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.

I do the same thing on Facebook, wondering if I should accept a friend request from someone just because we have 35 friends in common, forget the fact that I’ve never met them and we have nothing in common (aside from those 35 “friends”).

I recently read a column in the New York Times about social networks that discussed the very thing I’d been debating with myself. It zones in on networks, especially LinkedIn, and users that are getting a little overboard with connections, “LinkedIn megalomaniacs” who connect with “practically everyone they pass on the street.”

So much of life is about numbers…the ones in your bank account, the ones on your Guitar Hero score, and let’s face it, the friend or connection count on your social networks. But, as the article points out, should we be placing so much emphasis on our connection counts that we’re willing to professionally vouch for or share our personal lives with complete strangers?

“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.

For instance, one client’s fans on Facebook shot up to more than 800 in just over a week due to the viral nature of the joiners. Reminds me of the days when I recognized most of the members on the list.

With many of our clients now embracing social from a business perspective there comes with it an obvious ability to speak directly to your customer…someone interested in your product or service…as well as fueling their desire to see it grow. 

A recent Small Business Blog post summarizes a top Twitter blogger’s remarks during the Search Engine Strategies conference in New York City this week.  Guy Kawasaki puts it quite simply, “Bubble Up” marketing.  It’s worth the read.  

Thanks also to @Rebecca_Rose, here’s a great piece in Newsweek about America’s first viral eatery. Both aptly answer the question, “Yes, there is a place for businesses on Twitter.”

So in an effort to help stoke the fire a bit, the following lists our clients that are new to Facebook and Twitter.  Check it out and see if something strikes you.  If so, you know what to do…and if not, you know what to do too. 

Artown:  http://tinyurl.com/dcfoh5 and http://twitter.com/artown

Lake Tahoe Music Festival:  http://tinyurl.com/c5styb

Lake Tahoe North:  http://tinyurl.com/cxlzy2 and http://twitter.com/TahoeNorth

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival:  http://tinyurl.com/daeyb5 and http://twitter.com/tahoebard

Rock-N-River Marathon:  http://tinyurl.com/cczhrx and http://twitter.com/RocknRiver

Save Nevada Tourism:  http://tinyurl.com/cgbmm3

Back in December, RKPR took advantage of an opportunity. Honestly, I keep thinking that anyone would have done what we did.  I’m also naïve enough to believe that all communications professionals call journalists back, but I know that’s not true (ssshhh, I know because the journalists tell).  But the truth of the matter is we did step up while others watched. We seized the opportunity.   

In January, I received a “D” message from @nvbob asking what I thought about co-presenting with him on real-life social media strategies using RKPR’s December case study as an example. Absolutely! 

On March 7, Bob Conrad, APR and I will be leading a workshop during the inaugural Nevada Interactive Media Summit titled, “Unconventional PR Strategies:  How Social Media Has Changed Communications.”  And trust me, it has changed. 

As a 16 year communications professional, I’ve had the privilege of seeing technology soar. Fortunately for me, I love technology and, even though math still provides me challenges, I can quickly grasp new tech concepts, applications, etc.  The one area I find completely fascinating is social networking, especially its implications on businesses, brands, organizations and individuals.

It seems as though on a regular basis I hear myself saying, “today media changed.”  One such instance that’s quite vivid was when US Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River and the first shot that appeared on all the major news sites was from a ferry boat passenger (@jkrums) via his mobile phone posted to Twitpic. The photo was everywhere and for the next several hours @jkrums was being interviewed by all the major networks. What amazed me even more was that his first-person account was news and the media wanted to hear his story. He seized the opportunity.  

During our presentation, we’ll talk about the changing face of communications and that a solid strategy, strong goals and realist objectives are as foundationally critical to a social media campaign as they are to a traditional program.

I feel quite honored to be included with such knowledgeable presenters.  I’ll be attending the entire day and I hope to see many others attending as well. 

Details / Registration $25 (register by Wednesday), $40 Walk-in.    

I did some research, looked for statistics and survey results and sat down to write.  Then a funny thing happened.  Frustrated, I stopped writing, put this post aside and went back to reading others’ blogs.  Feeling overwhelmed that I had to have the perfect blog post, I reverted to being the freeloader I was researching.  Ridiculous, right?

So, back to the research.  I came across stats about how there are more consumers that creators in social media.  Without getting into too many numbers, here are a few figures that show the gap between creators and consumers in social media.  Data from a recent survey of undergrad and graduate students in the U.K. shows that 80 percent were viewing videos on YouTube, but only 14 percent were uploading videos.  Universal McCann’s Media in Mind study shows that 10 percent of U.S. adults now publish blogs, up from 5 percent in 2007, while 32 percent of adults have read them. The number publishing blogs jumps when isolating the 18 – 34 age group with 20 percent publishing blogs.

But in the general marketplace, haven’t there always been more consumers?  And in the marketplace those consumers play an important role by purchasing goods and keeping the economy flowing.  It’s a little different online, mainly because most content creators aren’t in it to make money.  They’re posting family photos and video, twittering out their every move and thought and blogging.  But if there were no one out there consuming all of that information, would there be a point to posting it?

And that’s it.  We may tag the non-creating consumers of social media “social freeloaders,” but if we’re all putting it out there without placing any sort of restrictions on the material, such as an access fee or permission process, then aren’t we inviting people to use it at will?  In the end, the numbers aren’t that big of a deal—eventually they’ll shift as more and more people begin creating.  The point is freeloading is a relative term and often the only barrier to becoming a creator is intimidation.  It’s important to welcome, rather than label, newcomers to the social media scene.  Eventually they’ll increase their participation and who knows, maybe even outpace the rest of us!

But in-person, face-to-face communication can’t be ignored.  It’s the opportunity to make your connections come full circle.  After all, even members of the Twitter feed TweetupRNO meet in person for monthly mixers.  That said networking in person can be intimidating for some.  Recently a friend noted how easily I approach strangers and strike up conversation, an ability she’s never been adept at, and asked for tips on meeting new people.  I came up with my top three, and I think they’re great to share.

1) People you don’t know are still just people.  The person you’re preparing to introduce yourself to puts their pants on one leg at a time too.  Plus, they may be just as nervous as you are about introducing themselves to someone new.  Take a deep breath, smile and start with, “Hi, I’m ____.”   It’s basic, but it’s just the beginning.

2) Don’t be afraid of looking stupid.  Reference back to #1 on this one; we’re all just people.  Everyone has looked stupid at some point in their life, and if you don’t think you have too then you’re fooling yourself.  What is stupid is passing up the opportunity to meet someone new, make a connection and grow your social circle.

3) Don’t be afraid of rejection.  If a person acts like a jerk when you try to meet them, that’s a reflection on their character and not a fault of yours.  Reference back to #1 again on this one; we’re all just people, some not so nice.  Smile, move on to the next person and start again.

These are a great start for someone new to in-person networking, but the only way to rein in your fear is just to get out and meet people.  Then do it again, and again and again.  You may not remember every person you meet at an event (and hey, if you’re me they may not remember you), but you’ll always see them again and your conversation may shift from “Hi, I’m so-and-so” to “Haven’t we met before?”

Recently what I’ve come to realize is that the Chamber of Commerce type of networking events with the breakfast meetings, luncheons and ribbon cuttings are not holding my attention or interest.  I’m yielding to this exponentially expanding, “world is flat” social networking environment that is all the rage. A rage not a fad because we’re only just seeing the beginning.

In a matter of minutes, those looking to engage can go from being a passive observer to a full-fledged member.  For anyone just dipping their toe into the social waters, here’s a tip…you’re not the first, you won’t be the last and there’s a whole bunch of folks willing to help you out.  Whew, a relief I know…it was for me.

As I’ve moved from dipping my toe to now seeking out opportunities to learn, do and become more involved, I’ve never felt any judgment from others that have paved the way, but instead have been greeted with messages of “welcome,” “glad to see you,” “here’s what you need to do,” and “we’ve been waiting for you.”  An interesting change for anyone coming from the corporate side of “I got where I got today because of MY dedication and MY hard work.”  That’s not the story of today.

Today is about engaging in the conversation and speaking directly to our audiences through communications channels that never sleep.  What’s even more inspiring is what you learn about each other personally and professionally.  We each become more open, share more and banter online in a fashion that’s building real relationships.  And during those occasions when the world of “old” networking and “new” meet, your online communication serves as the foundation for in-person discussion moving you past the routine “how’s the weather” questions to substantial and more meaningful conversation.

For public relations professionals, it’s a perfect playground ready for our interaction and authentic involvement.  It’s the new networking.  Get out and get dirty!