One of the primary goals of any social media marketing campaign should be the translation of online relationships into real world transactions. And I think that part of the way we accomplish that is by meeting face-to-face with the folks we know mostly through our computers. A lot of business can get done via the Web, or the phone. But sometimes it’s that face-to-face meeting, and the handshakes that goes with it, that seals the deal.
Local events — from Tweetups to PodCamps, and everything in between — run on a regular basis in cities worldwide. PodCamps (extended community-organized unconferences, usually held over a weekend), are scheduled for 2010 in Toronto, London, Salt Lake City, and right here in New Hampshire. Tweetups (smaller meet-ups organized on Twitter), are also quite popular, and often run on a monthly basis. And then there Social Media Breakfasts, Social Media Club events, and a whole lot more.
There are many places to keep track of upcoming events — Upcoming.org and Eventbrite are just two of several popular options. That can make filling your calendar a bit of a chore, but local organizers are beginning to do more work to keep things simple. Here in New Hampshire, several of our most active meeting planners have created a shared Google Calendar to keep all event information in one place. If there isn’t a similar calendar for your area, why not start building one?
Now, go and have some fun on this Fun Stuff Friday!
