Luxury client acquisition: personal invitations to private viewings, launches and members' events

They receive plenty of them. Newsletters, sponsored posts and "exclusive offers" all look the same, and the word exclusive stopped meaning anything a long time ago. What still works is the opposite of a campaign: a short, personal note from a real person at the house, about one event, sent because this person fits.

That's also why it's hard. Writing to each guest personally takes time a small team doesn't have, so most brands fall back on blasts and wonder why the room isn't full of the right people.

Start from the event and work back to the people who would genuinely enjoy it. On Instagram, the followers of relevant brands and the people commenting on their posts are the closest match, because they've already shown the taste.

Read each profile before you invite. Does this person actually fit, and is there something in their public posts that makes the invitation make sense? If not, leave them out.

• Who's writing: a named person at the house, not the brand account voice.
• Why them: one detail from their own posts that connects to the event.
• What it is: the event in one sentence, with the date and the place.
• How small it is: the real number of guests, if it's small.
• One easy question: "Would you like me to hold a place for you?"

Leave out the brochure, the price list and the link. Those come after they say yes. A first message is only there to open a conversation.

Both good versions are short, specific and easy to answer. Neither mentions price, and neither could have been sent to anyone else.

On Instagram, a first message from someone a person doesn't follow arrives as a message request. They see your name, your profile and the first line before they decide to open it, so all three matter. Read why Instagram DMs land in Hidden Requests for how requests are sorted and shown.

• Send from a real person's profile that clearly belongs to the house, with real photos of events and products.
• Skip private profiles. There's nothing to personalise from, and the request feels like an intrusion.
• Keep the first message short enough to read in the preview.
• Don't follow up more than once if there's no answer. In this market, persistence looks like pressure.

A yes on Instagram is the start, not the end. Confirm their place with the details they need: date, time, address, who's hosting. Send a calendar invite, then reminders before the day by email, SMS and Instagram, so it's easy for them to keep the date.

After registration, a thank-you page with a short video from the host sets the tone and gives them something to look forward to. If someone can't make it, offer the next viewing or event rather than letting the conversation end. For more on keeping attendance high, read how to reduce event no-shows.

Never refer to anyone's wealth, possessions you've inferred, family or private life. Only use what they've shared publicly, and only when it's relevant to the event. Keep the guest list confidential, and never mention who else is coming without permission. If someone says no, or asks not to be contacted again, thank them and stop. The people in this market know each other, and how you handle a no travels further than any campaign.