How to Promote Yourself in Facebook Groups Without Being Spammy
“If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are” (St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata).
At Catholic Women in Business, we run a Facebook group with almost 10,000 women. As a result, we’ve seen it all, from heartfelt pleas for prayers and requests for career advice to spam and bots. Sometimes the posts that seem spammy come not from AI or scammers but from well-intentioned women who aren’t sure the best way to promote themselves in a Facebook group.
However, we also have women in the group who have positioned themselves as leaders in their industry, all while offering free advice and presenting themselves as the warm, generous women they are. These women have earned business from our group without breaking our “no self-promotion” rules or being (there’s no other word for it) obnoxious. It’s possible to promote yourself in a Facebook group in an authentic way.
If you’ve joined Facebook groups and want to use them to promote yourself and your work, here’s some advice for you, from my years of moderating a popular Facebook group.
1. Know and Follow the Group Rules
Most Facebook groups are run by volunteers. Following the group rules respects their time, as it saves them from having to reject posts or share reminders. It also respects the other group members who are following the rules. Read the rules before joining the group, and don’t join the group if you don’t want to follow them.
Relatedly, avoid cross-posting. Many of the posts I see submitted to our group that break our rules appear to be cross-posts (posts across various groups). Different groups have different purposes, members, and rules. When you cross-post, you may be submitting posts that aren’t right for all of the groups.
2. Be Upfront About What You’re Selling
In the homeschooling Facebook groups I belong to, I frequently see people recommending a curriculum that they sell without disclosing that they sell it. Not only is this dishonest and unethical, but it also (once someone realizes what’s going on) makes many potential customers less interested in buying from you. It’s fine to promote your product or service when the group rules allow for it, just be honest about it.
Similarly, if you’re promoting a business opportunity, be upfront about any buy-in required (for example, if it’s a franchise or direct sales/MLM model). Be clear about what the opportunity will involve. For the direct sales/MLM example, clarify what people would have to pay and what their role would include—e.g., recruiting fellow salespeople, not just sales.
3. Don’t DM Someone Unless They’ve Given You Permission
Don’t send an unsolicited message. For one thing, it’s intrusive. For another, if someone isn’t expecting a message from someone they aren’t connected to on Facebook, they might not see it.
4. Share Advice, Not Just Your Product
I used to work in content marketing, and we would tell clients all the time that the goal of content marketing isn’t necessarily sales; it’s brand awareness and association. You want people to think of you when a topic related to your offering comes up.
The same is true in a Facebook group. When someone posts a question related to your offerings, weigh in. Offer some free advice or share your experience. Then, if they need to purchase something in this area in the future, they’ll remember the help you gave them and reach out to you to learn more.
5. Don’t Make an Offer Unless Someone Is Looking for One
On the flip side, don’t jump straight to making a sale when someone hasn’t said they’re looking to purchase something. Acknowledge the problem they’re trying to solve, and try to provide some value first.
6. Recommend Others’ Products, Services, and Content
Be generous! You don’t have to recommend your direct competitors, but recommend other women whose talents you admire. Give shout outs to fellow group members when they’ve helped you or gone above and beyond.
7. Remember Who You Are
Christina Sabo, a member of the CWIB leadership team and founder of Catholic PR agency Paloma & Fig, offers this advice:
It’s important to start with who we were made to be, in image and likeness, ultimately mirroring Christ. I immediately think of the Beatitudes. Spiritual, rather than material, attributes are valued in the Kingdom of God. When we all remember this, the Lord will always provide for us in this earthly life (and through our vocation). So, ask yourself how you can build up His kingdom with your gifts…in a way that is pleasing to Him.
She adds that it’s important to take a moment to step back from a post before hitting “submit.” Ask yourself, “Would my mom be proud of me for this and the way that it’s worded?”
A Facebook group will never replicate a real community. (That’s why we also offer our Inspire & Aspire events around the world!) However, it can approximate one when members try to get to know each other, stay humble and honest, and cheer each other on.
Taryn DeLong, co-president of Catholic Women in Business, co-wrote “Holy Ambition: Thriving as a Catholic Woman at Work and at Home" (Ave Maria Press) to help women hear and follow God’s unique calling for their life. Following her own calling, she currently spends much of her time caring for and homeschooling her two daughters. Taryn studied psychology and education at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. Before becoming a mother, she worked in university advancement and then B2B editing. Since Taryn was a child, she’s called the Raleigh area home, and she and her husband are now raising their family in a small Raleigh suburb. In addition to supporting Catholic women, she's passionate about inclusion of people with disabilities in life, work, and (most importantly) the Church. She also enjoys reading and playing the piano. Connect with Taryn on Instagram, Facebook (and her Facebook group for Catholic working homeschool moms), LinkedIn, her blog, Substack.
