Can Social Media be a great PR Tool….hell yes!

The world is collapsing in terms of distance, its changing how we're working together, building brands, how we're communicating with each other and learning about each other.

If you don't already use social media to talk to your customers, you’re already behind the power curve; Your customers' online conversations increasingly control your brand, so you had better join in the conversation yourself.

Like others, I define social media as a conversation between authors and fact-finders and their audience. Unlike common media, newspapers, television and radio, social media brings others into the story. It has given a stronger voice to the public, empowering individuals to promote and discuss ideas among others while leaving a personal imprint on history. When former Sen. John Edwards threw his hat into the ring as a candidate in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, he was flying in a private jet high above the nation he hopes to lead. From his airplane, he watched his announcement on the popular video web site YouTube, which was playing his recorded address over the Internet.

On one side of the presidential candidate sat a photographer from Flickr, who was uploading photos to the online photo-sharing web site. Nearby sat a videographer recording scenes to be uploaded to YouTube. A blogger was reading real-time responses about his announcement and a few members of the print media were also there.

Among them all sat Robert Scoble, one of the most popular bloggers ever to enter a journal on the Internet. Aside from the print media reporters, all of those seated with Edwards were part of a revolution known as Social Media.

I’ve had several recent conversations with clients wishing to build their businesses and brands, encouraging them to sign up for and engage in social networking tools, such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

This is the time of year when the phone rings more than ever with clients making New Year’s resolutions; they want to be more proactive outside of just press releases and events. I tell them lets go and develop a social media strategy and plan – most of them laugh nervously down the phone.

But studies show social media is now growing at an alarming speed and can be a great marketing and PR tool, for both agency and client alike. In the past few months I have used Facebook to connect with a local broadcast journalist as a friend and pitched a media opportunity that came to fruition last week and found a panelist for a roundtable workshop through a blogger and Facebook friend.

The use of online tools to build communities and develop relationships with people who may be friends, customers, business partners, clients and colleagues is an important part of the way many people live and do business today. The use of social networks can be very powerful and as a result I’ve connected with dozens of new people interested in doing business, but also interested in joining our company.

I’ve already been testing Facebook Flyers and found it a great way to target specific groups by sending a specific message to a specific type or community of people at a specific time.

Flyers and the like effectively allow for individuals (not just media companies or organizations) to promote their cause. This I think will be the next new phenomenon. Think about it! if I care about green something or other, rather than just give money to a charitable cause and hope they do something - I take out ads on facebook / myspace for like minded folks and drive them to action. It’s real grass roots initiatives like these, that will make change.

I recently went to an event in London which was an important reminder that social networking includes getting out and being part of the community in person, not just online! It was great fun to meet people and some really impressive entrepreneurs, to have exciting conversations with marketers about what social media strategies they can apply to help build their brands.

To understand the power of social media offerings levied by open source Internet communication, you can look to the very top, or right down at your own keyboard for a start.

That’s why I believe that social networking communities are increasingly pivotal in how brand reputation is shaped and how companies manage change. As the public relations industry evolves, social network engagement will enhance our work in change management, brand marketing and corporate reputations.