Courtesy of Teknotika on Flickr

Join us on Monday, June 21st, at 8:00pm at Garden Court Condominiums for an awesome view of the Detroit (Target) Fireworks. Garden Court Condominiums was generous enough to donate their rooftop penthouse suite to Detroit’s social media community the night of the fireworks. The patio alone fits 120+ people! We will also have complimentary beer, cocktails and wine thanks to Atwater Block Brewery, Valentine Vodka and B. Nektar.

For additional event details and to register to attend, head over to Eventbrite. Tickets are free, but space is limited!

The event hashtag for Twitter and Foursquare check-ins: #gardencourt

This is going to be one of the best tweetups yet! I hope to see many of you there!

- Brandon

Last January, more than 80 Detroit Twitter users showed up and basically took over Buffalo Wild Wings in Novi for the night.  We hope to repeat that event’s success.

There will also be a special contest for Foursquare users.  Check-in from the location with the #detroittu hashtag AND sign the event attendance sheet for your chance to win a copy of Gary Vaynerchuck’s Crush It!

Make sure you visit the Detroit Tweetups Facebook event page to RSVP.

Any questions?  Contact Brandon Chesnutt (@bchesnutt/brandonchesnutt@gmail.com)

We hope to see you there!

This past year, interactive and tech-themed events held in Metro Detroit connected more than 1,000 people and helped raise thousands of dollars for local charities. Dozens of individuals, including many outside of this group, worked very hard to organize such events so that we could all socialize, network, collaborate and learn together.

Here is how we at iDetroit plan to carry this incredibly powerful momentum forward into 2010.

Bigger and better events
We are already hard at work putting together some awesome events for 2010. Members of our team are already in the early stages of planning for the very first Ignite Detroit, as well as the return of Startup Weekend Detroit.  You’ll also see internationally renowned social media and business thought leaders coming to Detroit for Module 2010 (Future Midwest) and Brand Camp University 2010.  While we can’t share all the details at this time, we promise that it’s totally worth the wait.

Great conversations and ideas
Our own Hubert Sawyers III and David Murray have spearheaded the creation of two fantastic social media-related groups that are experiencing explosive growth. Tweetea recently announced its expansion into new cities and the recruitment of regional ambassadors. Social Media Club – Detroit has garnered nearly 700 fans in just a few short months, making it one of the largest Social Media Club Facebook communities ever. Look for these two groups to host some of the most thought-provoking and insightful events in the Detroit area next year.  There will also be plenty of special guests.

Plenty of new faces
Since word got out about our tweetups, conferences and late nights rocking the mic, iDetroit has been contacted by other local professional and social groups that are interested in becoming part of our community.  With these new relationships in place, we hope to not only cross-promote events, but also find opportunities to integrate our groups.

Your thoughts
This year taught us a lot about the value of participation, friendship and community.  So, what comes next?  What do you hope to see happen within Detroit’s interactive community in 2010? If you share your ideas, we can work together to make it happen.

Social Media Club Detroit – November Chapter Meeting
Join presenter Christopher Barger, Director of Global Communications Technology for General Motors, at this month’s Social Media Club – Detroit chapter meeting on Wednesday, November 18th at Goldfish Tea in Royal Oak. Christopher will be discussing GM’s team approach to social media communications and how the organization’s digital strategy translates internationally. The meeting starts at 6pm and the presentation is scheduled for 7pm. For more info, check out the Social Media Club – Detroit Facebook Page.

Detroit Urban Craft Fair Tweetup
Handmade Detroit has joined forces with iDetroit and I3Detroit (Note: Two different groups. Both awesome.) to host a fun and interactive event that celebrates creativity with cocktails.  On Friday, November 20th at 7pm, come join Detroit Urban Craft Fair vendors the night before their big show at the Majestic Cafe in Detroit. There will be snacks and desserts courtesy of Handmade Detroit and Twitter crafts (make your Twitter nametag button for your next Tweetup). Now in its fourth year, the Detroit Urban Craft Fair will be showcasing more than 50 vendors representing a variety of art crafty goods at the Majestic Theater on Nov. 21. For more info, check out detroiturbancraftfair.com.

TechKaraoke Detroit
Think Tweetup meets networking event meets karaoke meets awesome.  Join other members of Detroit’s tech and social media space at Royal Kubo in Clawson as TechKaraoke Detroit gathers to rock out.  There WILL be prizes, including a $30 bar tab “stimulus” for the “Best in Show” performance courtesy of Royal Kubo!  The event starts at 8pm and karaoke kicks off at 9pm.  To learn more about TechKaraoke Detroit, check out its Facebook Group.

Know of any other events happening this month that we should know about? Let us know in the comments.

“SXSW Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.”

I’m highlighting 6 sessions submitted by Detroit based Digital professionals. I’m asking for your help to get their ideas selected for the conference. It takes only a few moments of your time to vote. Simply go to the SXSW panel picker by clicking on the session titles below, and click the icon to vote (note: you will need to register if you don’t already have an account). Every vote counts. Let’s get these panelists into the “big show” and highlight the emerging talent that is right in your own backyard.

Building Social Strategies at Fortune 100 Companies - panel session with Scott Monty, Ford Motor Company

Description: Companies of all sizes are adopting social media and community, but large organizations have some unique challenges and opportunities. This panel will uncover best practices through stories told by social media leaders from Ford, Nationwide, IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Dell.

Using Social Media to Find a New Gig – panel session by Shelli Gutholm, Aquent

Description: Don’t expect to get your next job by stuffing a bunch of resumes into envelopes and sending to “HR”. The best way to find the job of your dreams is by networking through Social Media. Social networking helps bypass the anonymity of the proverbial resume “black hole”. How you can use Social Media to secure your next job? We will be reviewing the tools and best practices that job seekers should utilize in a search. Also, we will outline some of the common mistakes job seekers make when using Social Media, which could lead to your efforts being sabotaged before they even begin.

Real World ROI and Social Media Strategies – panel session by Cosmin Ghiurau, BOSSdev Inc.

Description: Why Social Matters to Business Calculating the ROI of Social Case Study: CPR Week Digital Campaign for the American Heart Association Available with a client representative to participate These three topics can be presented as independent sessions or combined into one session. All three topics are focused upon how business can effectively understand, implement and measure web 2.0 marketing programs. Knowledge on the latest research and methods for digital marketing and social media Resources to leverage to stay informed on digital marketing and social media Real world examples of how businesses implement and measure web 2.0 programs ROI calculator to estimate and measure your own web 2.0 programs

Beyond the Click: Converting Website Visitors into Customers – solo session by Ayat Shukairy, Invesp Consulting

Description: For an online business, persuading visitors to purchase your product or service is crucial to increasing sales. Using the science and art of analytics analysis, marketing, usability and software, discover how the Conversion Framework approach can convert online visitors into customers such as RHDJapan and Metro Uniforms.

Industrial To Interactive: From Old Town To Tech Town – panel session by iDetroit members

Description: The idea of your city being home to the next thriving digital community is enticing. However, traditionally non-tech regions face a challenge. How do you introduce, develop and grow a digital movement within a location that has never seen one? Detroit is one such city currently grappling with this issue.

Using Facebook to Leverage Social Marketing and Gain ROI - dual session by K. Alan Robbins, BOSSdev Inc.

Description: Panel will cover the evolution of the social networking universe; provide valuable information with respect to the capabilities and unique aspects of the Facebook platform; valuable tips to help you craft an effective Facebook guerilla marketing campaign; and provide key criteria to help you to pick an effective development partner.

However, with all of this activity, there hasn’t been a team in place dedicated to rallying the troops and spearheading the efforts behind uniting and growing our community.

To address this problem, a few of us decided that working together was far more constructive than operating independently.  By pooling our resources, experience and talent, we could take Detroit’s social media and tech community to the next level.

The result of this combination: iDetroit

Think of us as a community exercise.  A group with big hopes and ideas for Metro Detroit.

What you can expect from iDetroit:

• Valuable events and conferences designed to connect Detroit’s tech and social media community.
• A hub where you can learn about the region’s latest happenings.
• The promotion of events organized outside of iDetroit.
• Honest feedback and reviews of other local events.
• Opportunities to get involved and help shape the future of Detroit’s social media and tech scene.

What we need from you:

• Feedback.
• Suggestions.
• Comments.
• Participation.

What you’ll start to see is many of the local events you regularly attend flying under the iDetroit name.  We want everyone to know that these gatherings are part of something bigger.

Our goal is to become the most active force within Detroit’s social media and tech community.  We can’t accomplish this without your help.

While we have big plans for iDetroit, we are just getting started.  We hope you’ll join us for the ride.