Do you ever get invited to an event that you can’t possibly attend because it is in a City, State or even Country that you aren’t in? I’m not talking about you being out of town where one of your local friends invite you. I am speaking about folks inviting you to an event in your old hometown or to an event where you recently moved from or the like.
It’s pretty clear where I am from and where I currently reside as those show up under my Facebook preferences, like in the video below, but somehow I keep getting invited to events from folks in Virginia, where I moved FROM over a year and half ago. Sheesh!
Hello people… are you lazy or what?
What’s the deal? Is it because it is so much easier for YOU to Select All versus taking the time to consider the folks you are inviting? I think it’s just plain rude and lack of proper etiquette or consideration for other folks. Sure, it may have been an oversight once, but more than that is just laziness or lack of courtesy, in my opinion. What do you think? How do you feel when you get invited to something that is an in-person event that you are nowhere near?
What can you do instead?
The first and best option would be to hand select the folks one by one based on your assumed interest they may have in the event and that you think they may enjoy it or find value in it. The second option might be to select those in just that area just in case they may be interested in that event. Sure, we don’t want to make selections for others but I still think the last possible option is to Select All. What do you think?
Remember – Customers are our main focus
This might be your business and inviting everyone might be your reasoning behind Selecting All. However, you are missing out on a few key factors – target marketing and the consumer. Sure, you may have a grand opening for your new business and that might be something you could Select All, or most, to tell everyone what you are doing and you are finally off the ground. This may be your way of sharing that, but there are limits to be followed, it’s just common courtesy. 
Everyone is NOT your target market, so while you just want everyone to be interested in your super-de-duper widget, they just won’t. Get to your target market and hand pick them. Then, just in case you forgot, if it weren’t for your customers, you wouldn’t have a business! Sso don’t tick off your customers or potential customers by inviting them to events that you want them to go to for exposure to Your business. Remember, it’s not about you, but it’s about them – so put yourself in their shoes.
I’d love to hear what thoughts you have about the Invite Everyone Mentality and how do you invite for an invite that you are having? Obviously your answers will vary if it is a live or local event versus and online event or party. I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Should you have any questions about social media marketing, I’d love to help you out. Just contact me with any questions and we can go from there.
~Kristen
I absolutely agree that we should take the time to invite those who live someplace nearby if we are having a local event. Sometimes I mention a local event in my ezine but I say, “If you should happen to be in Prescott, you are most welcome…” or something like that. Or I might say that the event is local but that a transcript of it will be available online.
Yes, right Beth.. how frustrating is that. I do the same thing, invite folks that I think might be interested in the topic/class/seminar/event or whatever. I have NEVER selected everyone. It’s just rude! Great job
When I did a lot of craft shows, I easily invited people through my newsletter because usually they had subscribed to it at an event. Once I switched over to social media I almost never promoted a local event because I had no idea where people were from. Your blog has me thinking I might be able to select some I am sure of & I could say if you are in the area of. I created an event for FB auction running now and invited just a few people. Should probably invite more. Hmmm, you got me thinking.
Not a bad idea to include events in newsletters because you probably hit a lot of things in your newsletter so not everything appeals to everyone, they find what they want from it. 😉 Yes, invite, but be selective.
I’ve never used the invite tool so have never done a ‘select all’ but I can say from being on the receiving end that I do agree. We really need to respect people whether they will be our clients or not. It’s amazing how human behavior changes when you are not directly in front of someone asking in person….
Really? You SHOULD be inviting your friends to like you page, obviously not all of them… some will like it to support you and others will like it because it can be beneficial… cuz heck, our health is important to EVERYONE! You are right, now that we are behind a screen, folks have changed their behaviors! urgh
I agree with the practicality of inviting someone who belongs in a nearby place. Advantages prevail over the disadvantages.
Thanks Lorii, your response is insightful.
I can’t imagine why anyone would “select all” for a local event. Then again, I don’t understand why people do most of the things they do 🙂 I’ve learn to ignore most of the invites that are either outside of my geographical area or do not align with my personal values. I don’t think we’ll ever change the majority of people who are, as you stated, simply lazy.
Because they are lazy Beth! I am with you, don’t understand people either. Thanks for commenting! 😉
Great tips as usual. Just say NO to select all! I’ve found that venues or people who do these event blasts usually do them frequently… which usually leads me to unliking their page out of frustration. NOT the goal! If anything, selecting a healthy list of people who want to attend your event will be advantageous to you because it will pop up in their newsfeed, causing their friends and fans to take a peek.
YESSS, I don’t mind getting one every so often and just deleting, but I clearly moved from the state, it says it on my profile and when you invite folks, you can sort them out, wouldn’t that make the most sense.. or hey, I haven’t bought your product, maybe I’m not interested? Yea, looking to unfriend and follow her. Sad ;(
Oh my gosh I love this blog post. I am so annoyed by how many things I am invited to especially to join someone else’s business. This is a great reminder post and one I will certainly cover with my team. Thank you
Well hey there Jill, welcome to my blog. I am so glad I am not alone on this, sorry you have to deal with it also, but again, glad I am not the only one annoyed. I’d love the share, thanks!
I get out of state ones quite frequently and NO idea why they invite me. If it were a big seminar months away, then maybe, but I would expect that to come in an email vs a Facebook invite. Online parties, whole different ballgame, but the local ones I just decline. If it was really worth my time I would have more information vs a cursory invite that didn’t take the time to notice where I lived or how far away I was. Unless I was flying my broom, some places are just too far.
Yea, I do too and I get it when these online parties are happening, but hey, maybe consider if the person might be interested or something… not to mention the groups I get dragged into, it’s annoying! I love the broom comment! LOL
UGH! Kristen, that is one of my biggest pet peeves. That and adding me to Facebook Groups without asking. It’s annoying. I don’t know about you, I also get a lot of people spamming me. I meet them through different groups I’m in and they try selling me their product. I get that on every social media platform.
What happened to getting to know the person a bit to see if the product can help them?
Great article.
YES! I totally agree Lisa and thank you for noticing. And yes, the FB groups are just as irritating, but good news there, it doesn’t seem to happen as often and I can jump out pretty easily, but yes, equally annoying!
I must admit I am of the thinking that I will invite anyone I think might be even vaguely interested and leave it to them to make the decision whether to come or not. I have never done a ‘select all’ though.
I would ask everyone in person as well so hey… I must just be that kinda girl.
I think though, after you invite someone and they don’t show, you’d get the idea they weren’t interested. My thing started when I moved from Va to Tx and I’m still getting invited to stuff in VA that I clearly can’t attend.. all for the sake of them wanting to promote her biz. Ya know?
I had to share this today. I’m so glad I knew you had this already prepared. Sheesh. So many invites to places thousands of miles away from the same person…. ugh…
YAY! I will work on repurposing it for you too. Sad that people don’t get it.. still. Thanks Jennifer.