BEST Approach to Managing a Facebook Page

This is an organized, dedicated, passionate group of volunteers, staff and parents who have embraced Facebook.  

https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensTreatmentNetwork

The Children's Treatment Network of Simcoe York officially launched their new Facebook Page a few weeks ago with immediate results with this approach.  As much as 10 times the followers and engagement.  

They applied the BEST approach I've seen.  I challenge you to find a better more sustainable approach to managing a Facebook Page for a volunteer organization.  I helped train them, and do some ongoing coaching, but, I did NOT create their purpose, passion, content or dedication. 

These are the 7 steps they followed, I highly recommend it!

1. Decide on the PURPOSE of your Facebook Page.  It defines your voice, content and soul.   CTN's purpose is:  "This Family Forum has been created BY families FOR families of kids with special needs so we can share experiences, information, tips, comments, stories, photos and videos."
2. Choose your Facebook Team and create your plan together.   CTN has a Facebook team they've called their moderators.  This team collaborated to create their purpose, voice, priorities, policy, responses and approach.
3. Stack your timeline with meaningful milestones of historical information and albums supporting your Page's purpose.  This shows those who are thinking of following you what your Page is all about.  Gives credibility to your history and purpose. 
4. Create an album of your Moderators.  To help created a trusted enlivenment  introduce your moderators with an album.  Here is what the CTN's folks used as their description: "Your moderators include parent volunteers and Network staff who are dedicated to linking families with each other to share experiences, information tips, comments, stories, and inspire and empower each other throughout the experience of raising children with special needs."
5. Personalize each moderators' photo's description.  The moderator team felt this would  create an even more trusting environmental for the families when they saw that the moderators are walking in their shoes. Here is an example of what one of the CTN moderator`s descriptions states: "Andrea Chisholm is the mother of 4 children, two of whom are on the Autism spectrum. Andrea is a strong champion of Children’s Treatment Network. She is deeply committed to helping the Network become more accessible to parents and to helping parents of kids with special needs connect with each other."
6. Rotating Schedule.The Moderators created a schedule, each person is responsible for one day each week.  They are looking at inviting each moderator individually via Google Calendar.  As each person accepts, it will automatically place their Moderation day as an event in their own individual online calendars.  They have also initiated "Tasty Tuesdays" and other themes.  The moderators, on their scheduled days, are accountable for posting, moderating and distributing appropriate Posts from the public.

7. Train the moderators and one specialist in the group.  We had five sessions with the CTN moderators.  First where they shared with me all of the work they had already completed on their Purpose, approach and wishes.  Second I summarized their intent into an educational seminar and presented it to their AGM as a per curers. Third we sat with their core Facebook Advisory team, who had been collaborating and investigating best approaches, and firmed up their purpose and approach.  Fourth we had our official training session with all of the Moderators.  We reviewed the Purpose, Policies and on how to GROW, where to find Content, what to do in difficult situations, responses, schedule and how to Post.  The final meeting was with their team`s specialist, Silvie,  on how to changed their Cover Page, integrate with Facebook Applications like Constant Contact and other technical items.  This team was QUICKLY off to the races.

After they stacked their Timeline with milestone albums and events, they launched by initiating their rotating schedule and sending a eNewsletter to their list, letting them know the purpose and how to engage with the Page.  Prior to the Rotating Schedule, a core group Posts and responded  then shared their experiences with the Moderators.  CTN also have a  Group Page where these Moderators ask each other questions and support each other`s efforts. 

I work with many communities, business and groups, this team did an amazing job with the resources they had.  It`s an unparalleled model .  WELL DONE!