You might already have a Facebook business page for your business. Sometimes it’s hard to get businesses to join your page unless you are super-active. An easier way to build your fan club is with

Facebook groups.

The trick is to broaden the topic of the group so it’s enticing for clients to join. If you have a local client base in Plano, TX, you might want to create a group for Plano Small Business Owners. If you specialize in wineries, start a group for Wineries. If you mostly have nonprofits, create a group for Phoenix

Nonprofits.

The fact that your topic is broader will help you increase you numbers much faster than if you asked them to join your business page.

When you build the group, create a header that includes the group name as well as “sponsored by” and your company name logo and contact information. Keep it light and fun and include group rules that encourage everyone to stay positive. If anyone in the group is constantly negative, don’t hesitate to kick them out and block them. It’s your group.

The benefit to business owners is that they can find and meet peers within the group and ask relevant questions among themselves. The group should sustain itself after the numbers are up, but you may need to do a lot in the beginning to build membership and encourage engagement.

A Facebook group is an ongoing commitment. You might want to create a weekly routine where you post a question each Friday to boost participation.

The long-term benefit to you is the free advertising in the header of the group. You can also post and answer questions that are finance-related to be more direct about asking for new business. Get members to think about upcoming deadlines, new savings opportunities, and new ideas for reports they may not be getting from their current accountant.

After the group is large enough, you may want to close it, so that you can better control who joins.

Try building your own group to boost your social media ROI. Be sure to link it to your webpage as well.