Full disclosure: I am credited by many as the one responsible for the resurrection of the Milwaukee chapter of SMC. I like to think of it more as a collaborative reopening of a new avenue for people of all skill levels in social media to feel like they have a group to bounce ideas off of and share some of their own without feeling like they are the only ones who aren’t “hip” to some part of social.
It’s no surprise that Social Media Club (SMC) has experienced huge growth as the popularity of social tools has spilled over into the mainstream. The growing non-profit group now has chapters in nearly every corner of the globe from the Washington D.C. to Melbourne, Australia.
It’s also no surprise that in Wisconsin, Milwaukee start-ups and established businesses alike are leaning heavily on social media and groups like SMC to help spread the word about their new endeavors or products, promote their events, and (for start-ups) even locate investors. The mantra of SMC is “If you get it, share it”, which is a big help to those with a big tech idea but not necessarily the network. The newly re-energized SMC-Milwaukee recently kicked off its brand new series of evening events at INdustri Café in Milwaukee last Tuesday.
The event was well-attended, and we took some time to address the crowd and share our plan for the future of the group and to introduce the rest of the very talented team we spent several months assembling. The SMC Milwaukee chapter now consists of Mary Jane Sanchez from Dynamismo (who is an awesome events planner), Jonathan Brewer from First Edge Solutions and Meet-Meme (who has wealth of non-profit experience), and Phil Gerbyshak from Turning Minds (who is a social media speaker, author, and all-around great guy). I also let them know that anyone was welcome to attend events and that we had more meetings coming up but are still working out dates and venues.
Business grows with social media, and with Social Media Club. It’s been proven in the SMC chapters in Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Detroit, and others. If this first event was any indicator, I have a strong suspicion than SMC-Milwaukee will soon also take its place among the best chapters in the Midwest. If you’d like to be a part of SMC-Milwaukee, you can visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter (@smcmilwaukee)
Are you a Social Media Club chapter member or has SMC helped your organization? Share your thoughts in the comments below!