I’ve been asked a few times just what I can pass on about running a Tuttle – the word is spreading that it’s a lovely thing to do.
Now just in case you haven’t a clue what we’re talking about, the Tuttle Club is a loose group of people who come together to talk and work around social media. The first group meets in London on Friday morning’s (currently at the ICA in the Mall) there are other, allied and similar groups in Brighton, Birmingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Manchester. Some are comfortable with the Tuttle name, some are not. I don’t think that matters much. The name Tuttle comes from my admiration for the character Harry Tuttle in Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film Brazil.
Some people say (usually before they’ve attended) “Isn’t it just a networking event?” or “Isn’t it like Blech or F’tang or Dooberry?” Yes it probably is, we don’t claim to have invented anything all that radically different, however when people come for the first time, they do remark that it is radically different to other things they’ve been to. If you want to know more about what we actually do, take a look at the blog, the wiki, the photos and videos that have turned up over the months. And if you’re in London, or Brighton, Birmingham etc do come along.
Now for those who want to set something up in another place (currently there are rumblings in Boston and Los Angeles…) what can I tell you? Well, first I want to be clear that whatever you choose to do, whether you call it Tuttle or something else, whether you follow exactly what we’ve done or not, that you may do with the idea whatever you will. I ask that you consider some of the things that I built into the original group and learned from the process and then decide whether they are appropriate to you and the people around you where you are.
These are the things that I think have made what we’ve done special. When I started writing and thinking about it 18 months ago, the motivation was to create for myself a place in London, where I knew I could go regularly, rely on it being there and know that I would find interesting people with whom I had something in common and who would be happy to sit and chat. So I would say that a regular slot, a regular location and some regular, but more importantly, interesting people are the core ingredients. How regular a slot you go for is up to you. London seems able to sustain a weekly session. Birmingham is no less successful because it only meets monthly. Again my motivation was selfish, I didn’t want to have to think too hard about whether it was Tuttle day (in the way I struggle with things that are the first wednesday, last thursday, third monday etc or every other week – “eeek is it a week or a fortnight since the last one?”). I was also determined to make it non-exclusive. Everybody’s welcome. Yes, everybody. People still ask (often PR’s it has to be said) whether it’s really OK for them to come. Yep, even the slickest flack can be temporarily forgiven for a couple of hours on a Friday morning. I also think it really helps, especially at the beginning if there are one or two people who will make the committment to being there every time, at least for the first few, to get things going, welcome new people and keep the conversation alive about what you’re all doing there and whether it’s worth continuing or changing in any way. This is probably you, if you’ve read this far. I treat the whole thing as an exercise in service – when I do that and focus on what I can give, I find that I get an awful lot more back.
If you have interesting people and they are into social media at all, then it’s highly likely that they will talk, blog and tweet about what you’re doing. This has been the primary means of spreading the word for us. On Friday morning (GMT) there’s a lot of tuttle-related tweeting and invariably, someone new will say “What’s a Tuttle?” and then someone from the community will pop in and explain for them. Often, a week, or maybe two, later they’ll be turning up in the flesh. I joke that the only barrier to entry is that you need to know to come in through the back door. When we met at the Coach & Horses in Soho, you had to ask to walk behind the bar to get to the room. These aren’t big secrets, but they add to the fun of being in the in-crowd, however non-exclusive we are. I also think it’s useful to have a blog for the group and some mechanism for sign-ups. We still use a wiki page for sign-ups which I clear out every week – but I don’t insist on
Now the things I’ve had to resist or avoid. We’ve avoided taking too much cash. You really don’t need anything, though it’s amazing how easy it is to think that you do. We have a simple sponsorship package which includes paying the bar bill and being announced on the wiki, via twitter and on the day. I say “Brand Ecch has paid for the coffee today, Tallulah and Eugene are here so please go and say hello, thank them for the coffee.” I’ve also steered clear of any format. You come, you meet new people, you chat. There are plenty of places you can go if you want something more focused or directive – I will suggest that you talk to someone new, but I won’t tell you what to do, when to do it, who to listen to or what to talk about. And finally you must must must stick to Tuttle Rule #47 – “Why so serious?” It’s not the most important thing in anybody’s life. Nobody gets hurt. Nothing happens that people can’t recover from. Missing Tuttle is not the end of anyone’s world.
Having said that, I don’t believe that you can fail. Whenever two or more are gathered together in the name of Harry, there the spirit of Tuttle will be in their midst. I have low expectations. I’ve run events where no-one turned up. Really. No-one. I was billy no-mates for the night. It didn’t kill me. Some of the best Tuttles have been the one’s with less than 20 people. One of my favourites was the New Year one where there were five people there – but oh! what people!
It should be fun. If it isn’t fun, or in anyway you feel like you’re having to work too hard at it, you are doing it wrong.
well said
Will second the comment:
“when people come for the first time, they do remark that it is radically different to other things they’ve been to.” It is a great atmosphere, very productive and inspiring. Great bunch 🙂 I am sorry not to be able to make it so often now.
“Friday morning’s” – Friday morning’s what?
I’m going to come next week.
[…] Advice to a new Tuttle-meister « The Tuttle Club – How to run your own Tuttle-like club […]
Thanks for the inspiration.
A bunch of us have started Trydan social media cafe in Cardiff and owe you guys more than a tip of the hat for the format.
I’ll be popping into Tuttle soon to catch up with some folk.
It’s only 2 hours on the train. And vice-versa, if anyone wants to come this way. Maybe we can encourage some cross-fertilisation/collaboration/contamination.
Do you know where and when if a Tuttle Club meets in NYC?
Hi Brian, strictly speaking no, but you might find this to your taste: http://wiki.workatjelly.com/JellyInNYC also check out what Tony Bacigalupo (@tonybgoode on twitter) is up to.
Many thanks for turning upp to the meeting last Monday night to the thing that didn’t have a name in the place that I didn’t get the name of, in London, and giving the group discussing social media and international third world development a show of the idea. Many thanks also for this wordpress page (if that is the right word) for this seems a response to the person who said we don’t document, for this seems to me a very good case of a document. If any tuttles are interested in third world development, there is a list on jiscmail.ac.uk called eldis. If there are tuttles who don’t know jiscmail, go to http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk, and all might be clear.
[…] a structure – it’s literally a beer and a natter. This link to Tuttle founder Lloyd Davis’ Advice to a new Tuttle-meister, sets out his thoughts on how to set up & run a Tuttle […]
I can see why a regular weekly slot for Tuttle makes sense, but from a selfish perspective I wish London’s was on another day (I look after the kids on Fridays). If ithe club’s still going strong in 3 years’ time (by which time they’ll both be at school) I’m sure I’ll become a regular. In the meantime, see you at Amp09!
This is great. Really useful for people 🙂
It sounds great! Wish I was nearer to London!
Tricia, have you seen that this week saw the start of Tuttle Oxford? Would that be easier for you?
[…] think Worthing needs a stronger social infrastructure for folk who want to do things. A Tuttle would be a start. Something like Pick Me Up would be cool too. […]
[…] I’ve tweeted it, but it deserves more than 140 characters! After the Reading Twestival, a number of tweetups in Reading have happened, but I’ve been hoping for a full on Tuttle Club style event. […]
[…] @karim2k this remains my best advice tuttleclub.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/adv… […]
[…] @sburall @tobyblume @ejanderton @bisgovuk good times! You might also find this useful tuttleclub.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/adv… […]