When it comes to social media marketing and Toledo communications professionals, my perception based on experience and talking with many in the community is that most are interested, some are talking and fewer are actually doing.

While Toledo has a great community of social media — from ToledoTalk.com and Toledo-focused blogs like Lisa Renee’s Glass City Jungle to sports blogs like Matt Sussman’s Futon Report — I’ve heard of few communications professionals involved.

But now, likely within a period of a couple or few weeks, Toledo will have its inaugural Tweetup and Social Media Breakfast!

More details on Toledo Tweetup are on Facebook, but the basics are Wednesday, Feb. 18, 6-9 p.m. at The Blarney, 601 Monroe St. The background is that Damian Rintelmann and Kelly Hancock had talked about it a bit, it came up during some Twittering the other night involving Charlie Curve, Damian and myself, and Damian booked it.

As of this post, eight are committed to attending and another 10 are maybes.

Late last fall, Allen Mireles and I tossed out the idea of a Social Media Club in Toledo. While I started a Faceboobk group, for now, I don’t think I’ll have the time to devote to getting a club going. About the same time, I was making plans to start attending the SMB in Cincinnati and possibly start one in Toledo. In December, I made some early contacts for possible speakers and sponsors.

Fortunately, SMB Founder Bryan Person was at the most recent SMB-Cincinnati and mentioned to me that someone else in Toledo contacted him about starting one in Toledo. Great news! So, last week, Bryan put Patrick Giammarco and me in touch, and I attended a SMB-Toledo planning meeting Patrick had scheduled with several other people.

Long story short, check out the SMB Toledo network for updates. Another planning meeting is scheduled today — and hopefully, location, date and format should be more finalized.

So, if you’re in Toledo or the nearby area and really want to dig into social media, and get to know others involved, you have no excuse.

Social media marketing is not the be-all, end-all — but it is something every marketing and communications professional should be familiar with. If not, you’re doing your clients and your employer a disservice.

So, get social!
-Mike