#BIN2010 LiveBlog Panel – Dave Woodson & Co: Indiana Tweetups

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NOTE:  This discussion can be seen live on blogindiana.tv

We’ll be starting shortly.

The panel is assembled.

• @davewoodon – #nwitweetup (and Finn’s livebloggiing!)
• @dukelong – #Lafayette
• @danamnelson – Evansvile – #smcevv
• @amystark – Indy – #indysmm – Inaugural Indiana Social Media summit organizer! (at Scotty’s Northside of Indy)
• @willhardison – Indy – #indysmhh (Social Media Happy Hour) (held at Scotty’s downtown – helped promote)
• @cherylwatterson - Michiana – #tweetupmichiana

Summary of Tweetups around the State

Daver starts off, introducing #nwitweetup. And has been talking about growing, that it started with Kathy Sipple and how #NWITweetup is in the process of becoming a 5013-C charity. And how we’ve attracted media:  news media

Cheryl is talking about how they invited Michiana two weeks in advance via the local paper.

Duke is talking about how Lafayette is becoming more of a genera social media event, business networking, beer (thank you Scotty’s Brewhouse). Help from NWITweetup and Scotty’s Brewhouse!

Dana Nelson – just started …just started and recent…because their southwest Indiana they use #sweetup

Amy – started in the original #indytweetups with the legendary Dr. Thomas Ho. Original sessions were philosophical, coffee house chats. Not as successful, but intimate and engaging.

Will – had a lot of help from Scotty’s Brewhouse and Blog Indiana’s Noah Coffey – who created EventBrite which tweets out people who’ve signed up for  Social Media Happy hour event via EventBrite

Cheryl – tweetupmichiana is scheduled for 6 months out (already in 2011). Events are split up part networking part informative. Even have a membership platform and a radio talk show “The Tweetup chicks.”

How Easy is it to get Venues

Cheryl – once you’re established and growing, you have leverage…especially on a Tuesday / Wednesday night (slower night).

Audience on Tweetups – how do the different tweetups work together?

Daver – Michiana / NWitweetup cross promote. Everyone went to the smackdown event

Amy – #northof30

Dana – meet with Lacy and took it offline – phone – to work on growing Evansville.

Daver – aftertweetup and afterafter

Will – also working with IndyHub

Audience – How do you Get people with different interests to enjoy the tweetup?

Finn – beer and appetizers

Dave – provide forum, let people engage

Audience – Are tweetups are just open social events…how do you avoid getting to cliquish?

Dana – bring in different speakers….variety of industry in Eville…try to keep it fresh, include everyone. And we have a board of 6 that monitors the stream and then use their personal platform to encourage people go to

Amy – decentralizing power for many groups.

Will – his events are for younger crowd (he’s 26) but the common theme of wanting to learn more and networking is a common theme

Dana – if it’s on Twitter, it’s a tweetup. You ask someone over Twitter, others can come along (brilliant!).

Comment – Dr. Thomas Ho, “I’m more willing to go to a Tweetup where I can take my 14-year-old daughter.” (thank you, Dr!)

12 media: and many of us have another job

Amy: don’t overthink tweetups

Cheryl – partner share responsibilities

Daver – it’s because we’re taking the online, offline! Like when I met Duke for the first time!

Duke Long: I started the pink shorts! Networking is great, relationships are the goal!

Will – keeping it up every month is TOUGH, especially when trying to run two startup companies.

Duke – and you build that community. Like my big brother back here (me)

Audience question:  do you do tickets?

Daver – not really.sign-in sheets. Hard to predict

Finn – we’ll use business cards and sign up sheets for free stuff

Will – we’ll use eventbrite just to track! and it’ll keep attendance record. “If it’s a free ticket,” we’ll get 50%. and if they grab one, they don’t know if they’ll show up but they’ll have a reminder.

Dana – he had a “hidden industry.” By reaching out to the girls, making them feel welcome, we were able to break it out.

Daver – you don’t have to show up, but you want to show up. And restaurants want to put forth their best step – like Blue Chip Casino

Online Statement – Dr. Thomas HO – Erik Decker’s mobile work day is coming!

Online Question – How do you handle conflicts people who don’t like each other or don’t handle each other?

Daver – who cares? You’ll work it out. If you can’t work together, the market will dictate it.

Amy – story:  1080 group. He tweeted about a Metallica concert. 4 fans started following. 2 became clients. – Common interests are helpful as well

They’re are geeks. They’re denying it

Daver:  I got into Twitter because it gave me a new voice

Duke: I got into it to learn more. There are some smart people. The stuff we can learn on it is amazing.

Amy:  I take “geek” as a term of endearment.

Dana:  so many people get together to talk about hard topics…if you can put them differences aside, you can agree to disagree and still learn from each other

Audience Question:  can there too many people attending

Finn & Daver:  depends on the venue. Don’t get it too crowded.

Cheryl to Will – that’ s why having a partner can help. So you aren’t so overwhelmed

Duke – we’ve got others who plan. Right now it’s a lot who do breweries, and that’s cool

Online Question – Each of you – your next tweetup and how to attend

• Daver: – NWITweetup Aug 28 – tat’s place
• Duke:  – end of Sept at Scotty’s. Stay tunedd.
• Dana – smcevv – Third Monday of the month – Sept 20th
• Amy – social media smackdown / summit – December 30th.
• Will – smchh – this Monday (limited. sold out). Big one in Sept @ Ike & Jonz – watch on twitter.
• Cheryl – 14th sept at club lasalle, oct wine/cheese at indulgence -