On LinkedIn it has always been pretty easy to promote your group to your email list. Sending out a bulk invite has been a common tactic for owners looking to grow their group rapidly. Doing likewise on a Facebook page hasn't been as easy. The functionality did exist previously, but it was hidden behind the label 'tell your fans', so it wasn't particularly obvious that this was what it entailed.
Now however the label reads 'invite email contacts'
To use the feature you simply need to upload a CSV file of your contacts. You can upload 5,000 at a time and send an invite to your contact list.
I'm in two minds about this, as it's so often the case that marketers will simply abuse this facility and spam their mailing list every which way.
I was not aware of that functionality, sounds like a great way to increase the number of fb page fans. Good point raised by Nick. I think you need to be wise with the frequency of your e shots. It might be worth adding some personalised message to the invite describing benefits of the fb page. I am not sure if this is possible though. Another point is when you send e shot you are obligated to include ‘unsubscribe’ button- once again not sure how it relates to that activity.