Using MySpace and Facebook to promote your nightclub is getting out of control when I begin to receive 300+ “invites” per week to events. Promoters are abusing these “tools” and not using them correctly which only  lessens their effectiveness leaving MySpace and Facebook ineffective when promoting your nightclub. Don’t believe me? Just ask anyone at your next party where they heard about your party and I guarantee you less then 5% will say Facebook or MySpace.

Yes, there are over 300 million Facebook and MySpace users and a lot of great features on both that allow you to automate and manage invites but does using these “social network utilities” to promote your events offer you or your customers real value? Who cares that it only takes you an hour to set up an invite and message all your “friends”. Ask yourself, how many of those 300 million users are in your market actively seeking out venues and events? Then ask yourself, what return will I receive for my efforts using these networks?

To answer this question, you just need look at it from the users perspective. Does receiving a message or invite on MySpace or Facebook convince you to attend an event? Almost 100% of the people I have asked say “no”. Personally, I delete the 300+ invites I receive each week without reading beyond the title.

As a promoter or nightclub you need to go beyond blasting invites on social networks. The nightlife industry is a high touch business that demands personal service and attention. As a nightclub you must offer a unique experience and it begins with your marketing. What is your brand saying when you have promoters blasting hundreds of invites each week to the same people? It says, “I am desperate, please come visit my club because I need your money”.

There is no doubt in my mind that social media can be very powerful for for any business;  including promoters and nightclub. But, how can you use social networks to get your message across without sounding desperate? Here are few brilliant strategies.

• 1:1 I know this might sound a little old fashion but here is my epiphany, communicate with your guest one on one. Instead of blasting out hundreds of invites, send a short message introducing yourself, commenting on their profile and wishing them a fun weekend. Don’t ask them for anything and wait for a response. A social network is meant for BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS not selling your service. If you went to sell, place a CPC ad on Facebook targeting your demographic promoting your event 24hrs prior.
• Mobile Application If your guests could receive invite, get on guestlist, purchase a bottle and invite their friends all from their smart device, do you think you would have more traffic at your door and more bar sales? Shadow Room Nightclub is halfway there with their “Mobile Order System“. You can also do something really out of the box and build your develop a branded iPhone application like “iDrum“, Ministry of Sounds music crating application.
• Interactive Reaching out to your network to participate in a contest, game or genuine offer will engage your audience, separate you from the masses and deliver your message more effectively then a generic invite. The key is to ENGAGE your audience.
• Media Distribution Distributing content (pictures, video, audio) will help you build brand awareness. If you have great video, pictures or audio clip from your last event they should be posted on your profile, tagged and shared with everyone in your network. Do this on a regular basis.
• Build Your Own Being able to control the user experience on the social network can help you keep your brand consistent…and make you look really good. Use a free service like Ning to build your own social network and integrate it into your existing website.

Today, MySpace and Facebook dominate the web but their end will come. Start thinking ahead of the curve and incororate some of the stragtegies above to leverage the social media marketplace.