How to stay out of Facebook Jail while building your small business

Being in Direct Sales, social media can be a fantastic tool for growing my business. It can also be a great hindrance, specifically when it comes to Facebook and the every changing algorithm game. 

What is an algorithm you ask? Well, in simple terms, it is an equation Facebook uses to determine what information you are most likely to enjoy seeing or reading. It uses different factors, like who you tend to interact with or posts you tend to "like" to bump up similar posts in your feed when you log on.

It also works to keep things like spam and posts from businesses bumped down in importance in your feed. Did you catch that? Businesses.

The intent of this algorithm isn't all bad. Facebook wants to keep the purpose of it's platform centered around meaningful interactions and relationships and less junk. We all are happy for less junk, right? But it does mean that when you choose to build your small business using this platform, you'll need to play by their rules to be successful.

When you don't play by the rules, your customers, friends and family won't see the posts you're working hard to share and, in the worst cases, you can end up in Facebook jail for a period of time. 

So here we are, with some tips on how to not only stay out of Facebook jail, but create content that builds those meaningful interactions that keep your posts front and center in your customer's feed.

Let's dive in!

1. Create unique posts.

  Don’t be a copy and paste Patsy. If you like how a fellow consultant has written a post, use it like an outline for your own instead of copying and pasting it word for word.  If the post doesn’t sound like how you would talk or like other posts you make, your customers will see right through it and it will feel inauthentic. Your customers want your words. Not the words of someone else. You also don't want to accidentally minimize the original poster's content. If you have mutual friends who see the same post content, you don't just create a disconnect for your post, but also for theirs. 

  Being a C/P Patsy also raises a red flag for Facebook as being spam. If they see multiple people sharing the exact same thing, they’ll bump it down in importance in the feed which causes fewer people to see what you’re sharing. Keeping your posts unique and personal to you creates a deeper connection with your potential customer base. 

2. Share your own pictures (instead of using google or borrowing them from someone else)

   We know this isn’t always possible, so this isn't a hard, fast rule, but when you can create your own pictures, do it!  Snap a picture of how you're using the products in your home, car or out and about. If you go to an event where displays of product are set up, snap your own pics to use in your social media posting. You might even slap a "watermark" with your website on it to help it stay yours.

   If you would like to use pictures someone else is sharing, private message them and ask if it’s okay for you to borrow and use. DO NOT ask in the comments on the post the person made. It is distracting to customers and can mess up their flow. We want to respect each other's businesses, right? 

(Note: If you are a part of my Scentsy team, any images I share in the Kickin’ Wicks Commons group or on the Collective are for you use, so you don’t have to ask me to use them. 😉)

3. Show them YOU!

  When you do share your own pics, get yourself in them! Whether it’s your face, your kids, your pets, or whatever, people will slow their scroll if they see something personal to you. Think about your own scrolling habits. If you were flipping along and saw a picture of a dog, you may glance a second and keep on moving. But, if you saw a picture of your friend and her dog, you'll stop and see what it's about. Faces bring connection to a person/family, not just a sales post.

 Yes, post them even if you’re looking a hot mess. People relate to you for a reason. Show them how you’re using Scentsy. This also keeps your post unique and its way less likely to be tagged as any kind of spam by the FB algorithm because others won’t be using them as their own and it will keep your info posts where your customers get to see them. Now, this doesn't give you permission to be unprofessional, so don't go all crazy, but real life is okay.

4. Don’t get crazy playing tag.

   Facebook HATES mass tagging. It is the quickest way to red flag your post as spam. Not only that, but rarely do people pay attention to something they've been tagged in with 100 other people. It automatically feels like they're "just a number" instead of someone important.

 Instead, private message the people you want to be sure see your post. Not only does it protect you from FB jail, but it is also more personal and makes sure they won't miss it. If you do want to tag, just pick a few people. 

5. Speaking of private messages...

   Finally, don’t sit down and send 100 private messages in one sitting by copying and pasting the same message to everyone. This is another "Do not pass go, do not collect $200" thing to do. Any message or post or photo sent to multiple people at the same time can easily land you in a Facebook timeout.
Avoid Facebook jail and only send messages to a handful of friends and remember to space out your messages. Again, Facebook is after meaningful connection, so create it. 

We hope this helps you make the most of Facebook as a platform for your business. Remember not to put all of your eggs in Facebook’s basket. Use other forms of social media and connection or you’ll be putting your business in a box it will never grow out of. -Amanda

The Badge of Busyness...

The first time I heard this phrase, I was so offended. 😆 I mean, who wears being busy like a badge? Like an award of honor? No one does...right?
Wrong.
I do. You do. We all do.
"What do you mean?" You ask?
Think about your last week's worth of social media posts. How many of them noted your running like crazy between ball games or school or work or meetings? How many listed the lengthy schedule you accomplished that day? How many invites did you decline with the explanation of "I've got too much to do?"


Now, there isn't anything particularly wrong with this, per say. It doesn't REALLY harm anything, right? No, not really (except some can make it quite the annoying 1-upping game), but what if there is an area of your life where it IS actually hurting you?

If you're the owner of a small business, home based, MLM, direct sales, whatever you want to call it, flashing this badge can be quite detrimental to your goals.

While in one post or message you ask for friends or customers to book a party or host a fundraiser or even join your team so you can joyfully mentor them along the way, you're making another post talking about how exhausted you are and how you can't take anything else on without drowning.

See what's happening there? You just told those same people you're too busy for them.

Let me give you another example. Say I need to get my car detailed and I have a friend who does that for a living. I hop on their social media to send a quick message to set an appointment, but in the meantime, see that they're talking about how swamped they are, how they're running from her to there and how they feel like they have no time. Do you think I'll feel inclined to send them a message to set that appointment? No way. Because now I've moved from feeling like I was supporting them, to being one more 'to do' on their list & adding to their overwhelmed feeling. Nobody wants to be that person, right?

In my role in my Scentsy business, if I'm sharing the join opportunity and my desire to lead others to reaching their goals, but talk about how tired I am all the time, what am I really saying to those possibly thinking about joining? Possibly, that they would really be more of a burden than the blessing they really would be.

The truth is we are ALL busy. All of us. We are busy with different things, yes, but we all have schedules that sometimes seem impossible to juggle and sometimes actually are. Some of us manage time well and some not so much, yet, for some reason, we flash our busyness around like we are most definitely busier than anyone else could possibly be, instead of just agreeing that we all have our own crazy to manage. Hence, becoming a badge we were maybe all too proudly.

What if instead, we just learned to handle that busy. We were better about that time management or delegating and left our social media world to things that supported our end goal instead of self sabotaging it.
What if we agreed that we all had schedules that were nuts, mostly by our own choosing, because we have WAY more control over it than we want to take responsibility for, but left the details off the forum that we use to grow a business with.

I will never tell someone what to post and what not to post on their social media. Free speech and all, but I think it's so important for us to be prudent, especially when running a business, to carefully consider what we do share and truly decide whether or not that one post could be helping us build a better business or, inadvertently, making it fall apart.

Does your post encourage people to let you serve them & their need of your business?
Does another post contradict that desire?

Let's not make people feel guilty for letting us serve them. Instead, let it be something we urge on.

Today, let's agree to wear the badge of busyness no longer. There is no honor in being busy. Busy is normal. It is what it is. Instead, let's be purposeful in all we say and do knowing that the dreams we are chasing call for us to be intentional & not just busy.

Frontline Binder System

One of the best parts of my job is loving on my team. One way I do this is by keeping a Frontline Binder for every person in my direct team (meaning there is not a director between them an I).
Here is an example:

When a new consultant joins, as a part of their welcome message, I ask for this information you see above with the explanation that I like to send fun mail for different occasions.
I keep a stack printed out and in my binder so they are always ready to go.
Once filled out, I file in it alphabetical order in my binder. (This makes it easy for quick reference).
Each month, during the first week of the month, I pull my binder out and can easily flip through each page seeing who has a wedding anniversary, birthday, Scentiversary (the day they joined Scentsy) or if their spouse or children has a birthday in that month. I also like to send cards for other life events (wedding, babies) and seasonal events like the start of school or Christmas.
 I list dates in numbers (I.E. 8/6/2018) so I can look for the number corresponding to the current month. Speeds up the process that much more.

I use the lower half of the file to make notes throughout the month. This could include goals, obstacles or life stuff I see going on  that I want to be able to reference next time we talk. It's important for me to know these things so I'm not asking them to say, host an open house when they're in the middle of moving.

Another convenient aspect of this binder is that I can take it and my postcard box with me wherever I am. This means that I can work in the car rider line at school, at Panera, or even just over on the couch. Because I have all of their info right in front of me, I don't have to run reports or filter through the workstation for their address and so on.

It has become one of my favorite tools for my business and I'm sharing it HERE for you to use as well, should you like. If you're looking for a better to build connection and "stickiness" between you and your team, start here. When your team feels and sees you invested in their non-business life, they will become more invested in their business life.

(The file is a Word document, so you will need Microsoft Word or Open Office to view it.)

Happy Dream Chasing!
Amanda

I see you...

I do.
Every single one of you.
And I think about you.
About what could have been had you seen it in you too.
Had you been willing to give it more time, more attention, more heart.
If you'd quit listening to the outside voices and the inside voices too that told you this wouldn't work.
I think about the bills you could have paid off. The trips you could have taken. The lives you would have changed. The stories you would have had a hand in creating.
I see momma's who wanted better for their kids. I see women who desired connection & friendship. I see wanderers who couldn't wait to travel the world.
I see moments where past failures tainted the new opportunity.
Where self doubt spoiled the brewing potential.
Where mismanaged time become "I don't have enough of it."
I see you.
And it makes my heart ache.
Because it's in those moments, when I see you "checking out" of your dreams that I wonder what would have happened if those before me had done the same.
If the ones who pursued better for their own self had "checked out" before I had the chance to see what it could do for me.
Would we be here or would we still be swimming drowning debt & "insufficient funds" notices?
Would I still be lonely and depressed & aching for connection?
Would my daughter's have an example of doing things differently in their lives?
Would my marriage have even survived?
Would we have made it to new countries or even across our own?
Would we be living here? Driving this? Doing these things?
Would I even be a dreamer anymore?
What would have happened?

But they didn't. They didn't quit.
They pursued, pressed on & tried harder.
They worked for 'yes' when all they were getting were 'no'.
They ignored the "that will never work" and showed them that it would.
They did not check out on their dreams, but chased them with roaring passion.
Because they knew they were worth it. No matter the cost. No matter the fleeting moments of disappointment. No matter how long it would take. No matter what hills had to be climbed or what awkward "come to Jesus" moments it took with a leader who loved them.
They saw something in them that fueled them forwards and somewhere down the line, I saw it in me too. The hope for something greater and the courage to chase it.

So I see you.
and I still cheer for you.
And I still wonder what could have been...
If you'd only see it in you too.

8 years later

I realized as I sat down this morning to do some work, that a month from today, I will celebrate 8 years as a small business owner.
8 years is a long time for anything, but as a business owner, it's something to really be proud of, no matter what field you're in.
For me, it's Direct Sales. I am a consultant with Scentsy.
Now, now, don't scoff. :) There are a million and one direct sales companies out there and your experience or even true knowledge of them may be limited to just a few. You may know some rockstar consultants and you might know some who are terrible. Same goes for the products. Some are awesome and some, well, maybe not so much.
But I want to tell you about mine and why for myself and my family, it has been one of the best choices we could have ever made for our future.

When I joined  in February of 2009, I was struggling. More than just financially, I felt lonely. Even though my job as a stay at home mom was so valuable to our family, I felt like I was spinning in a monotonous routine that was suffocating. My days were filled with diaper changes, bottles, toddler fits and not much else. I had no close friendships and no interaction with anyone who could form complete sentences outside of church 3 times a week and my husband. It was hard.

When a friend at church hosted a basket party with a Scentsy consultant, I bought a bar of Pumpkin Roll wax, not even really understanding what I was supposed to do with it. I mean, there was no wick in it, but I wanted to support her party, even if $5 was all we could afford to spend.
Once my order arrived and I melted a cube in my trashy tea light melter (shh...don't tell!), I decided I wanted to host too so I could get a pretty warmer and get the full experience.
While hosting, the consultant asked if I'd ever thought about selling Scentsy. Um...no. They always ask, don't they? Internally I'm thinking, "You don't know who you're asking lady. I have no friends, go no where, am as shy and introvert as they come and I've failed miserable at 2 other direct sales companies. No. No. No. No."
But then I started to think more about it. I think truly is was the Spirit of the Lord whispering into my heart because we couldn't even afford the starter kit. Why on earth would I think about spending $99 when we were continuously over drafting our account? But the idea was sticking. This was a chance for me to feel like I was contributing to our family more than just as a babysitter and maid.  A chance to be more than just mommy and wife. A chance to be around grown ups!
After prayer and conversation with my husband about the 'what ifs', we swung for the fence and I joined Scentsy, putting that $99 on a credit card with the only expectation that I would at least work to pay it back and then the rest would be whatever it would be.
My how everything would change.

I'm not going to go over the last 8 years in detail with you. It would take so long to go over every moment that has been pivotal in who I've become today and how it's shaped our family and it's future. What I can tell you is there have been MANY, but I would like to highlight a few.

First, financially. We went from having nothing (and I mean nothing) in the way of any extra money to a place of financial comfort. Through this, we have not only been able to buy a new house, 2 new vehicles, pay off student loans and other debts and even start a 401K, but have also been able to contribute to our church, our community and those around us who need help. That's not to say anything great about ourselves, but something SO great about the God we serve. We have come from the people who needed help, to the people who can give help and my how that fills my cup. (and now by law, I have to share our silly little income disclosure statement, so here that is...  Scentsy Income Disclosure Statement )

Second, me. I have changed. While I am still at introvert at heart, I have grown from a person who felt worthless to someone who get's to show others their worth. From a follower desperate for interaction, to a leader who helps her team chase dreams. From lonely to a woman surrounded by people who lift her up, support her and cheer her on in business and in life. From shy to standing on a stage in front of 10,000 people to share my story. I've found my place. I've found who I am.

Third, my family. Our future looks so different now. My daughter's were being raised by a broken mommy and while I'm not totally mended, who they see now is much different than before. What I am showing them through this business is that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it. That living an arrows out life means looking to better the lives of the people around you and that it comes in many forms. That financially security doesn't have to mean working a 9-5 job. That there are other ways. My husband has a wife who is better because of what she does. Together, we run a family business. One that takes us to new places, allows us to meet new people and given us the ability to pay our blessings forwards. All things that would have been near impossible before.

All because I bought that $5 bar of Pumpkin Roll wax 8 years ago.
All because I didn't let past failures or the stigma of direct sales make my choices .
All because God whispered sweet hope into my heart when I clicked the join button and I was listening.
8 years later I am so thankful for that friend who hosted that basket party.
For the life we are creating for ourselves and for our family.
For the spirit of simplicity, authenticity and generosity this company teaches us in everything it does.
Has it always been easy? No. Has it been worth it? Every. Single. Second.

8 years later.
I can't even imagine what the next 8 years will hold.
Stay tuned.

*If you'd like to learn more about joining Scentsy or have questions, feel free to contact me. You can hear more about my story or what it takes to become a part of this amazing company by clicking here