If you're looking for Facebook party tips, you've come to the right place.

After you join a direct sales company, one of the first things you're told is how easy it is to get onto Facebook, throw a party, and grow your client base.

And people really do make it seem just that easy.

However, as you've no doubt figured out by now, Facebook parties aren't just that easy.

And that's why you're here looking for Facebook party tips to help bring life and success to your parties.

What is a Facebook Party?

A Facebook party is just as it sounds: a fun gathering of friends and family on Facebook at a set time and date.

And, yes, it is true that one of the primary objectives of this gathering is to introduce the guests to you and your products (as well as introducing new products to any guests who have been to parties in the past). However, the party itself should not be focused solely on selling those products.

Most direct sellers know that. But finding a balance between having fun and driving sales can be difficult, which is where these tips come in.

7 Facebook Party Tips

1. Put together a solid hostess coaching system.

We cannot stress this enough: you need to coach your party hosts.

Your hostess coaching system will make or break your party. So you need to do more than simply throw a bunch of scripts at your hostess and tell her to invite all her friends.

2. Put together a theme.

One of the fears many direct sellers face when it comes to Facebook parties is that they will eventually get boring and people will stop attending. After all, if someone attends a party and then signs on to host a party, having a repeat even in front of new friends will still end up being boring and they may not sign on again.

One way you can make each party unique is to put together a theme. You don't need a special occasion or a holiday to do this: build up a theme around your hosts's interests or hobbies. It's a great way to make the host the center of your party and ensure that no two parties are exactly alike.

3. Pump up the fun.

Which is more fun for you? A party in which people show up and leave all at different times, or a party where most of the guests are there at the same time?

One of the beauties of having a Facebook party is the idea that people aren't necessarily tied to a particular time and date — they can come and go as their schedule allows. However, it's still up to you to bring them into the party. If the party comes and goes and no one has actually even spoken to each other, is it really a party?

4. Figure out what you want to focus on.

Direct sales companies have a lot of great products. Flagship products and bundles and specials and limited editions and sales and hostess rewards and things — dozens and dozens of things. And then, of course, you want to remind people to join your mailing list or like your page or follow you on Instagram or something so you can keep in touch with them, right? How can you possibly cover so many things in one party?

The truth is, you won't be able to get to everything. And if you try, you'll end up either prolonging your party so long that it will get boring or overwhelm your guests. So don't bother. Instead of trying to find time to feature everything, choose which product(s) or specials you want to focus on for the party. People can follow your page for everything else.

5. Don't forget to be you.

Even though your Facebook party should be focused on your hostess and is the perfect platform for showcasing your products, you can't forget that you will also be meeting some people for the first time. This is going to be the first, and best chance for them to get to know you and decide whether or not they want to do business with you even after the party.

This means you want to use the party to help people get to know the real you and work on your “know, like, and trust” factor. After all, if by the end of the party, you haven't somehow established a real connection with a guest, it's going to be much harder to connect later.

6. Be engaging!

Have you ever been to a party where the host completely disappeared? Even if they have a good reason, like putting together more snacks or getting more drinks, it still leaves the overall party feeling a bit awkward until they get back. The same thing happens online: if you're so busy trying to plan and write your posts during the party that you don't respond to comments or talk to people, then it's not going to be all that fun and people will start to wonder where you've disappeared to.

There are a couple ways around this, including preplanning your party posts ahead of time and even scheduling them ahead of time. That way, you'll be available during the party for real engagement, answering questions, and responding to clients.

7. Keep the party exclusive and special!

One mistake many consultants make about their parties is making them too public. It's actually an easy mistake to make, since a public party is easier to share. And if it's easier to share, then it's easier to get more people in there and, after all, the more the merrier, right? Unfortunately, when it comes to Facebook parties, more is not always merrier, and bigger is not always better.

Instead of aiming to get as many strangers into the party as you can, aim for high-quality guests: guests who are more likely to purchase because your product answers a need for them. Keep the party private, and encourage the host to only worry about personally inviting a few of her closer friends. This will make the invited guests feel more special and easier to connect with and make the party itself easier to manage.

Bonus Facebook Party Tip #8. Keep it simple!

In an ideal world, the guests who are at your party today could be consultants on your team tomorrow. But not if they think that throwing a party on Facebook is too complex or time-consuming. Sure, running a Facebook party can be hard work, and takes planning and strategy. But with the right systems in place, it doesn't have to suck up your entire week.

You want to build a system that allows you to duplicate or automate as much of the behind-the-scenes processes as possible without turning your parties into clones of each other. Not only will this help keep your Facebook parties profitable and easier to repeat, but it will also allow you to train your team members and help reduce the amount of overwhelm they'll feel after joining you. You can check out our toolbox for some tips and recommendations on tools that might be able to help you out.

Running a successful Facebook party might not be as easy as you once thought, but that doesn't mean they have to be complicated and hard, either. With the right strategy and focus, you can streamline your Facebook parties and help keep them profitable.

#EmpowerSocial