I remember my first Tweetup. A little over two years ago on the Lake Champlain waterfront patio at Breakwaters, here in Burlington, VT. 
I had just moved to Vermont from Seattle, and was low on the local friends count. Twitter seemed to be catching on in the area, so why not hang out with like-minded people? Two years later, some of the people I met at that Tweetup and I have become good friends, others became clients (!)
Still, bringing up the word Tweetup in some circles can cause furrowed brows.
“What IS this tweet up thing you speak of?”
Summing it up into an elevator-type speech isn’t easy, but here’s a stab:
What is a Tweet Up?
A Tweet Up is a meet up of Twitter users. People who may have never met, but are acquainted online via social media sites like Twitter. Its an opportunity to meet in real life, to turn 140 character conversations into face-to-face.
How it works
Tweet Ups can be held at coffee shops, restaurants and bars, hotel lobbies, or anywhere where a casual meeting of dozens (hundreds?) of people can convene with little overhead. Most venues that host tweet ups usually provide some sort of munchy, beverage service, maybe even swag for participants. The organizers ideally print up cheapie name badges so everyone can recognize their Twitter name or avatar. It can be a casual affair or an all-out epic event.
Sometimes there’s an agenda, but ultimately the purpose of a Tweet Up is to mingle. To shake hands with new and familiar Twitter faces, and reconnect with people you already know and enjoy hanging out with socially.
Don’t be shy
I have found tweet ups to be a great way to introduce myself to people I’ve found interesting – right here at home and in other cities I might be visiting with a free hour or so to explore the local Twitter scene. And it’s always fun to place a Twitter name with a real face – feels like we have known each other for years. Just try it.
Create your own Tweet Up
Can’t find a tweet up in your area? Organize one yourself! Partner up with a suitable venue, like a coffee shop or happy hour spot. Or host one at your place. Choose a date, time, and hashtag for the event. When you start promoting on Twitter with the hashtag, be sure to use other hashtags like the event city or types of people you’d like to attract. For instance, #citygeeks, #designers, or #foodies. Promote the heck out of your tweetup on Twitter, Facebook, your email newsletters, etc. Encourage your online connections to spread the word, too. As the big day approaches, print out name badges for attendees (and set aside blanks for last minute tweet up-ers.) Be prepared to make a lot of introductions and generally meet every single person that comes to your tweet up. Be sure to thank them all for tweeting up – in person and at your social places.
More help and how-tos
ORGANIZING TIPS: TwiTip has a some great information on organizing a Tweet Up.
INVITING: A great service (free!) to use for RSVPs and printing name badges is twtvite.com.
FOR BUSINESSES: Why a business would want to host a Tweet Up [link]
Twtvite has a nice little video explaining tweet ups and how they can help organize:
Happy tweeting and tweet upping!
