you are already IN the group. LOL You know like Invite to like my page! SMH
Dhaval Parmar says
Good article, and, yes, it does take a lot of work and thought, to not overdo the whole event creation thing. ?