How Facebook’s New Tool Can Boost Your Member Engagement

Looking for a way to connect members to the resources they’re looking for? Facebook can help you out with that. In November of 2017, Facebook launched a new tool that sought to bring people closer together than ever before. And it’s a tool that your association may have overlooked - but one that can boost overall member engagement.

‍That’s right, we’re talking about Facebook Mentorship and Support. Haven’t heard of it? You should. The tool works to bring Facebook users the chance to partner with other users and find mentors and support in order to reach the goals they’re looking to achieve. Whether these goals are personal, business related, or philanthropic, the relatively new Facebook tool is working to give everyone an equal opportunity to succeed. And as you can imagine, this tool is perfect for associations. With members constantly on the hunt for professional development tools like mentoring programs and career support, Facebook is essentially handing associations the key to the member engagement treasure chest. All you have to do is put it into the lock.

So, if this sounds like something you’d like to know more about, you’re in the right place. We’re going to break down the Facebook Mentorship and Support tool: Association style. We’ll discuss the brand new features, what they mean for members, and how your association can use these features to lock in more engagement. Let’s take a look.

The logistics

Before we can go into any detailed features this tool provides, we have to have a full understanding of how the tool works. You can’t build a house without the foundation, and you can’t build member engagement without knowing the basics. So, how does Facebook Mentorship and Support actually work?

‍According to TechCrunch, the tool was tested among a select few organizations and nonprofits in mid-September of last year. Facebook teamed up with two separate organizations with a mentor program already in place to start: iMentor and the International Rescue Committee. From there, the initial launch of the tool in November allowed many other partners and causes to utilize this tool. But what were they given access to?

Basically, organizations were given a chance to manage their mentor opportunities through an organized tool that Facebook provides. The Mentorship and Support tool allows partner organizations to be responsible in managing their own mentorship program using Facebook as a host. The mentorship program can be developed right on any organization’s Facebook page, making it easy for members and audiences to find these helpful resources. It also allows groups to develop step-by-step rules for their own mentorship program, giving organizations total control over how their mentors and mentees function.

So, how are people matched up? Who is eligible to be a mentor, and who falls under the mentee category? This is entirely up to the organization using this tool. You’re allowed to match mentees and mentors up based on the individual needs as well as experience of each of your members. Once matched, your members can start using the Mentorship and Support tool through their Facebook mobile app, or even on a desktop device. But what kind of things can they expect from this service?

The experience

When members access the Mentor and Support hub on their Facebook page, they’re greeted with a welcome message that then guides them through the rest of the experience. After all, everyone wants a warm welcome into something new!

‍Facebook gives users a brief overview of the service before sending members off to introduce themselves to the service and try it out for the first time. This way, users aren’t diving head first into a new product, confusing themselves, and getting frustrated to the point they never use it again. Facebook takes care of the introduction, so your association doesn’t have to. Once introduced to the app, users are then free to go about the app as they please. And there’s a lot to take in. Both mentees and mentors make their way through the mentoring program, completely designed by your association/organization. This is a great way to have control over how much or how little mentorship is given and what types of support are distributed. Your association is always in control of its mentorship program. There’s also a space for mentors and mentees to chat. With this built in forum, all users can discuss struggles they may be having, solutions to problems they have found, and anything else that can generate helpful engagement amongst everyone. Your association can always keep tabs on the progress of mentors and mentees. While this might seem unnecessary, it’s actually great for your association. That way, you have the option to keep an eye out on members who are struggling to finish mentoring and reach out to them to give them a hand.

‍Now that we know what users of the Facebook Mentorship and Support tool can expect, it’s time to go over how your association comes into play.

The impact

As previously mentioned, mentor programs are astronomically valuable to your association’s members. And the proof is in the numbers. Well, according to Investopedia, 71% of Fortune 500 companies offer a mentoring program. Some of these top companies include Google, General Electric, Intel, and many more. In addition, 75% of private sector executives state that mentors mentoring programs have been crucial to their own career advancement. Even top tier executives have sought out advice through a mentoring program.

If other businesses are seeing such a high value in mentoring programs, there’s a reason why. People are constantly searching for a way to enhance their own professional skills. It’s why they join your association, and it’s why mentoring programs do so well among organizations. This is why taking advantage of Facebook’s Mentorship and Support tool is a no-brainer for your association. Advertise and invite members onto your Facebook page with the intent of bringing them career mentoring to help enhance their professional skills. You want to show members the value of joining in on Facebook’s mentorship tool with your association.

Once members are attracted to this new feature, you need to make sure you engage them. An engaged member is a happy member, and a happy member comes back to your association again and again. One way to do this is to utilize the discussion forum feature of the Facebook Mentorship and Support tool.

‍While this is a great tool to get mentors and mentees talking and problem solving, it’s also a great tool for engagement. Your association can spark conversation with it’s members, bringing them closer to your organization and creating that bond that will keep them engaged in the future.

Help yourself by helping members

With Facebook’s new tool, it’s easy for users to connect through the internet and help each other with anything they might be trying to achieve. And for your association, it’s easy to engage members while also helping them in the process.

‍Try incorporating Facebook’s new tool into your association’s professional development services. Who knows, it might be what your members are missing. And it might even attract new members to your association in the long run.