How 1 Private Facebook Group Made $10M+ (Ch 9. Build Your Audience)

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Leveraging Private Facebook Groups for Explosive Growth

Grab a Copy of the Build Your Audience Book: https://platformgrowthbooks.com

In this episode of the Market Your Message Show, Jonathan Milligan discusses the incredible journey of Landon Stewart and Chris Stapleton, who transformed their fortunes by creating a thriving private Facebook group. From humble beginnings as bartenders to generating over $10 million in revenue, their story showcases the power of building a community, not just an audience. 

Chapter nine of Jonathan's book series, 'Your Message Matter,' focuses on the Private Facebook Group Traffic Playbook, including actionable steps, common pitfalls to avoid, and strategies for rapid group growth. Listeners will learn how to define their group's purpose, craft engaging entry questions, and leverage Facebook features for maximum impact.

00:00 Introduction: From Bartenders to Marketing Rock Stars
00:32 Welcome to the Market Your Message Show
01:20 The Rise of Landon Stewart and Chris Stapleton
02:56 The Power of Private Facebook Groups
03:32 Common Mistakes in Facebook Group Management
05:04 Building a Thriving Facebook Group
07:52 Strategies to Grow Your Facebook Group
10:12 Exercise: Mapping Out Your Facebook Group Vision
12:24 Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Episode Transcript

Speaker 19 (00:00):
Two bartenders, a failed business in one Facebook
group that changed everything.
Landon Stewart and ChrisStapleton didn't start out as
marketing rock stars.
They were just two guys from asmall town America trying to
figure things out.
But when their backs wereagainst the wall, they launched
a private Facebook group, andwithin a year it exploded.

(00:23):
18,000 members, a seven figurebusiness, and it all started
with one decision.
Build a community, not just anaudience.
Hi, I am Jonathan Milligan andwelcome to the Market Your
Message Show.
We are currently going throughbook number four of my book
series, the Your Message Matterseries and book four is all

(00:45):
about building your audience.
And today we are going to jumpinto chapter nine, all about how
to leverage a private Facebookgroup.
So if you want a copy of thebook to go along with the
audiobook series that we'rereleasing here on the podcast,
you can go to platform growthbooks.com, pick up a copy,

(01:08):
whether it's Kindle, paperback,hardcover.
We even have a workbook to gowith this book as well.
So grab your book, jump in, andlet's get started.

Speaker 18 (01:21):
Chapter nine, the Private Facebook Group Traffic
Playbook.
Landon Stewart and ChrisStapleton weren't always the
success stories.
They are today hailing from asmall farm town in Illinois and
working as bartenders inConnecticut.
These two had their fair shareof failed businesses.
However, their fortunes changedwhen they met at a marketing

(01:42):
event hosted by Mark Hoverson in2015.
Under Mark's wing, Landon andChris learned the ropes of
managing a Facebook group with2000 clients.
They honed their skills inengaging and rallying a
community.
Little did they know how crucialthis experience would be.
Fast forward to 2018, afterMark's passing, Landon and Chris

(02:05):
found themselves in a tight spotfinancially, but their
entrepreneurial spirit wouldn'tlet them give up.
In January, 2019, they launchedtheir first Facebook group,
social Media Entrepreneurs.
Within a year, it exploded to18,000 members and generated
significant revenue riding awave of success.

(02:25):
They founded Clients andCommunity in January, 2020.
It focused on teaching others togrow profitable Facebook groups.
Their methods gained quick fame.
They got speaking gigs withindustry giants like Tony
Robbins and Russell Brunson.
By July, 2022, clients andcommunity had raked in over 10

(02:47):
million in revenue with theirclients collectively earning
more than 100 million.
Pretty impressive, right?
But here's the kicker.
You don't need to be a marketingguru or have a huge following to
replicate this success.
The secret is to leverageprivate Facebook groups.
This chapter will exploreprivate Facebook groups.

(03:08):
They can help you build adedicated audience, grow your
email list, and generaterevenue.
Why is this important?
Because your audience is alreadyon Facebook.
You're tapping into an existinguser base.
You're creating a communityaround your niche or business.
You're doing this by providing aspace for them to engage with
you and like-minded people,ready to unlock the potential of

(03:29):
private Facebook groups.
Let's get started.
What most people get wrong whenstarting a Facebook group.
Many well-intentioned creatorsstumble when launching their
Facebook groups.
They're excited about building acommunity, but often miss the
mark on key elements that make agroup thrive.
Mistake one, the open doorpolicy.
One common misstep is creating apublic group with no entry

(03:50):
barriers.
It seems logical.
More members mean moreengagement, not quite without
any filtering.
You might end up with amismatched crowd that doesn't
align with your group's purpose.
It's like throwing a party andforgetting to send invitations.
You never know who might showup.
Mistake two, the silenttreatment.
Another frequent mistake isneglecting to foster engagement.

(04:13):
Some creators build a group andexpect members to start chatting
automatically, but withoutconsistent, valuable content and
discussion prompts, a group canquickly turn into a ghost.
Town.
Members need a reason toparticipate, share and return.
Mistake three.
The self-promotion trap, perhapsthe most off-putting error is
turning the group into a nonstoppromotional channel.

(04:36):
It's tempting to use your groupto promote your products, but
overwhelming members with salespitches will drive them away.
People join groups to connect,learn, and share, not to be
constantly sold to.
By avoiding these commonpitfalls, you are already ahead
of the game.
Remember, a successful Facebookgroup is about creating value

(04:57):
for your members.
Not just for yourself.
It's about building a community,not an audience.
Keep this in mind and you'll bewell on your way to creating a
thriving, engaged Facebook groupthat members love to be part of
building a Facebook group.
People love.
Wanna create a Facebook groupthat thrives?
Think of it as an exclusive VIPclub.

(05:19):
Make your group's purpose clearand enticing.
Members should feel special partof something unique.
Be the host who keeps the partygoing.
Serve up engaging contentconsistently.
Mix it up with insights,questions, and debates.
Keep your members excited toreturn.
Focus on relationships first andbusiness second.
Build trust and genuineconnections give freely of your

(05:41):
knowledge and time.
Business opportunities willnaturally follow when you've
nurtured a community that valuesyou.
Remember, creating a successfulFacebook group is a long game.
It's about building a communitythat enriches lives.
Do this well, and you'llcultivate a tribe of loyal fans
and potential customers.
Step one, define your group'spurpose and target audience.

(06:05):
What's your superpower?
What can you offer that no oneelse can?
Maybe you're a fitness guru forbusy moms or a tech whiz for
seniors.
Find your sweet spot and own it.
Get inside your audience's head.
What keeps them up at night?
What do they dream about?
If you were a mind reader, whatwould you see?

(06:26):
This inside is gold.
Now, craft your group's elevatorpitch.
Make it snappy, clear andirresistible.
If your ideal member stumbledupon your group, would they hit
join without hesitation?
Think of your Facebook group asa themed party.
The more specific andinteresting the theme, the more
excited and engaged your guestswill be.

(06:47):
A pizza party is okay, but abuild your own gourmet pizza
night with a professional chef.
Now that's a party people willtalk about.
Step two, set up your privategroup with strategic entry
questions.
Your entry questions are yourVIP bouncer.
Make sure only the right peopleget in.
Ask about their biggestchallenges.

(07:07):
Goals and experience levels.
Get creative.
Sneaky, nah, smart.
Absolutely include a question tocapture email addresses.
This is your ticket to buildinga relationship beyond Facebook's
walls.
What do they hope to get fromthe group?
This info is like a compassguiding your content strategy.
Remember what Jimmy Johnsonsaid?

(07:28):
The difference between ordinaryand extraordinary is that little
extra, your entry questions arethat extra.
They ensure quality members andprovide valuable data for
audience building.
A well-defined purpose attractsthe right audience and sets the
foundation for a thrivingcommunity.
It's like planting seeds infertile soil with the proper

(07:49):
care, they'll grow intosomething beautiful.
Step three, grow your Facebookgroup fast.
You've set the stage.
Now it's time to fill the seats.
Let's explore seven powerfulstrategies to skyrocket your
group's growth.
One, use the common groupsfeature.

(08:10):
Ever wonder where to find yourideal members?
They're already in groups.
Use the common groups feature totarget people already interested
in your topic.
Click that blue invite button onyour group.
Select groups in common.
Search for groups in your niche.
Boom.
You'll see friends who aremembers of these related groups.

(08:30):
Invite away.
Two.
Leverage your Facebook fan page.
Do you have a Facebook fan page?
It's time to make it work foryou.
Link your group to your page.
Use the invite feature to invitefollowers to your group.
Here's a pro tip.
Enable automatic invites for topfans and recently active
followers.
Three.

(08:50):
Create a pin post on your fanpage.
Create a compelling postinviting people to join your
group.
Include the link, now pin it tothe top of your fan page.
This pin post is visible toevery visitor to your page.
And works for you.
24 7 4.
Optimize your personal Facebookprofile.
Your personal profile is oftenthe first impression people have

(09:12):
of you online.
Edit your intro to include acall to action and link to your
group.
Create and pin a post about yourgroup on your personal profile.
Five.
Engage in other Facebook groups.
Choose five groups with yourtarget audience regularly.
Answer questions and providevalue.
Optimize your group profile foreach group you're active in.

(09:34):
Change your cover photo topromote your group.
Six.
Use email marketing.
Your email list is full ofpotential group members.
Include a link to your Facebookgroup in your welcome email
sequence regularly.
Promote valuable group contentto your email list.
Seven, cross promote withFacebook posts.
Create valuable, engaging postsin your Facebook group.

(09:56):
Then share these posts viaemail, encouraging list
subscribers to join the groupfor more content.
Remember, growing your groupisn't about quick fixes.
It's about consistent strategiceffort.
Keep at it and watch yourcommunity flourish.
Today's exercise, map out thevision for your Facebook group

(10:16):
ready to turn your Facebookgroup idea into reality.
Let's roll up our sleeves andget to work.
This exercise will help you laythe foundation for a thriving
online community.
Start by carving out 15 minutesof uninterrupted time.
Grab a pen and paper or openyour favorite note taking app.
We're going to define yourgroup's, DNA.
Step one, define your group'spurpose.

(10:40):
First, let's tackle your group'spurpose.
Write down three to fivesentences describing why your
group exists.
Ask yourself, what problem doesyour group solve?
What value does it provide?
Keep refining it until it feelsprecise and compelling.
This is your group's North Star.
Step two, create your idealmember persona.

(11:03):
Next, let's paint a picture ofyour ideal member.
Create a brief persona.
Who are they?
What are their interests?
What challenges do they face?
What are their goals?
Be as specific as possible.
Remember, you can't pleaseeveryone.
Step three.
Craft your entry questions.
Now, let's consider how you'llwelcome new members.

(11:24):
Brainstorm five to sevenpotential entry questions.
These should align with yourgroup's purpose and target
audience.
Pick your top three.
Make sure one of these aims tocapture email addresses.
This will be invaluable forgrowing your community beyond
Facebook.
Step four, bring your vision tolife finally.

(11:46):
It's time to bring your visionto life.
Head over to Facebook and set upyour group.
Use the purpose target audienceand entry questions you've just
crafted.
Step five, review and refine.
Take a step back and review yourplan.
Does it excite you?
Great.
That energy will shine throughin your group.
If not, keep refining until itdoes.

(12:07):
Your future group members arewaiting for you to create this
amazing space for them.
Remember, a well-defined groupattracts the right people and
sets the stage for meaningfulinteractions.
You're not just creating aFacebook group, but building a
community.
Now go make it happen.
Key takeaways.
A private Facebook group with aclear purpose attracts quality

(12:28):
members who are likeer to engageand convert.
To grow your audience, you mustengage them.
You need to post valuablecontent and manage your
community actively.
Using Facebook group featuresand cross-promotion can greatly
boost group growth andengagement.