Nothing clears my mind more than putting on some ice skates and gliding around the River Rink or strolling through the festive lanes of Legends in Sparks to Christmas shop. The holiday feeling the area gives provides me with a warm fuzzy feeling on those cold winter days. Well, that and a nice warm cup of hot coco. Reno is alive with it adventure whether it is winter, spring, summer or fall and makes me feel so blessed to be a part of  this community.  Man I love this place!

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.

A twitter user is looking for the best driving route from Point A to Point B.  A discussion begins with another user noting that flying is best because the drive is a bore.  I respond noting all of the beauty along the drive. The other counters my recommendation because I happen to work with several tourism clients that are along the route. 

Sure, I do have clients along the route, but I’ve also driven it many times when my husband was living at Point A and I was at B.  We’ve driven it on vacations since then, and yes, I’ve driven it for work.  And every single time it’s been fascinating.  And I’m entitled to this opinion, whether it aligns with my goals at work or not. 

I have yet to come across a client that I’m not truly excited about. That’s because we believe in our clients and are genuinely interested in them—who they are, what they do, what they’re about.  We don’t just take on clients because it’s business.  We take them on because we WANT to. Then we immerse ourselves, learning as much as possible about them.  We visit their location, attend their events or test their products.  I like to think that our work reflects that enthusiasm.

Often that enthusiasm spills over into our personal lives (or stems from it).  But if I’m passionate about something, I’ll talk about it, on my own time and in my own space, regardless of whether they’re a client.  I’m an independent with my own likes and dislikes.  I’m also a credible, trustworthy and honest person—and public relations professional. 

This Lenten season it was my goal to give up spending money dining out…allotting me three outings a week.  Some might say I am cheating the system because I’m giving myself a “cushion” of three outings.  However, on a weekly bases I was buying a bagel and coffee every morning at a local muffin shop, getting a sandwich, soda and chips for lunch and then heading out every now and again for dinner.  So, I set my goal to be as realistic as possible by allowing myself this “cushion.”  One day I sat down and calculated what I was spending weekly on my little “dining adventures” and I averaged $100 a week, which means I was spending about $400 a month on food outside of the groceries that I bought for my house.  Oh, and these totals did not include nights out with friends on the weekends. 

People automatically assumed I was giving up dining out for health reasons, but I was actually more concerned about my wallet and bank account than my health.  As I thought about what I was giving up I realized how selfish what I was doing, sounded.  In fact it brought up a number of different questions:  1) Are my spending habits affecting anyone but me? No not really, except that now the muffin shop and delis are losing a small profit.  2) Is what I’m giving up really a sacrifice or is it something that should be practiced regardless of the Lenten season?  3) Is it fair that I am totally benefitting from this?  According to the Bible Jesus sacrifice himself for us.  My giving up spending money doesn’t directly affect anyone but myself.  I debated with a co-worker about these thoughts and she brought up the argument that sometimes it’s okay to do something for yourself and that sometimes we don’t focus enough on ourselves.  While I think that is a valid argument, I still feel like I am doing something wrong. 

Giving up chocolate as a child, practicing not cursing as a teenager or giving up alcohol as a college student is just fine when you’re that age.  However, as a grown adult who now has the opportunity and means to give back, I’ve decided that, I will no longer practice the Lenten season by giving up an abused or over consumed item or habit, but I will do something for someone else.  I will donate my time, my knowledge and my experiences with those who can benefit from them.  Throughout the year I will do my best to recognize my abused habits and fix them as I go, so when the next Lenten season rolls around I will be able to focus on someone other than myself.