I like Twitter. My Twitter friends get this. My real-in-person friends don't. They think I'm weird. But I'm okay with that.Ever since I first heard about TweetUps I wanted to attend one. A year or so ago I started asking if anyone was interested in a local TweetUp... no response. Since Twitter has grown so rapidly in the last 6 months I decided to ask again because this time I knew I had a handful of local followers. I got responses this time! People said yes they'd love to participate in a TweetUp. One woman @LissaRankin volunteered her office space at Clear Center of Health in Mill Valley. Others (@pobutler) offered to bring things. Lissa and I decided to co-host the TweetUp and to make it a potluck. We weren't sure how many people were going to come.
Last night I arrived at Clear Center with my vegetarian springrolls in one hand, sparkly water and wine in the other and walked in to be greeted by Lissa's coworkers, charming husband and adorable daughter. They were so nice and welcoming and told me Lissa was coming a little bit later. We rearranged the meeting space, got tables set up, put out our food and wondered if anyone was going to show up. They did! One by one people came walking in with food or drinks in hand. I think we had 20 people total. Four men, the rest women.
I wasn't sure what to expect with a room full of strangers but what I found was a room full of interesting, friendly people. It was probably the most relaxed and comfortable event full of strangers that I've ever been to. But I guess we aren't really strangers. We see each others tweets, we follow each others lifes. We carryon conversations.
I had a strange experience earlier in the day. A local business owner contacted me for something else and I wrote him back asking if he was on Twitter and invited him to our TweetUp. He wrote me back basically telling me he thought Twitter was a waste of time. He said if I can figure out how to make magic with Twitter then God bless me. Well guess what? I think I did figure out how to make magic with Twitter. Last night I was in a beautiful, warm, friendly office filled with wonderful people who I now consider friends. I would have never had this experience if it weren't for Twitter. It feels pretty magical to me!
Thank you to everyone who came to the TweetUp!
Photos from the TweetUp!
4 comments:
I started using Twitter because I was told that I needed to for my business. OK, so I got an account and started tweeting. At first, I felt like I was tweeting in circles with other business owners, some social media people and a few friends, but it didn't feel authentic. I was too scared to be me and look "unprofessional." But, since relaxing and really trying to get to know the people I find interesting, it's feeling more welcoming. I think the tweetups are a great idea! Thanks for this post.
I think you are on to something there. I find that the more authentic and real a person is the more I like working with them and the more I trust them. I believe the best way of networking is to be real, let people get to know you and in turn you will attract the right people for you and your business.
I am at the point now where I only want to work with people who like the whole me. At first it was weird with Facebook and Twitter to have clients on it but then I realized if they are bothered by seeing my "unprofessional" side ie. photographs of junior high, family BBQs, etc... well then I probably don't want to work with someone who is that uptight.
I've found the more I put myself out there on the internet the more wonderful people I meet.
We are having another TweetUp this Wednesday in Mill Valley at Maria Maria's if anyone is interested in coming.
http://sallyaroundthebay.com/mill-valley-tweet-up/
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