My 4 favorites: Social Media done right!

I’m very much a brand loyalist. I have a mild addiction to shopping at Victoria’s Secret, Whataburger is the only hamburger I know, Dos Equis is the only beer I would ever consider ordering, I never leave the house without a spritz of Burberry, and if Nike was considered business casual, I would wear gym clothes every day. And let’s not forget my strong devotion to Starbucks; on a road trip, I once drove 30 minutes off-route just to grab my favorite double tall, non-fat vanilla latte.

Brands create lifestyles. And with social media, now we can easily connect and engage with all our favorite brands from anywhere. 

Here’s a look at some of my personal favorite brands to follow on social media. Take notes because these places are doing social media right!  

Apricot Lane – Best. Fashion. Facebook. Page. Ever. Seriously. This fashion boutique carries all the favorites from MissMe jeans to cute tops and dresses that fit just right. But aside from the great apparel and accessories, the store’s social media strategy is excellent. As a regular shopper, I remember when I was first given a heart-shaped “Like us on Facebook” flyer with my receipt. (BTW that’s a great idea for launching a new social media page and raising awareness!) As a recent college grad in Public Relations and a social media lover, I checked out their page right away. The best feature: the store regularly posts pictures of the newest arrivals and updates on the sizes available. When I saw “Only one small left!” posted on a picture of a beautiful two-toned cocktail dress, I was there that afternoon to buy it (and it ended up being the perfect graduation dress). If there is an award for the best fashion retail timeline, Apricot Lane should win! They talk and engage with their fans, and the Apricot Lane in Dallas even has an interactive “Shop Now” tab on their Facebook page. Apricot Lane definitely knows who their audience is and how to engage them. 

NBC DFW – Breaking news, local news, Hollywood news, cheesy morning-show news, consumer news, you name it, I’ll read it. In today’s world, you have to be on top of the news if you want to survive. So how can you manage all this news without losing your mind? Yep, you guessed it: Facebook and Twitter. Even while living in Waco, I’ve always loved following @NBCDFW or the station's Facebook page, for two distinct reasons. Relevance and entertainment. As I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed or Twitter timeline, posts from NBC DFW always catch my eye or make me smile. One of my favorite features is the daily “Caption This” photo, where viewers send in cute or goofy pictures, then Facebook fans comment and suggest clever captions. It’s a great way to involve the audience! And if fans are lucky, their caption will appear on the NBC Weekend show. The key to connecting with social media followers is having a voice. A real-life, human voice. Instead of constant automated news headlines, NBC DFW talks to their audience, asks questions, shares interests and shows emotions. It really shows that they value their audience and viewers! And NBC's DFW station has over 23,000 followers on Twitter and over 92,000 fans on Facebook; they definitely know social media.

(Texas Monthly and The Dallas Observer are great to follow too!)

Scruffy Murphy’s – If you went to Baylor or have had a night out in the wonderful town of Waco, Texas, you might be familiar with this neighborhood college bar. Scruffs. The place full of Baylor pride and good times. During my last semester as a student, good ole Scuffys got a Twitter, and surprisingly, he’s an expert tweeter! So what makes @ScruffyMuphys1 so special? Replies and retweets. Twitter is all about engaging with followers, and Scruffs gets that! Throughout the week, I’ll see retweets that look something like this: “Wish I was at Scruffs right now!” or “Couldn’t get my Scruffs stamp off, must’ve been a great night!” (and FYI, that stamp really takes a lot of effort to get off!) The bottom line, Scruffs knows their audience and promotes their events accordingly. They support Baylor University athletics via Twitter and always retweet or reply to their more than 1,300 loyal followers (who are in turn, loyal customers). If you follow Scruffs, you will know when it’s party time with their hashtags, like: #karaokewednesday or #happyhour. Whether you’re daydreaming during class, cheering on the Baylor Bears or getting ready for a night out in Waco, Texas, Scruffs will be there to serve and retweet you! It’s a great example of social media engagement and customer loyalty.

And the best part about all these social media tactics: mobility. When I first moved into my apartment, I was without cable and wifi for over two weeks, which must sound unthinkable, but with iPhone apps and my favorite brands on social media, I didn't miss a beat, post, tweet or opportunity.

Okay now it’s your turn, what are some of your favorite brands to follow on #socialmedia? 

Social Media Dos and Don’ts of Great Profile Pictures

With every tweet, wall post, YouTube video, LinkedIn discussion and Facebook check-in, our online appearances are worth more than we might think. And with how valuable social media is with networking and job searching, it’s important to have the best online impression possible!

CBS did a segment about “putting your best foot forward inthe social media world” with some Do’s and Don’ts about profile pictures. It’s about a five-minute long discussion about what most of us already know. I agree with the advice, like “don’t have inappropriate or nude photos,” no cartoons, and avoid keg-stand poses – duh, that’s pretty obvious.   

So future bosses, co-workers, friends, family and even potential lovers, are going to be looking at your social media pages – but that doesn’t mean you have to hide yourself. Your profile still needs to represent the real you! So, how can you keep your profile pictures on a professional level while still letting your personality shine?  

After some research, casual googling and personal experience, here are my dos and don’ts of great profile pictures.  

Do sparkle and shine. Smile! Social cues 101: you never walk into a job interview, date or party without a smile. Same thing applies to your profile picture. A smile lets people want to click on you and learn more.

Some facial expressions you want to avoid are: kissy lips, throwing up the gangsta deuces and the serious-I’m-trying-to-be-sexy face. Unless you’re a Victoria’s Secret angel or auditioning to be a Vegas show girl, it’s best to stick to smiles.      

Do show your interests and activities. A picture is worth a thousand words, so why not show off your favorite hobbies and unique interests. You love to travel around the world? Great, show it off with the picture of you at the top of Mount Everest or skiing in the Alps. OK, we haven’t all been to Everest, but you know what I mean. Your picture should make people excited to get to know you. Show what you love – and remember to keep smiling. 

But don’t show every interest. Let’s be honest, our profile picture isn’t the place for showing that you know how to get down and do “the wobble” every Friday night or have a butterfly tattooed on your hip. Those are things I’d keep on the down-low.    

Be real. So you do like to wobble? Well don’t hide your fun, goofy side. Have pictures laughing with your friends, dancing at the beach, playing with your dog, running a marathon, cheering at a football game – show yourself. Just remember to keep it PG and smile.  

And be creative. Adobe Photoshop, Picnik, or even Instagram are great ways to edit photos and add your own flavor to them. For more creative ideas and incorporating Facebook’s new cover image,  check out these 10 FacebookTimelines That Will Blow You Away.

So, is your social media profile picture the best it can be?  

Who makes the top of your Most Inspirational People list?

I'm a picky person sometimes. Like with food, I might die if I find an olive in my salad or if my salsa isn’t spicy enough. Everyone has their preferences right? Being picky identifies you – the food you eat, the car you drive, the clothes your wear or the places you go.   

I’m especially picky when it comes to the people I let in my life. Still wrapping my head around the fact that I’m 22 years old, I’ve realized the people you surround yourself with should inspire you to be the best person you can be. Fact.

PerezHilton.com recently presented a list of the World’s Most Inspirational People. We need to find people that make our own list of Most Inspirational People. It’s so important to have those special people in your life that support and encourage you no matter what! Here are three beautiful individuals in my life that inspire me every day and I can’t imagine who I’d be without them.

Smile. People in your life should put a smile across your face, even when you think it’s impossible. Now some may not classify my sweet yellow lab, Dakota, as an inspirational person, but she sure is in my book. From the moment I wake up to all the walks on the beartrail, playing around Baylor Campus and cuddling after classes, she inspires me every second I’m with her. She reminds me to smile. In the midst of all the chaos and daily routines, life is beautiful and you need people in your life to remind you of that!  

Dance. Life should also be fun. It’s about having fort parties, water balloon fights, birthday limos, jazzercising, Pinterest parties and dancing everywhere you go. One of my best friends, Nicole, is by far the most inspirationally fun person I’ve ever known. She has a beautifully “goofy” personality. Being around her, you will, without a doubt, laugh and have fun. Everyone needs a Nicole in their life.       

Believe. The most inspirational people in your life are the ones that tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it. They are the people to tell you when you have boogers hanging out of your nose and bring you your favorite Starbucks after a bad day. They’re always encouraging and supportive, even when you don’t understand why. And I’m thankful enough to have an amazing sister, Buzzy, to do just that. Being an older sister, I try to be the role model, but really, she is the one that inspires me. She believes in me more than I believe in myself. Maybe she’s seen me cry too many times, but she’s always inspiring confidence – and it’s working!  

I truly can’t imagine what my life would be like without these beautiful people in my life.

Who makes the top of your Most Inspirational People list?

3 Websites College Seniors Should Follow

Graduating soon? Believe it or not, senior year is flying by and the pressure is on.

If you’re anything like me, between all the upper-level courses, group projects, presentations, internships and job applications, you may have a new understanding of the word anxiety. The years of sitting through one-hour classes, working out at the Student Life Center and studying for finals are about to be over. What is this “real world” people talk about? Well, we are about to find out.

Since May 2011, I’ve had the opportunity to intern with an amazing marketing team at Profiles International and have a sneak peek into the business world. As a public relations intern, I’ve been involved with social media and blogging. The Profiles blog offers great workplace advice for people of all ages and experience levels. From that, I researched and discovered some more insightful business blogs – ones that will especially benefit us, the younger recent college graduates. You don’t want to miss these three great sites, check them out:

·        Under30CEO. One of my favorites, you can tell from the title, Under30CEO is aimed for young entrepreneurs and recent college grads. It’s a leading media site featuring news, advice, trends and events for young men and women entering the business world. Whether you want to start-up your own business, become a CEO, network or just learn more about the corporate world, this site is perfect.  They offer great articles on topics like leadership, balancing work-life, personal branding, marketing strategies and more. After celebrating my birthday, I loved reading “8 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 22” and check out their most popular posts too. We’ll be ready for the real world in no time!

·       Forbes. OK, I’m sure you’ve heard of Forbes, the leading business news magazine, especially popular for its list of billionaires. Well I’m not suggesting this site solely because of its information on America’s single, most eligible millionaires. If you love slideshows and top-ten lists, Forbes has them! As we are graduating and deciding where and what to do with the rest of our lives, Forbes offers interesting slideshows on things like: “The Best Places For Business and Careers” and “America’s Most Promising Companies.” These are definitely things you want to keep on your radar.

·       Harvard Business Review. Now I know what you’re thinking, but no – you don’t have to be from an Ivy League school to appreciate the Harvard Business Review and you don’t have to subscribe to the magazine to enjoy its articles. Its online posts are all about being successful in the business world! Want advice on being a great leader, a better communicator or more productive? Well look no further, Harvard Business is sharing all their Ivy League ideas here.

Follow these sites and you’ll be ready for the business world in no time!

P.S. If you don’t have a Twitter already, get one! It’s a great way to connect with news, business, job searches and whatever else it is you’re interested in. And now you have three more sites to follow @Under30CEO @Forbes @HarvardBiz

Life is W.E.I.R.D.

Life is weird, you can’t deny it.

Come on, I’m sure you’ve had those days where it’s like “Wait, this cannot be real life!” Those days when you get home from a crazy day at class/work and just lay in the middle of your floor wondering why the hell that happened, or maybe, everything just turned out right for a change and you don’t know what to do next. Life is weird. Just read the headlines, watch the weather channel (or any channel for that matter), go to football games, walk around campus, or just go outside and breathe: life’s weirdness is everywhere and there is no escaping it. So embrace it.  

Wish. Life is all about wishes. I wish I had a Range Rover. I wish that annoying dude in my ceramics class would be quiet. I wish to have my own PR firm one day. I wish my family didn’t lie. I wish I wasn’t so awkward. I wish Hogwarts was real and Ron Weasely was single… And the list goes on. Some wishes are more realistic than others, obviously, but life would be nothing without them. The key to life’s wishes is action. My PR teachers say “Be Proactive!” So when I’m working my butt off and running between my internship and campus, and googling “best cities for PR jobs,” I’m taking action. Wishes can and do come true!

Entertainment. If laughter didn’t exist, I would be dead. Life is weird, and you have to be able to laugh with it. There is nothing better than a day full of laughter with people that mean the most to you. I love those car rides up to Dallas with my little sister where my abs hurt and throat is soar from laughing and scream-singing along to every song. Just throwing out a smile, even for no apparent reason, makes life more entertaining. Try it. Who cares if you look like that crazy girl singing to every broken-hearted song by Casey Donahew Band, or rapping at the top of your lungs to Lil Wayne’s We Be Steady Mobbin’ all the way up I-35. Life is hard sometimes, so have fun with it.  

Independence. Through all life’s craziness, there is always that moment where you need your space. Everyone has their rituals where it’s like: “Alright, I’m doing this right now, and no one better bother me.” Mine is art. That’s when I do my best thinking. There is nothing more refreshing than creating a piece that is all you; no distracting voices, no dictator, no worries, just you, your weirdness and a soon-to-be-masterpiece. It’s calming and self-assuring. Maybe that’s why I’ve been such a class-note doodler.         

Risky. Yeah, you better believe life has risks: risk of failing, risk of losing, risk of loving. Life is full of them. But the feeling, that rush of excitement, when we take risks is what drives us to keep going. No matter the size of the risk, whether it’s driving 70 in a 65 or giving someone that hurt you a second chance, we all take risks. The most important thing is to learn from them.      

Day. I come from a family of “planners,” always looking ahead to the next vacation or the next house they’re going to build, even if it’s years away. Planning is great and all, but if anything, life shouldn’t be one big mapped-out itinerary. Yes, it’s great to have a rough outline of what you wish to happen: plan for college, plan a career, plan a family vacation to the Maldives; but plan it out in pencil not sharpie. Life is weird, things happen and you have to live the now and enjoy every moment. Take life’s weirdness one day at a time.  

My Life in 3 and a Half Minutes

My Life in 3 and a Half Minutes from Christina Krenek on Vimeo.

Yeah, this pretty much sums it up!

So, I’m an addict…

Five (most random) things I can’t live without

The Today Show. After restless nights of fighting to fall asleep during Chelsea Lately or Sex and the City, I promptly wake up at 6:57 a.m.: just in time for the Matt Lauer in Studio 1A on Rockefeller Plaza. I guess I became a Today-Show-addict in high school, living in Kuwait. The show would air live at 3 p.m. Kuwait-time, conveniently right when I got home from school. I’d come in, grab my favorite Kuwaiti paprika chips, and turn on the big screen. Watching Meredith, Matt, Ann and Al, I suddenly felt like I was back home and not in the middle of the Kuwaiti desert. The show became an after-school ritual. It was comfortable, informative and fun. Since then, I’ve become addicted to the news and current events. As a Journalism-Public Relations major, I’m a news-junkie. I need to know what and where everything is happening, right away – thank God the Today Show has a Facebook and Twitter I can follow!

Baylor mug. I’m a college student, so it’s no surprise I live off coffee. I average at least 2 or 3 cups every morning (not including my afternoon brew or frequent Starbucks runs). But my morning coffee wouldn’t be the same without my Baylor-green-and-gold, oversized mug. It’s a fat mug, big enough to satisfy my incredible addiction. When I first came to Baylor, I had no idea I’d become the sic-em-baylor-proud college girl; well after three years, I definitely am. And I wouldn’t be able to start my day without pouring perfectly black coffee and way too much sugar into my favorite BU mug.   

Sunglasses. In the car. On the beach. Walking to class. Everyone has them, but they do more than just tame sunlight. They are magical. You know those mornings when you just don’t feel like going out and facing the world, but life doesn’t wait and you got to get up and go to class/work/watever anyways. Well, whether they’re designer shades from Nordstrom or seven bucks from Target, putting on any of my sunglasses is guaranteed to make those blah days better. I’m not quite sure how or why, but the world just looks better through the perfect pair of aviators. (Maybe they make me feel like a rockstar?)  

Bahrain Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt. Everyone has their shirt, you know, the comfiest and somewhat oversized shirt that just makes them smile. My Hard Rock tee from Bahrain is that shirt. I don’t know why I love it so much – maybe it’s an emotional connection because I bought it while visiting my family in the Middle East and had a great time, or it just fits perfectly and looks great with my Nike gym tights. Whether I wear it to the gym, to sleep, the mall or, hell, even the Waco Wal-Mart, I love that shirt. It’s crazy how one shirt can reveal so much about someone. I’m not that sensitive but I would literally cry if I lost this shirt, like it is the reason I do laundry. That’s not weird right?! Like I said, everyone has their shirt they’re crazy about.

Weekly trip to George’s. I would die if Georges wasn’t in Waco. I’ve come to love, love that place (yes, I said love twice). It’s probably not the healthiest addiction but you know those Tuesdays right after the gym where you’re just like: “Hey, I’m feeling some margaritas, chips and salsa and crazy wings.” Then Georges is the place to go.  Me and my friends can stroll in to the deck wearing our gym clothes (I’m usually a sweaty mess) and have the best time. So relaxing – it’s a perfect break from my crazy life. It’s a post-gym ritual. Some people make protein shakes or eat salads after working out, me, I’m all for post-workout margaritas and salsa. Great friends. Good food. Fun atmosphere. Definitely a place I can’t live without.