BNI Facebook Chapter Business Page - What to post

Each Chapter has an official BNI Facebook Business page.  This page is a great tool to build visibility in the community to build the chapter’s creditability in order to attract those businesses looking to network with like-minded business owners.  This is an awesome tool that most BNI chapters are underutilizing.

Here are some suggestions on how to use and what to post on your Facebook page.

First, you will need someone in your chapter to be the designated editor for your page.  Most chapters have someone who does social media as their business, or they are good at it for their own business. Ask them to be the editor for the Chapter Facebook page. In some chapters, this person is the Communications Coordinator. This person will need to request access to the page in order to post as the page and have the posts actually show up on the main feed.  Here is the link to request access or to have someone removed as the editor of your Facebook page - https://form.jotform.com/200375625736154  When completing the form, be sure and use the personal email that the editor uses to log into their personal Facebook account. This information is sent to Mike Barbieri who will review the information and grant access to the Chapter Facebook page. 

Once you have an editor for your page, have them review the Social Media Guidelines and resources which are found on BNIATL.com, click on Resources, then click on Leadership Team Resources and scroll down.  There are links to BNI branded material that you can use on your page.

Here is a list of suggested material to post on your page.  Some have links to existing pages so that you can get ideas on what other chapters are posting.  Just like with your own business page, post as often as possible and be consistent.

The Chapter Information and Members -

-       Review the ‘About’ section and make sure the location address, day, and time of your meeting are correct.

-       Update the chapter page banner (especially if you’re in-person now) See the three that are currently being used on BNI Atlanta - https://www.facebook.com/bniatl/

-       Ask your members to ‘Like’ the BNI Chapter page. Copy the page URL and send it to all your members.

-       Ask the members to invite their friends to ‘Like’ your BNI Chapter Facebook page. 

o   Huge shout out to the BLAZE chapter and Heather Winston as they have over 1600 followers for their page.  https://www.facebook.com/BNIBLAZEGA

-       Create an album and post all your member’s headshots along with their industry and company name.  Tag their name and business name so that it links to their page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.383352703299274&type=3

-       Take photos of new member inductions.  Include their sponsor in the photos.  Tag the members. https://www.facebook.com/BNIResourcesofIncome

o   BNI Atlanta also uses a template welcoming new members, share it on your BNI Facebook page.  See some on https://www.facebook.com/recordbusters

-      Events -

-       Every week your weekly meeting is an event.  From your BNI Facebook Chapter page, set up your weekly meeting as a recurring event. Ask members to mark ‘Going.’  The more people are ‘going’ to an event will create interest and improve the algorithm on Facebook so the event will be shown to more people.

-       At the beginning of each meeting, ask your members and visitors to ‘Like,’ ‘Check In’, and make a comment on the page.  All of their friends will see these posts.  This creates more visibility.

-       Create an event and highlight the featured presenter with their photo and/or logo and their bio for your weekly meeting - https://www.facebook.com/events/3916548035136527/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D   Members can share this to their personal or business pages, as well as other community pages/groups.

-       When you are having Stack Days or Focused Inviting Days, create and event - https://www.facebook.com/events/1976326439242857?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D  Ask your members to comment and share

-       Take photos and videos at your weekly meetings/events and post to Facebook, i.e. Featured presenters, their props and displays, etc. - https://www.facebook.com/BNIBLAZEGA

-       Share the regional events from https://www.facebook.com/bniatl to your Chapter page, such as Monday Mugs that visitors can attend.

Achievement and Recognition

-       Take photos when certificates of completion for MSP and Passport to Success are presented and post to Facebook.

-       Take photos of your Notable Network winners and post

-       Take photos of your weekly ‘Ivan’ award winner with the presenter, the winner, and the trophy.

o   Check out the posts of the BLAZE Chapter https://www.facebook.com/BNIBLAZEGA of their trophy they nicknamed ‘Beanie.’  Beanie gets to go to conferences, lunch, on vacation, etc.

-       Take photos of Members being presented with their Gold Badge Award for sponsoring new BNI Members.

-       Take a Group Photo of all of your Power of One Green Members.

-       Take photos of your door prize winner being presented with their door prize by the Featured Presenter.  Hopefully, the gift is something photo-worthy. This is an opportunity to promote the giver and the receiver and even perhaps the maker of the gift, which could be from one of your members.

-       Share posts of your members' awards and recognition outside of BNI to your BNI Facebook page.  Shows community involvement.

-       Share members’ events on your BNI Facebook page. i.e. Their business holds an open house or members do a Lunch and Learn.

 

Miscellaneous –

-       Post Most Wanted industries for those seats you are trying to fill.  Use the BNI Brandshare templates - https://bni.canto.com/v/BNIBranding/album/P3AQD?display=curatedView&viewIndex=0&gSortingForward=false&gOrderProp=uploadDate&from=thumbnail

-       Post Most Wanted average seat values - https://bni.canto.com/v/BNIBranding/album/QFJLA?display=curatedView&viewIndex=0&gSortingForward=false&gOrderProp=uploadDate&from=curatedView

-       Highlight special guests and visitors.

Hopefully, this is helpful information.  Let us know what else your chapter posts to their Facebook business page.

Social Media for Your Chapter

From November 2017

 

It's important for every chapter to be found on the internet.  Social Media can be used to create more visibility. Every chapter has a Chapter Facebook Page and someone from the Chapter should be assigned to update and post to the page. Typically this is assigned to the Communications Coordinator, but if your Chapter doesn't have this position filled, choose someone to take on this responsibility for it is a great way for your chapter to increase visibility.  In order for the person to have access to the page, they will need to contact Mike Barbieri.  He will provide them with access as well as branding information.

Here are some tips on how to get more visibility using Social Media:

• Just as with any business Facebook page, you have to have 'Likes.'  So the first order of business is to ensure that everyone in the chapter 'Likes' your Chapter Facebook page.  Send the link/url for your chapter Facebook page to all your members and ask them to 'Like' the page and to invite all their friends to 'Like' the page, especially those who are in business or have a business.
• Content needs to be posted on a consistent basis.  Perhaps posting at least once per week highlighting the weekly meeting.
• Highlight members and their achievements.  Post photos, i.e. Notable Networker, Inductions of new members, Ribbon cuttings, Anniversary ribbon awards, spotlight presenter, Best infomercial awards, etc.  Check out the BAG Chapter FB page.
• Post Videos.  Perhaps of the Spotlight presenter or testimonials from members.  Check out the Record Busters FB page.
• Create Events for each weekly meeting and especially for Visitor and Stack Days.  Mention which industries you are looking for.  Share these to other event pages and other social media, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Twitter, etc.  Encourage members to share them with potential visitors.
• Share content to your Chapter Facebook page from our BNIAtl Facebook page. 
• Hashtag your posts, i.e. #networkreferralgroup #businessnetworking #businessreferralgroup  For examples check out the Network North FB page.
• Feature and tag the members and their business in your posts, i.e. @Phil Adams with @Adams Custom Shutters and Blinds.  By using the @ sign the member name and their business should highlight and create a link to their page.   
• Tag the members in the photos that you post.  When someone is tagged in photo it alerts them as well as shows up on their page.
• Train your members to 'Like', Share, and comment.  This creates engagement.  The more engagement a posts has, the more Facebook with show it to other people looking at similar content.
• Ask members to use the 'Check In' feature on Facebook when they arrive at the Chapter meeting each week.  And to say something positive, i.e. 'what a great group of professionals they meet with each week.'
• Ask members to write reviews on the Chapter Facebook page.  This helps  provide positive information about the chapter to those who may be considering visiting or submitting an application.
• Search for other sites where meeting information can be posted/shared, i.e. LinkedIn, Eventbrite, MeetUp, etc.  (Accounts have to be set up for Eventbrite and MeetUp.  Eventbrite is a free site.  There is a fee for MeetUp).