There is a very simple reason why many companies are leery of engaging in social media: control. Be it politics or business, control is power. Lose control and power wanes. Organizations want to maintain and control a centralized voice, not give way to the voice of individuals.

It’s the age-old argument: Is social media a great marketing tool or a communications liability? Depending on who you talk to, the answer will vary.

I think there is an important middle ground/step that can be taken to alleviate some of the concerns. It is pertinent for companies to institute a social media policy.

A social media policy lays ground rules for individuals and ensures that an organization is speaking with one voice, even if multiple people are doing the talking. Your strategic communications goals should shape your policy. Start with the end in mind. Then execute.

A social media policy should include the following:

• It should mirror your corporate culture
• It should define who can speak on behalf of the organization
• Train people, through examples, of what is appropriate and inappropriate, personal and professional, and clearly define the consequences of unethical behavior
• Be authentic when posting
• Add value through your posts

Yes, many on the outside are going to criticize you for not being totally transparent and there is credibility and truth to that. However, it could also be a key factor in getting a company or client to tiptoe into the social media waters so they can witness first-hand the power and positive aspects that social media brings to their brand. It’s social media with rules that can change the perception of social media as a liability to that of a positive marketing communications tool.

A simple and straightforward social media policy may be the difference between a company or brand engaging in social media or not. Think about it.

I was reminded recently when one of my colleagues decided to leave Jackson Marketing Group and move back to her home state, how few people actually prepare for a job interview. It never ceases to amaze me those that will enter an interview not knowing one thing about what we do specifically, who our clients are and/or how their skills can help us. In fairness, the ones that do research and come prepared almost always knock my socks off.

So I decided to write a quick blog post on job interviews from the PR perspective. Some of these rules can be applied when interviewing for any job. Some are specifically for public relations applicants.

• Research the agency and your interviewer. Know who our clients are, know the person that you will be talking to (almost every company has bios online) and know the focus of our business.
• Briefly research an agency’s clients. You don’t need to know anything in depth about them, but it’s an interview killer when someone asks, “So, who are your biggest clients?”
• Be specific on how you can help a company. We are a specialized industry. The public relations discipline consists of numerous specialties in and of itself, from media relations to crisis communications to media training to speech writing. How can your skills best be utilized?
• There is one thing that all public relations professionals should be: master communicators, specifically master written and verbal communicators. If you can’t write well, if you don’t have a grasp of proper grammar and punctuation and you don’t like to speak in front of people, this isn’t the business for you.
• Follow the news and know what is going on in the world and in your community. How can you help a company communicate and position a company positively, if you don’t have your pulse on what is taking place in the world or in your community?
• Understand that PR is not a 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. job.
• Dress appropriately and conservatively. For heaven’s sake, you’re being interviewed to be the spokesperson for a company and agency and/or a brand. Don’t you think they want you to represent them in a positive light?
• Follow up. I will never hire someone who doesn’t follow up with me following an interview in writing. Period. First, it’s rude. Second, it’s arrogant. Third, it’s a great way to show someone you really aren’t interested in the job. Finally, on the positive side, it’s a great way to showcase your writing skills. If you really want to get in on my good side, follow-up with a phone call, too.
• Communicate your pertinent extracurricular activities. Do you love social media? Are you writing a novel? I don’t care if you were a member of the sailing club, unless we have a sailing-related client. I do care if you are fluent in another language. I don’t care if you were your fraternity or sorority photo chairperson. I do care if you were photo editor of your school newspaper.

If you follow these tips, then you are sure to make a positive impression, stand out amongst most other candidates and give yourself a much better chance of getting hired.

A lot of people have come to me since October – clients, colleagues, PR pros, students, etc. – asking what they should do PR-wise to survive in the down economy. The answers vary for each group and individual, but the basic truths remain the same. Here’s my Top-10 reasons why PR matters, especially in a down economy:

1. Credibility – No other form of communication is as credible as PR. Why? PR lets unbiased decision makers tell your story for you. Think about it? If you read from an unbiased columnist that a widget works or a restaurant is great, doesn’t it resonate with you more than an advertisement or direct mail piece? What if you read it on someone’s blog or your best friend tells you about it? It’s powerful and it works!
2. Value - PR provides better ROI than other forms of communication. Sometimes, a simple phone call to an editor can result in a story that reaches thousands of people and is worth tens of thousands of dollars.
3. Perception – No other form of communication can persuade and change public opinion better than public relations.
4. Trust - Consumers are constantly looking for trustworthy sources, especially now with all the negativity that is surrounding the economy. PR pros are that trustworthy source for companies and consumers. If you are an executive or high ranking manager on the corporate side, seek and get honest feedback from your communications team. It is needed. If you are working with an agency, let them inside and trust them with sensitive information. Sometimes the truth initially hurts, but it certainly pays to have trustworthy advice that can lead to positive solutions.
5. Message Strength – Public Relations allows you to say all of the things that you can’t communicate in an advertisement or on a billboard. It tells a much deeper and broader story that evokes emotion and addresses the values and attitudes of your audience.
6. Relationships – Newspapers, trade publications, television and radio stations are feeling the effects of the economy, too. They are short staffed and underfunded. The need for PR pros with solid editorial connections is at a premium.
7. Short term vs. Long term – Don’t sacrifice long-term marketing objectives with short-term financial problems. PR can help you weather the short-term storm and meet your long-term objectives when the market returns ahead of the curve.
8. Facts – It is normal for rumors to fly and mountains to be made from mole hills during tough economic times. People are edgy and nervous. It is even more important now to deal with facts and truth, both from the client side and the editorial side. Fact checking and trustworthy sources are needed more than ever. Inaccuracy can be a death wish.
9. Don’t play Hide-and Seek – As a formal journalist, nothing is more frustrating than the “PR pro” who is only there when times are good and nowhere to be found when times are bad. Too many companies, executives, clients, etc. are hiding behind their attorneys or getting rid of their communications departments to cut costs. This is not the right approach. Be seen and be heard – good and bad. It will build trust, credibility, and relationships, and will pay you back 10-fold when times are good.
10. Bite Into Market Share – There is no better time than now to bite into your competitor’s market share. It follows the same principle as the stock market of buy low and sell high. When your competitors are not doing all of the things mentioned above, and you are, the results will be increased market share and better brand awareness. Times are bad. So invest. The market will return and consumers will purchase again. The key is: will they then purchase from you?

Remember when the word “marketing” used to mean advertising, public relations, sales, research and all other forms of communications? It still does to some people, but most, especially Fortune 500 companies, understand the difference amongst communications disciplines. That understanding is also trickling down to the grassroots levels thanks to integrated marketing communications agencies and our brethren in the corporate communications, non-profit and government sectors.

With that paradigm change, expertise and mastery of a specific discipline is more important than ever. Just think about other professions – doctors, attorneys, architects, realtors. They are all specialists. Sure they have to work with other specialists, as do we, but they are the experts in their field of study. Now, so are those in the communications profession, which is why differentiating oneself amongst your peers is so important.

Let’s take my discipline, public relations, for example. With a growing and better understanding of what PR practitioners do – from strategic development and crisis communications, to C-level executive counseling – most clients want to know how experienced and credible their spokespeople are going to be. Let’s face it: we are going to, in many times, be the face and voice of your company or product or be advising your spokesperson.

Not only does expertise matter, but more and more clients are starting to ask for it. They are demanding more strategic, sophisticated communications counsel, as well as a want of professional certification as hiring and promotional criteria in the U.S. and abroad become more competitive. In the PR profession the highest level that one can obtain is called accreditation. It is signified with an ‘APR’ designation by one’s name. Fewer than 25 percent of PR practitioners are accredited.

Accreditation is the hallmark of the public relations profession and signifies mastery of the public relations body of knowledge and the holder’s commitment to ethical behavior. It demonstrates broad knowledge, experience and professional judgment in the field. APR demonstrates that individuals have the knowledge, ethics and experience to set them apart.

To earn the APR designation, one must pass an examination that consists of an oral presentation to a panel of senior-level PR pros and pass an exam that tests 60 specific knowledge areas from within 10 areas of professional practice such as research, planning, implementing and evaluating programs; ethics and law; communication models and theory; business literacy; management skills; crisis communications management; media relations; information technology; history; and advanced communication skills.

It doesn’t mean that you can’t be successful if you don’t have it, but it’s the equivalent of working with an accountant who is a CPA or an architect that is AIA. There is an instant credibility that you are working with a seasoned and proven pro when that designation is beside your name. And those designations are making more and more of a difference.

Brett Turner, APR, is Public Relations Director of Jackson-Dawson Marketing Solutions in Greenville, S.C. Turner is President-Elect of the South Carolina Chapter of PRSA and also serves as the Chapter’s Accreditation chair.