Erin Weinger, social media director for Los Angeles–based interior design and fashion company Kelly Wearstler, spends her days getting the word out on the luxury boutique brand through strategic email and social media campaigns. We asked her to share her top tips for luring attendees to an event—be it a trunk show or a book party—using social media platforms.

Erin Weinger, head of social media for Kelly Wearstler, (courtesy of Erin Weinger)

1. Don’t make the mistake of sending a Facebook invite out to all your “friends.” Make sure you’re targeting the right fans of the company and speak directly to them. To up your fan numbers, it may be worthwhile to buy a few Facebook ads, which are really cheap but can be really effective. That way you’re reaching specific demographics—say, people in their 30s who live within 20 miles of your store.
2. Come up with some kind of cool, creative promotion. Like if you sign up for our email list, you’ll be in the running for a gift certificate. People like free stuff, and you can grab email addresses.
3. Make an image specifically for your event to Facebook’s size specifications. Then you can post it and actually blow it up and “pin” it to the top of your Facebook page so it will stay at the very top. It should be a beautiful image that grabs people’s attention and gives all the info for the party or event. You can repurpose this graphic for your email list, too.
4. Do a social media contest at the actual event and promote it beforehand. Think of a cute hash tag to connect to your event that includes your company name (e.g., #erinsjewelryrocks). Then encourage your clients and event attendees to use it on Twitter and Instagram—and offer a discount for those who use it. That’s free viral marketing for you. Always leverage the hash tag!
5. Find a great editorial website that speaks to your local consumers, and contact the editor to collaborate with you on a promotion that serves double duty to promote your event. For example: If you sign up for a website’s email list, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a free piece of jewelry.

Emili Vesilind

JCK Senior Editor