The first tip, “Steal content and ideas. If you’re flat-out exhausted and out of ideas, then get them from somebody else — either content, or ideas, or both.” Huh, I said, “Well, I guess I’m on the right track.”

However to make it mine, I really wanted to own it. So the following are my top 5 tips for creating content.

1. Relax.

Don’t feel pressured to find the perfect article, resource or original idea. If it’s your idea, it’s already uniquely yours. Have you ever had a difficult time recalling someone’s name or that restaurant you love at the precise moment you needed it? Yet a few hours later out of the blue, you snap your fingers and say, “I got it!” That’s because your mind continues to work for you, even though you’ve moved on. The same thing with creating content. I find the more I pressure myself to find that idea, it doesn’t happen. Ideas typically don’t come on demand. However, much like this post, the ideas came to me after I determined this was my topic and I stepped away from it. So pick up a book, go for a walk, watch a movie or just grab a coffee and people watch. The ideas will start flooding in.

2. Be curious.

We’ve all seen those unique ads or videos show up in our friend’s feed on Facebook. Or you’ve seen an interview or commercial on TV and it piqued your interest. If you find one that’s interesting, click on it and then go deeper. For instance, I was watching an interview on NBC’s Rock Center with the creators of the viral videos, “Sh*t Girls Say.”  The two creators have become Internet sensations with three videos. Well, I’d only seen one so I decided to check out the series while the interview was taking place. Not only did the videos make me laugh out loud, they gave me an idea. You see, the reason the videos are successful is because women can relate to it and men know someone like that. It crosses all boundaries. From there I became curious about why that is and after a few videos learned more about a topic that I haven’t even thought of and now have increased my knowledge and feed the content machine. You’ve got to be willing to go the next step and be curious. I swear if I was a cat I would have gone through my nine lives by now.

3. Go to your reader.

If you don’t have a reader, then the first thing to do is set one up. I’m a big skimmer (which also means I probably miss more than I catch, but I’m okay with that) so I can quickly search out titles or topics and determine if I want more. I usually always find the one gem that makes it worth it. There’s a wealth of information out there so go out and get it. After reading a handful of posts, you’ll feel energized and ready to tackle your project.

4. Coffee with someone in your same profession.

As a public relations professional, I’ve learned that there’s no point in explaining what I do to my family and friends. Typically after such an explanation, the first question is, “so who have you done ads for?” I just hope that at that point my eyes aren’t visibly rolling. However having coffee with someone in your same profession can be very empowering. We understand what we’re up against. We understand wins. We can talk about industry trends and how we’re using it. We can talk about our crazy days and all the caffeine we need to make it through it. And we can talk about what we do for fun. Typically following such a discussion, I walk away feeling energized and with a handful of new ideas…and that leads to more. See number two above.

5. Go to Facebook and Twitter.

With the greatest crowdsourcing at your fingertips, why not? What’s interesting is that during the day, there are groups of topics that rise to the top. Much like conversations, the hot topics get the most attention. For instance, check out Twitter trends and then click on topics that might interest you. Skim and find other topics or individuals that look interesting and then click, click and click. Before you know it, you’ll find something that has sparked your creative juices. With the new Facebook feed it’s easy to see what topics everyone is talking about because it groups similar topics together. Today in Reno-Tahoe for instance, the main topic was snow and the coming series of storms with everyone either playing in it or excited for more. It gave me an idea for a new client blog, “online excitement builds on prospect of more snow.”

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. And if all else fails, steal it…figuratively, of course.

Success with the coop’s social networks, which also include a blog, Flickr and YouTube, has led to homepage integration of the feeds in the website redesign. RKPR and the coop, which works to encourage visits to North Lake Tahoe year-round, launched the social presence nearly two years ago and we continue to enjoy interacting with fans and followers. Get involved with the North Tahoe conversation by joining the networks.

For me personally, becoming a student of social networking means providing value to clients and the community while growing professionally and personally.

So for anyone who has asked that question, here are 20 tips.

1.    It’s okay to start with baby steps but the key is getting started.

2.    Look at ways to become involved in the conversation.

3.    Worrying about making a mistake can paralyze you so don’t over think it.

4.    Start with something you know and share that expertise, even if you don’t have any followers.

5.    Once you start keep it up.

6.    Followers will come as you become consistent.

7.    Proficiency will happen the more you do it more.

8.    Learn by watching others.

9.    Take what you learn and build on it by finding resources designed to perfect your style.

10. Open your mind to the possibilities of each social platform.

11. Audiences are built over time as you open yourself up and offer something of value.

12. Realize it won’t happen overnight.

13. Don’t try to learn everything about all the social channels all at once.

14. Become a student of the social media area you believe provides the most value to your followers.

15. Then take on the next social media area and learn more and so on.

16. When you discover a new platform spend about a ½ signing up and learning about the application.

17. Seek out ways to simplify you post time. For example Tweets can be set up to post directly to Facebook and LinkedIn.

18. Simplifying your monitoring and response time with free services such as TweetDeck and HootSuite.

19. Take online conversations offline. Attend a TweetUp or ask to meet someone in person if you share common interests.

20. Most importantly have fun.

Point of entry:  Everyone in the course started from different places. Some were quite proficient and for others it was brand new. The ability to communicate the importance of say Twitter versus a Facebook Fan page in a concise and effective manner really pushed me to think of experience beyond my boundaries. It drove me to see it from their position and how these tools could have a direct impact to personal brand and business interests.

Information gathering:  The flood of information available online can be overwhelming. However, anyone who is a student of social networking understands the importance of RSS feeds and social bookmarking to be efficient with their time. Without these two resources there’s no way I would be able to recite a fact, remember a case study or provide examples during the class.

Validation:  We all want validation that we’re doing something right but social networking is a different ball game. There is no right or wrong way. It’s about maximizing the socials sites to provide the value you need based on your vision statement and goals.

Learn from anyone: The neatest thing about social networking is that everyone is learning at different speeds and anyone can find new feature or an easier way to do something. This is especially true for newbies who have an incredible knack for finding new tricks. 

Interaction feeds knowledge: My personal quest for learning more was enhanced greatly throughout the course. Questions and the personal desire of the individual participants drove me to not only find answers but be active in the process.

My thanks go to Dr. Bret Simmons for inviting me to co-present and the students for their active participation that motivated me to learn and do more.

“With Google being a 21st-century electronic business card, it communicates one’s personal brand to the world–with a click of a mouse anyone can learn about you,” said Simmons. “Combine that with today’s intensely competitive business environment, and it’s even more essential to actively control what is being said about the value of someone’s unique skill set. You can control your brand and that’s what this course is about.”

Through hands-on coaching from social-media experts, students will learn how social-media tools correlate, as well as the most effective ways to use the tools discovered to create a personal brand. It will also go beyond traditional social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and static websites to demonstrate how to create and operate a dynamic blog and develop a presence on Twitter the right way.

Klingensmith founded RKPR Inc. in 2002 to provide clients with innovative communications strategies. With her 17 years of communications experience, Klingensmith offers a broad range of expertise with a variety of clients in various industries with strong emphasis on travel and tourism, focusing on the integration of social networking, new media and integrated communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno and received her Accredited in Public Relations (APR) certification in 2003 from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Simmons teaches classes in organizational behavior, entrepreneurial psychology and research methods at the University of Nevada, Reno. His research currently focuses on positive organizational behavior and employee performance. In addition to academic publications, his research has been featured in articles by US News & World Report and USA Today.

Class dates for “Google Is Your New Business Card” are November 2 and 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. and November 16 and 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. Registration is required for the course, for information visit online or call the Extended Studies office at 775-784-4046.

Downtown Reno is buzzing, really buzzing with excitement.  I captured these photos while coming back from a meeting this afternoon (one day before the first game) and saw the businesses around the stadium preparing to greet the baseball fans.  Signs are being hung, windows polished, specials posted and even a side of a building is painted. It’s an infectious excitement!

And that’s what the Reno Ace’s was supposed to do. We’ve worked with clients in travel and tourism for many years and during that time we’ve been privileged to work on the opening of the Truckee River Whitewater Park in downtown Reno as well as several other national events. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen this kind of support and it’s about time. 

Today, the fence is down around the $50 million stadium and it’s bringing with it a true “build it and they will come” mentality. 

The home opener is tomorrow and I know that those lucky folks attending the game are in for a real treat. 

Go Ace’s…looking forward to seeing you on the field!

Don’t get me wrong there are days when it’s really tough.  We can put in long hours nitpicking every last detail of a 25-person, 5-day tour of Reno-Tahoe.  We wake up at the crack of dawn to drive artists to a TV station for interviews.  We get back press releases that we’ve slaved over with so many edits a re-write is often the only option.  And yes, the media do ignore us sometimes.  But if you weigh all of these things against all of the fun things we also get to do, they’re really not that bad.  Secretly, I even like those early morning TV interviews!

When it comes to connecting with audiences, removing the barriers (seen or unseen) goes a long way. This video showing “Just Another Pilot” is layered with life lessons. In the end, communication is about being authentic.

And it’s something that can be challenging especially for those with faces that are easily recognized worldwide. Ultimate success is not measured against this pilot’s professional accomplishments, but against the freedom that his path has provided him. Something to think about the next time you see a plane overhead.

As part of that, we are not sitting around talking about what we’re going to do, we’re doing it.  One example is with Artown.  We are developing a series of educational videos that provide attendees a visual user experience thereby engaging them to learn more and become involved.  These series of videos will be posted online and distributed via several social sites.  But the reason we’re most proud is that in addition to producing a great sample video montage, our fabulous team also created--get this--a blooper reel.  Not only is that clever, creative and inspiring, it’s engaging.  Great job, team!  Check it out for yourself.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrNamSbvi5g