The Drive Conference 2010 is just hours away from starting.  In fact, for more than a few attenders it’s already started with Pre-Conference Breakouts.

There are hundreds of people working hard to make sure everything is in place and ready to go for the over 2,200+ people that will be converging on the North Point Campus. One of the main focuses at the Drive Conference is providing a place to gather and discuss ministry.

Over the next couple days there will be several places for people to gather, learn, discuss, and dream about the future. One way that the Drive Conference is looking to connect people is through a tweetup.

Virtual Reality Gets Real

One day tweetup will be listed in Websters dictionary, but until that day I will give you a picture of what a tweetup looks like. Basically, a tweetup is a place for people (normally people on twitter) to meet in person. Hints the name tweet-up.

This usually takes place in local communities or at conferences and is organized by one or two people. Tweetups usually consist of networking, discussion of a specific topic, or just a place for people to gather and talk. These events are organized by tweets that are sent out to the community providing details of when and where the tweetup will take place.

Tweetups have slowly grown into being a mainstay on the social media front. As tweetups continue to grow and gain momentum, the way they are organized and take place will consistently change.

Here are 6 strategic things (and IT-related material) you need at a tweetup:

1) A Sign (Not Really IT… But Could Be!)

As overlooked as this could be, a sign can go a long way to help people know where the tweetup is taking place as well as add to the environment. This provides some legitimacy to the meeting and shows people that you have put thought and effort into letting people know where it is all going down.

2) Projector/Laptop/Screen (Definitely IT-Related!)

Having these three things will help add to the environment as well as give a chance to see tweets, presenter notes, videos, and announcements. There are other creative ways to use these three tools. You can hold contest, conversations, or a way to see who is in the room that others would be interested in connecting with.

3) Coffee and Food (Definitely IT-Needed!)

Put a sign up that says free coffee and food and you will instantly double your attenders. Having these two key ingredients will not only make the attendees happy but will also make their bellies happy. This could get a little pricey providing these two items, a helpful way to get around having a big expense would be to contact a local coffee shop and see if they would be willing to sponsor the tweetup. This will provide the coffee shop a chance to advertise their products as well as give the tweetup a chance to have some good coffee and food.

4) Free Wifi (IT Requirement)

Not having wifi is like trying to play basketball without a ball. Though you could attempt to “play” it would not really be a basketball game. Not saying that you cannot have a tweetup without wifi, but it is always good to provide bloggers and tweeters a place to be online and talk to others about the tweetup.

5) Swag (IT People Like Swag)

If free coffee and food is not enough, having swag can make it even better. Simply giving out stickers and t-shirts can get people to attend a tweetup. Throw in prizes and contest and you will have people doing some crazy things to win. This will help people get involved and will provide a fun activity to have during your tweetup. Contact local companies or advertisers for donations. This will give you some prizes as well as give advertisers and local companies a chance to advertise their stuff.

6) People (Yes)

Tweetups are about people. If there are no people there then it obviously is not a tweetup. The biggest thing that is needed at a tweetup is people. You can have 5 people or 50 people, no matter how many you still need to have some attendees to have a great tweetup.

Use tools like twitter and eventbrite.com to organize a tweetup. Tapping into your social media network can be a great way to get the news out about future tweetups and gatherings.

There is no set way to have a tweetup. Just one rule, have fun. Tweetups are about people and having fun. Giving people a chance to gather together to talk, eat food, and win prizes will make for a great night of fun. Tweetups can be a great way for you to get connected to a network of people who are thinking through the same things as you as well as a great place for you to discuss new ideas and strategies. As social media continues to grow so will tweetups.

Anything you would add to the list?