Like almost every aspect of Facebook, there is no financial cost to adding a Facebook Group. So if you have a few minutes, why not create a group for your band?
Why do you need a Facebook Group?
Your personal manager, touring manager, or just the band member in charge of booking shows needs to know when members are available and to keep everyone in the loop. There are lots of tools out there for getting a band organized including BandCentral, Indie Band Manager, Manymoon and Google Docs. But there are two big drawbacks, most have a monthly cost, and even the free ones require everyone in the band to register and use the program.
Managing your band with Facebook Groups is far from perfect, but it’s likely everyone in your band uses Facebook daily. In fact, every person, band and venue your band interacts with probably uses Facebook.
Treat your band like a business.
The biggest peace of advice I hear from industry professionals and successful bands is “treat your band like a business.” What does that mean? Well, it means get organized. You have a lot of people, money and time to manage. Creating a Facebook Group for your band allows everyone in the band to stay connected, and give their opinion on what is happening.
How to use Facebook Groups.
When you click on your group from the left-hand navigation, you will be able to see what is going on in your group just like your personal friend feed. Within the group there are two categories to help you get your band organized; Event and Doc. You should create a document for all of the bands contacts, financial situation and goals, and you should put all of the upcoming shows and street team events in here as well.
The one other advantage of Facebook Groups is that it allows the band to communicate in a way in which everyone is familiar. Take advantage of a tool that everyone uses for keeping up with friends, and turn it into a tool to make your band better.
