What I SHOULD Have Said

BizFest is winding down tonight with a performance by Graham Greer and Tyler Kealey. The week was full of workshops and presenters, including Gerry Visca and Dennis Van Staalduinen (or DenVan as he, thankfully likes to be called). Last night BizFest put on BizShow, a twist on the Trade Show, featuring local businesses and entrepreneurs in the community. In addition to their booth spaces, exhibitors were encouraged to come up to the podium and speak to the group about why they're awesome. Gerry, and event organizer Joey Gault dared me to tell the crowd about "my brand" which for those of you who may not lunch with me, is The Lunch Tramp.

Never one to back down from a dare, I did venture on over to the microphone and in a minute or two, I did tell everyone who was listening that I was known in the #CornwallTweetup world as The Lunch Tramp. (Feel free to follow me on Twitter at @keithatweets.)

What I SHOULD have told the crowd was that the Tweetups are important, both for the social element but - and more importantly, in the way they bring people who would never know people otherwise together. There are AT LEAST a half dozen people I didn't know a year ago that I consider my friend now - all because they were following me on Twitter - and came to the table one day.

Not only that, I've learned things, connected with people who've helped me in many ways, including giving website advice, where to find really delicious coffee beans, donated door prizes for charitable things I'm involved in and more. The Tweetup is important - and if I get a title from it, so much the better!

I'm not going to pretend it is any sort of official meeting nor do we go with the intent to "network" - but that's what makes it better. There are no expectations and when something cool comes of it, well, to use @iamjoeygault's favourite hashtag, #awesome.

Get out there and be SOCIAL with the people in your social media circles. You never know where it'll take you.