TWTRCON SF 09 is happening because of a series of people and ideas coming together at the right time. As a media business addict, I had been paying close attention to social media in general, having lots of fun re-connecting with old friends and colleagues on Facebook, keeping up with LinkedIn, Ning and other social networks, and even started a blog called Social Media at Work to chronicle what was happening. At some point, however, my Twitter habit became something close to an addiction, and blogging gave way to the wonders of micro-blogging. (Why use 140 words to say what you can communicate in 140 characters?)
More importantly, I started paying attention to all of the incredible examples of how brands like JetBlue, Zappos and Whole Foods are using Twitter to build relationships with customers, how media companies like Federated Media or Glam Media are using to Twitter to build communities and how entertainers like MC Hammer and Mr. and Mrs. Kutcher are using it to connect with fans. I mean: wow. Because Twitter is simple, because it is open from both a content-sharing and platform perspective, it is creating a whole new industry around the platform in an amazingly fast time.
Harry McCracken of Technologizer first came up with the idea of a Twitter business conference while brainstorming with his friends and business partners at First30 Services, lighting the match. Mike Edelhart put him in touch with us at Modern Media, adding the fuel. It took just a few emails, phone calls and tweets to find out that other people thought it was a great idea, too, and to start making it happen. The idea seems blindingly obvious in hindsight, but it took a team of people coming together around an idea and figuring out how to make it happen. Kind of like what happens on Twitter all the time.
Can’t wait to see you at TWTRCON!
