I’m a total sucker for economic development initiatives. Since my days running TechBoise, helping start IgniteBoise and in general being involved in helping get the Boise tech community up and running, I really appreciate the effort it takes to build a thriving business community. Today I’m at the Social Media Conference North West in Mt. Vernon Washington. Unlike many of the events I’ve been at lately there aren’t any A-list bloggers, no one’s speaking about their latest book on social media and there are real businesses (you know the kind with real revenue) trying to figure out if their coffee shop should have a blog or how best to use Facebook.
Here at #smconfNW every breakout session is packed. They have a sellout event for the second year in a row. In fact every social media event I’ve been to since 2008 is always at capacity. Every event sells out, especially the smaller local ones.When I talk to my friends from different businesses I hear the same thing, every business conference is about social media right now or social media is a major theme.
Yes there’s a lot of hype but social media is real, it’s here to stay and it’s impacting every business sector. The most diverse conferences are social media conferences. You get the best mix of business people and geeks mingling and nothing is better for economic development than geeks and business people hanging out.
I don’t care how big or small your community is, you need to hold a social media conference. If your town’s to small make it a county initiative. If that’s not feasible hold a town tweetup. If you’re reading this and your area doesn’t have a Social Media Club, Social Media Breakfast, Twestival, Ignite, Beer and Blog or some other form of social media related event it is now your job to start one. If you only have one start another.
Go ahead, tweet that you want to start an event in your area and see what happens. Seriously, right now.
Photo credit by photomequickbooth
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