So what’s the new strategy for releasing news/information companies hope will go unnoticed? Or is that time gone forever?

Last week I was on a panel, “Crisis Communication in a Social Media World,” with CNN political commentator Maria Cardona and The Washington Post‘s James Buck. Cardona, also a principal with the Dewey Square Group, provided insights into political scandals and the need to be prepared to move quickly with social media as a key part of your crisis PR plan. Since former Congressman Anthony Weiner is “old news” in the Twitter world, we focused on the Herman Cain controversy and the impact of social media.

Buck talked about how the Post uses social media in its reporting, including live-tweeting meetings and events and verifying sources via Twitter by looking at Klout scores and level of engagement among other factors. Buck has first-hand experience with the power of social media. While covering protests in Egypt in 2008 he was detained by Egyptian authorities and placed in a vehicle that was to take him to a prison. In the back seat, he tweeted one word -  “arrested” – which triggered a response that eventually led to his release. Twitter’s founders use this as an example of how one word tweeted to a handful of followers can have a big impact.

Still think social media is for following Justin Bieber or Snooki? It’s so much more, and you need to have a plan and tools in place – before the crisis hits.

High Highlight #1: No question..it’s when Jeff came on board and we became SMPR partners. A Public Relations professional to his core who has lead us in new directions…most notably/recently his expertise in social media…he is also a genuinely nice guy and good friend.

High Highlight #2: Being on site (and working around the clock day after day) for five weeks at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City where we represented a resort property that was an unofficial Olympic Village for Nordic ski and biathlon teams from around the world. It was a heady experience working with major national and international media on a daily basis and in close daily contact with athletes of that caliber.

Our Three Maxims:

• Always Take the High Road. No exceptions, no detours.
• It is a Small World. In large measure reputations rise and fall as a result of  this simple statement.
• LOVE what you do or don’t do it anymore. A great day @ SMPR is when we get a “hit” for a client and/or we provide counsel that a client  recognizes as smart, insightful and new.

Thank you for your part in helping us to arrive at age 17 and for your continuing help to propel us to the next 17 years.

One technique we don’t cover during Sawmill’s media training sessions is the “walk-off.” And for good reason! If you aren’t up for the questions the interviewer is likely to ask, don’t put yourself in that position. If you decide to unclip the microphone and stomp away, it will guarantee coverage, but not the kind you’re looking for. But people still do it! To see some of the best walk-offs, check out this clip from WBAL-TV.

When will we learn?

Ms. Berentson shares that, for her, the best story ideas “unfold in a conversation about this and that” which provides valuable insight into her approach for exploring and discovering stories that reside beyond the obvious and the expected.

Our challenge is to find a way to be a part of one of her conversations about “this and that” and in so doing, uncover a story that neither one of us knew was there.

Begin by prioritizing the audience that is impacted the most and then identify the influencer audiences. This exercise should quickly reveal the crisis communications audience strategy as well as options for how best to begin communicating with them.

Additionally, the audience strategy will help to fine tune and customize the crisis messaging so that it is relevant and credible to the target audiences.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A social media strategy and its relevance is more than just trying to fire off one or two “tweets” a day about your latest project. Like advertising, social media marketing is quickly becoming a necessity in today’s business climate. If you believe business-to-business relationships are all about people – not companies – connecting with each other, then social media is something you’ll want to consider as an efficient way to share your expertise, build new connections and continue conversations with others.

Come hear real-world examples of how social media can be a valuable B2B tool that should be integrated with other marketing communications activities as more purchase decision-makers look to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogs for information. Learn how some commercial real estate executives and the media are using Twitter to connect with prospects and news sources, the importance of social media when it comes to online search results, the role social media plays in branding and recruitment, implications for crisis communications and more.

Joining me will be Pauline Harris, owner/principal, SPIN. Location: Saul Ewing, LLP, 500 E Pratt St, Ste 900, Baltimore, MD 21202. For details and to register, visit this link.