Facebook groups. They don’t exactly conjure up an image of life changing moments or having the ability to completely shift your life’s direction. But for me, Facebook communities were responsible for one of the biggest life changes that I could ever have made.
As a 24 year old success story in the world of recruitment and corporate sales, I was doing well in comparison to the rest of my university peer group. For me, it was a life of travel, excitement, big commission checks and pure ambition to succeed. Hourly wages, asking my parents for money and the dreams of an acting career had faded years earlier. But despite the outward success and my six figure salary, it seemed that my peer group had something that I didn’t.
Freedom.
Reaching Burn Out
I was three years into my corporate sales career when I realised that I had become glued to a BlackBerry (because even then iPhones weren’t standard company issue!) I realised that at 24, I was feeling more like 42 … and the toll of 16 hour work days, late night corporate drinking sessions and early morning client coffee meetings (not to mention four inch heels!) were taking their toll on my life… and my health.
I burned out fairly quickly. Having been diagnosed with M.E a few years earlier, doctors were amazed that my burnout hadn’t come sooner. And when they said, “It’s your job or your health”, I knew that I needed to get out of corporate as soon as possible.
So as I was heading into work one day, trying to figure out how to explain to my boss that I was going to need to take some time off … and leave my BlackBerry at my desk… I stumbled across a Facebook Ad. An ad for a Facebook group that would in the end, completely change the direction of my life.
The advert was for a Facebook community for budding entrepreneurs. Business builders. I’d never seen anything like it - but clicking through and discovering that the owner of the group was an ex-corporate sales clone, made me realise that there could be life after the cubicle… and so I joined, and began my journey into creating an online business.
Finding My Tribe
The group itself was filled with amazing women from all around the world who had connected because they were trying to leave 9-5’s in the hope of creating their own businesses. They were coaches, holistic therapists, nutritionists and trainers. More importantly, they were strong. They were funny. And they sparked my own dream to start my own business - that would allow me to leave my corporate job and create the freedom lifestyle that I craved.
It was a complete eye-opener. Suddenly, I was surrounded by other people trying to do exactly the same as me. They were opening my eyes to possibility, to true success and to taking one of the biggest risks of my life. But they were also showing me where I could help most. After all, with over a decade’s experience in the sales world, the one thing that I could really help them with was learning how to sell their programmes, products/ services - and themselves. And so, I started to spend more and more time in those groups, giving advice and, to my surprise, gaining clients.
How did I do it?
Just three short months after my doctors told me that my health needed to become a priority, I was able to leave my corporate job to work from my own balcony each day. I was getting between 2-3 premium clients per week on Facebook and my finances were looking healthier than if I had planned to stay in corporate. And the best bit? It was really simple; I was truly connecting with people and getting clients that I really liked and respected. All through using a simple three step strategy:
- Really knowing my ideal client and how I could help them. Instead of hanging out in FB groups all day, spamming them with offers of a ‘free 30 minute session’, I was really engaging with my ideal clients. Understanding their pain points as well as their hopes and dreams - and I was regularly giving free advice on how they could achieve that.
- Showing up consistently and giving value. Facebook groups are a fab place to show up and genuinely help others - and when you’re setting up a business, it’s integral to be able to show yourself as being the expert. Groups like Freedom Hackers Mastermind (run by the amazing Kimra Luna) showed me that showing up and giving value authentically and without expectation actually led to more clients than the spam-bot messages and the ‘must post 3-5 times a day’ rule that many coaches were talking about.
- Authenticity is key. Everyone knows that you should show up authentically in your business. But the truth is, that after a few years as a corporate cog, you start to forget that you have your own personality hiding somewhere inside yourself. And so starting your business on Facebook can be tough - especially if you try and emulate your favourite entrepreneurs and their message. Basically, you need to know who you are and what you really stand for. And then you need to show up and tell other people about it… it really is that simple.
Most of the groups that I was in were actually non-promotional groups which showed me a lot about getting new business purely from being of value to others and having a strong message that attracted your ideal clients - and repelled the ones that weren’t. And there are a few groups that stand out as ones that I absolutely adored and still hang out in on a regular basis.
- Freedom Hackers Mastermind: Run by the wonderful Kimra Luna and a complete source of knowledge and help on any entrepreneur obstacle imaginable. FH has an amazing community, and answered many of my startup questions on technology and best practice.
- Screw the 9-5 Community: Jill and Josh Stanton ROCK my world and I’m a total #Fangirl of the way that they show up in their community and deliver a ton of value consistently. With over 15,000 members, the group is a great place for advice, support and a wicked sense of humour.
- Fabulous Female Entrepreneurs: My own Facebook group for female entrepreneurs who want to create sales strategies that help them sell premium programmes with ease. I show up daily on Facebook Live with free trainings and insider secrets when it comes to getting clients, building your brand and creating a six figure business with ease. We’re a supportive bunch and love the power of true relationship based marketing, celebrating successes and sharing weekly cocktail hours!
- The Entrepreneur Incubator: Run by the indomitable Becky Dickson, EI is one of the first Facebook groups that I joined - and one of the few that still offers the ability to promote your offerings in the group.
- The Art of High Ticket Selling: As a Sales Coach, I’m obsessed with all great sales resources and Russ Ruffino has an awesome community created for those people who want to learn about high ticket selling.
Leveraging Facebook Groups to get clients changed the direction of my life - and allowed me to grow a six figure business in less than six months… something that people often think of as being impossible. And now? Well now, I get to spend my days teaching coaches how to monetise their passions and attract premium clients with ease - and give them the time, freedom and money that they deserve without being chained to their laptop.
Jessica Lorimer is a Business Strategist and Sales Funnel Expert who works with coaches todevelop proven sales strategies to attract premium clients with ease so that they have more time, money and freedom and don’t have to worry about finding new clients every month. Jessica has a thriving online Facebook community, Fabulous Female Entrepreneurs where she shows up daily and delivers trainings on attracting premium clients with ease