How Many Media Channels Do You Need to Have a Party?

Recently a friend of mine was extremely put out when she was missed by the drag net that has become social media socialcalendar, and wasn’t invited to a party. This poses the question, how many media channels does one need to use to have a party and not offend the SM Refusers? And more importantly how do you not appear desperate for attendees by inviting them 5 times via different channels.

Here’s our user guide for media channels and party/social gatherings:

1. Facebook Events Popular with my friends: bigger events or concerts – or tagged events
2. Facebook behind the scenes emails: Small intimate events
3. Google+: World of War Craft love-ins only
4. Myspace: RIP
5. Mobile txt: Impromptu events, reminders and RSVP’s
6. Phone call: Only if you need a hostage and don’t want to show up alone
7. Group email: Annoying, allows way too much input from everybody, usually gets really confusing and too hard work. Also equals lots of cancelled events due to non compliance and vegetarians
8. Snail Mail: Very important events Weddings, Baptisms, Baby showers; to be diarised and RSVP’d by some electronic means
9. Face to face: Real life! Forgotten as soon as you’ve walked away
10. Linked In: Inappropriate for social gatherings. This is business people
11. Twitter: Only if you’re encouraging others to crash your party

It’s a fine balance of social etiquette and public relations. Each channel has its own pitfalls and underlying currency. Take “Facebook Events” for example. It can be viewed as a sweep for people to attend, not the most intimate of channels and subsequently can get ignored as a nice to be invited to, but not all that important to go to. It’s all about quantity not quality. But face to face has limited reach, unless you’re in regular F2F with all your friends, this is always going to be a very small party comprising of the local shop keeper and a few work colleagues.

As with all communications, The party invitation really needs proper thought and planning to ensure all of your friends not only show up, but have a good time and remain your friends.