Facebook Groups are an incredible tool for building a thriving community around your craft business. They foster engagement, build trust, and create a direct line of communication with your followers, customers, and even potential leads. Plus, a Facebook Group is free to establish, offering a unique opportunity for money-conscious businesses who want to host an online community.
Members of your free Facebook Group can share their craft projects, ask for advice, engage with other enthusiasts, and celebrate shared interests. This creates a vibrant ecosystem where your brand can shine outside of the algorithm-driven social media feeds. Crafters who join your Facebook Group do so explicitly to hear from and engage with your business alone.
However, running a free Facebook group isn’t without its challenges. As your group grows, so do the demands of managing it.
You may need admins and moderators to handle disputes, enforce rules, and keep the group running smoothly.
Sometimes, business owners find themselves investing their time and resources in maintaining a free group, but see no return on the investment. Members may not convert into paying customers, as they already enjoy free access to the business via the group.
If your free group has become a vibrant community but isn’t translating into sales, it’s time to explore strategies that can deepen engagement with your business beyond your Facebook Group.
The key is leveraging your group to create value that motivates members to invest in your offerings. Here are actionable strategies to help you turn group members into paying customers while maximizing the return on your efforts.
Brown Sheep Company’s annual Mystery Shawl Knit Along builds community and boosts yarn sales through their Facebook Group.
1. Host “Make-Alongs” with Prizes and Incentives
Hosting make-alongs is a fantastic way to engage your members and subtly promote your products. Invite Facebook Group members to participate in a collaborative project, such as knitting a specific pattern or crafting a holiday decoration.
To encourage purchases, offer prizes exclusive to participants who use materials or kits purchased from your store. Highlight customer success stories and finished projects to inspire more members to join the fun.
Prizes can be:
- Access to an exclusive tutorial or pattern.
- Discount on future purchases.
- Discount on future workshops.
- Spotlight or showcase of their finished product in a virtual gallery.
Brown Sheep Company hosts an annual spring mystery shawl knit along in their Facebook Group, Brown Sheep Company Crafters. Participants in the knit along must post a photo of their finished shawl to the group to enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Brown Sheep Company.
Brittany Wells, Director of Merchandising for Brown Sheep Company, said, “While hosting a free Facebook group has required work in terms of moderation, it has also been an excellent space for hosting our annual mystery shawl knit along. Every year we release a new, free shawl pattern for the knit along, alongside yarn and MKAL kits for sale on our website. Knitters share their color choices with the Facebook group, which entices others to join in the fun and choose their own colors or buy a kit. The communal aspect of the group also encourages more knitters to participate—they know they aren’t knitting alone and have each other to rely on if they have any questions or issues. We always see a nice bump in sales around the annual MKAL and we know the liveliness of the group helps with that!”
2. Share Exclusive Freebies atomized from larger pieces of paid content.
Give your group members a taste of your premium offerings. This can build trust and showcase the value of your paid content.
For example:
- A small, free technique tutorial taken from a larger paid class.
- A downloadable worksheet or checklist from a more extensive paid guide.
- A mini-project, like creating a single block from a larger quilt pattern that’s part of a paid series.
- A short video demo of a craft technique included in a more comprehensive paid workshop.
3. Offer Group-Exclusive Discounts
Reward your loyal group members with discount codes tailored exclusively for them. This will make them feel valued as part of your inner circle.
Consider the following discount codes:
- [FBGroupName]VIP
- EXCLUSIVE
- VIPCODE
- THANKYOU
- MEMBERACCESS
Add in additional numerics and/or symbols to your codes so they’re not as easily shared or guessed. Consider further customizing the codes with your branding. This will make codes unique and easier to track.
4. Introduce Limited Quantity/Limited Edition Product Offers
Scarcity creates urgency and encourages quick purchases. Offer a limited quantity product paired with an exclusive, like a unique-to-the-group colorway, but with just 25 units in stock. Pairing this exclusive item with a countdown can drive sales and make members feel special.
EGA’s free monthly Stitch-a-Long offers exclusive patterns and encourages members to join for more designs.
5. Provide Exclusive Early Bird Access or Preorder Promo Discounts
Announce early-bird opportunities to excite your group members. Granting your group members early access to new products or preorder items creates a sense of exclusivity and fosters loyalty. This not only boosts sales but can also strengthen brand loyalty.
The Embroiderers’ Guild of America hosts the EGA Stitch-a-Long Facebook Group, where EGA members and non-members stitch a new free design every month. The pattern for the design is posted to the group first, before it arrives on the EGA blog. In some cases, the pattern is only available for free for a limited time, exclusively for the stitch along. Patterns may later be added to EGA’s online store for purchase.
EGA has also utilized patterns from their magazine, Needle Arts Magazine, for the monthly stitch along. These patterns are only accessible to EGA members, so group members are encouraged to join EGA for the magazine subscription so they can participate.
6. Offer Free Gifts with Purchase for Group Members
Collect proof of purchase information in exchange for free gifts to reward group members who shop with you. Consider creating a landing page with a simple form where members can share their order number and mailing information.
For example:
- a small craft kit
- an exclusive pattern
- a branded item
These can make customers feel appreciated. Promote this perk within the group and showcase photos of members enjoying their freebies to encourage others to join in.
The key to success lies in providing value while gently guiding your members toward investing in your offerings. With a thoughtful approach, your free Facebook group can become a powerful revenue-generating asset.
Flossie Arend
contributor
Flossie Arend is a freelance writer, copy and content editor, and social media manager living in New York City. With more than a decade in social media, and seven years on the Stitchcraft Marketing team as an account manager, she has honed her shrewd skills as a writer and love for crafting to effectively identify and communicate brand voice. Find more of her work at flossiearend.com.
