Tweetup - a Twitter user meetup!

Friday night, I attended the first-ever Tweetup in Fort Myers, Florida (that I know of, anyway).

I came across the open invitation while searching for other Twitter users in Southwest Florida. It sounded like a good opportunity to advance my social media knowledge and make some new networking connections, but I wasn't sure what to expect. So, I reviewed the RSVP list, and the profiles of those Twitter users. They appeared to be professionals like me, but from a surprising range of industries -- non-profit, law, financial services, restaurant, human resources, and real estate, in addition to internet marketers.

So, I signed up to attend, drove to downtown Fort Myers, and rode the elevator up to Hotel Indigo's rooftop bar promptly at 5:30. I was very encouraged to see a friend there, and more importantly, a bunch of other people with smiling faces. After donning drinks and Twitter-esque nametags complete with blue birdie and our @names, these strangers soon became friends under the setting Southwest Florida sun, as we discussed our businesses and how we were utilizing social media both personally and professionally.

Some of the things I learned from this Tweetup...

• Tweetups are a fantastic way to learn from others who have already tried many things you haven't even heard of yet.
  
• You might be surprised about who is in attendance. Could be your next door neighbor, a long lost friend, or your next client, vendor or business associate. You just never know.
• Many individuals and companies are going to need the expertise of social media marketers who have already invested time in developing knowledge and strategies.
  
• There are tremendous opportunities for any company to utilize social media to market its brand, product or service, but do-it-yourself-ers beware! Social media can become very overwhelming very quickly. Hire a pro who already knows the ropes.
  

If you're in Southwest Florida and want to learn more, contact me or consider joining a social media marketing group such as b.wired Southwest Florida. The next Southwest Florida Tweetup is Thursday, April 30th, 5:30 p.m. at Cin Cin. Hope to see you there!