In 'word of mouse' world, companies need strategic communicators, prof says

 "Word of mouse" is changing the way the public learns about a company or organization. And the wisest CEOs are paying attention to the impact of technology and social media on their companies, says Larry Litwin, a professor of public relations at Rowan University.

"Technology is changing the way companies practice public relations--and it's changing every day," says Litwin, author of the book The Public Relations Practitioner's Playbook: A Synergized Approach to Effective Two-Way Communication, which was just released in an updated and widely expanded third edition.

"The Twitter effect and word of mouse are affecting companies' messaging."

 A lot of companies, says Litwin, are now hiring social media managers, both to monitor what others are saying about the company, but also to get messages out.

"It's hard to get your arms around social media, because it's changing so fast," says Litwin. "If companies have the resources, they are on Twitter and Facebook. It's important to keep up with the various channels as to how messages are being distributed."

The impact of social media has made solid public relations even more critical for a company, Litwin maintains.

"With all of the rapid changes in the profession, the smarter CEOs make their No. 1, No. 2 person a PR counselor," he says. "The smart companies and organizations are putting more into PR because they need the strategic counseling. Smart counselors look at the whole apple, the whole picture, and systematically determine what has to be done and how to get it done."

The PR Practitioner's Playbook is designed to provide information about public relations to all types of communicators-from seasoned practitioners to volunteers handling PR for the local parent-teacher association.

Using real-life examples, the book includes updated information on everything from strategic counseling and media relations to social media and crisis communication.

To demonstrate effective crisis communications, Litwin's book uses the already-famous "Miracle on the Hudson," the safe landing of a US Airways airbus on the Hudson River in January after the plane's engines failed. All 155 passengers and crew survived when the pilot landed the plane in the river.

"The way New York City and Mayor Michael Bloomberg handled the communications is exactly what you should do when there's a crisis," says Litwin.

During the incident, Bloomberg addressed the media quickly, honestly telling what the city knew and didn't yet know, says Litwin.

"It was clear that both his operational and crisis communication plans had been carried out flawlessly," he said.

For information about The Public Relations Practitioner's Playbook, visit http://www.larrylitwin.com/.