Overpromoting Your Event Makes People Want to Punch Babies

Let's not lie; we're addicted to Facebook like a fat kid to cake. Personal-wise folks use it to catch up with friends, find old pals, and play Farmville. But businesses use it, too, to promote their products or services. As a marketing peep, one avenue I'm both a fan and detester of is when it comes to 'Events.'

I love that bars, restaurants and people can create events -- say a wine tasting called 'Hollywood & Wine' or a fundraiser to Save the Bottlenosed Platypus-- and invite their peeps. It's a GREAT central hub for the event to communicate with attendees, answer questions, keep track of who's coming or not, and so forth (keeping in mind that not everyone is on Facebook, those silly clueless dinosaurs. You still need an old-fashioned source of organizing, say a notebook and pen.)

What makes me want to punch babies is this situation: one club/event enlists multiple promoters. If you're 'friends' with each one, you get a seperate invite from each one. Then in the newsfeed for the two weeks prior you see each person's version of 'Dude! THIS party is going to be OFF the HOOK, yo!' or 'If you're not at THIS party you're nowhere, bro!' or --my personal eye claw out -- 'HeY! hitme up for tx if u wana come this parteee is goin to be of the HiZzY banging models popin bottles you whut im sayin so cum on out be sumone.'

Really? THIS person is representing your venue or event? But I digress.

Even though the above situation is abhorrent, there is one more heinous abuse of our beloved Facebook when it comes to the multiple promoter event at a venue. It is the 'Photo Tag'.

It's great and convenient that we get to tag our friends in photos from that day on the lake or New Year's Eve. That's what the 'Tag' function is made for. Individuals that download a flyer for the event as a photo and then proceed to 'tag' everyone in their network in it is absolutely, hands down the most grotesque lack of respect of their friends. There is one situation where it is OK--and that's if who is 'tagged' is involved in the event somehow. That makes sense. So now we have the 'Photo Tags' of the offending flyer clogging the newsfeed  along with the way earlier mentioned invites.

There is a respectful solution. Have ONE person create the Event. Make the others 'Organizers' and give them access to be able to invite their peeps. Promoter A will go down his list and invite friends, but when Promoters B, C and Fred come to the same name in their network, THAT name will already be shaded to clue them that that person has already been invited by someone else. Racous joy! And just say no to the 'Photo Tag' unless you're tagging the other organizers or peeps involved.

Or prepared to be blocked.