There’s been a lot of chatter recently about companies that don’t “get” social media … or that are using it wrong … or only enter when forced by a crisis. (Dominos anyone?)

Well, don’t be mistaken. There are plenty of companies who do get it … who are using Twitter and other social media tools to engage current and potential consumers.

One example: Teleflora. Just look at this series of tweets from last week.

That simple gesture — engaging one person with one quick tweet — sets Teleflora apart. It differentiates them from all the other flower delivery services out there. Now, let’s be realistic. This won’t lead to a sale tomorrow (I don’t need to order anyone flowers), but you can bet that the next time I need to send flowers, Teleflora will be at the top of my list.

Isn’t this what social media is all about? We’ve all heard about Comcast and JetBlue. What are some other examples of under-the-radar companies engaging in social media? What are they doing that works?

About a year-and-a-half ago a coworker introduced me to Pandora. At that point, I hadn’t found a place online that I really connected with. Of course, I visited CNN and MSNBC for news all day and occasionally iTunes or PerezHilton, but that was it. Call it a personal preference, but Facebook and MySpace were never for me, and I begrudgingly LinkedIn for business reasons.

But here was a free site that allowed me to create my own radio stations to play genres of music that I selected … without any commercials. Anything I didn’t like got a thumbs down and was never played again. Frankly, it seemed too good to be true, but I have been listening to Pandora ever since. When I heard that the company was having trouble making money because users didn’t look at the site very often (making banner ads a tough sell), I found myself thinking about ways to help and have been sending suggestions to them from time to time.

I have gone on to buy a SqueezeBox that would let me listen to my Pandora stations at home, and I check the site daily to see when the BlackBerry application will be ready so that I will have it on my phone too. I have quite literally driven friends crazy talking about what a big fan I am.

I have always been a bit resistant to following the crowd – and in a true Gen-X/Nick Hornby sort of way, I haven’t wanted to be a part of what has been happening online. Social media just wasn’t for me. But the other day when I found myself Tweeting Pandora’s “Online Community Manager,” I knew resistance was futile. Thanks a lot, Pandora.

As a J-school graduate and PR professional, I love newspapers. And by newspapers, I mean the printed kind – not online (I don’t mind the ink). We encourage our team to read through several national newspapers everyday and flag issues and topics that relate to clients – helping them to focus on opportunities and potential placements. Through the years I have come to notice some important changes in what the national newspapers cover.

Up until late last year the “A” sections of the major national newspapers were basically the same with regards to the stories they covered. The front page of the USA Today, New York Times and the Wall Street Journal were quite similar and I found myself reading whichever “A” section I got to first and skimming through the rest. Big news being big news, it made sense, and probably wasn’t something that mattered to anyone who didn’t make a habit out of reading through all of them.

But as the circulation at newspapers all over the world began to drop, I started to notice a shift. The national papers began to lead with more diverse stories, with less and less overlap. Yesterday and today, for example, there was not one shared story on the covers of USA Today, Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. And with the exception of the “big stories,” this trend has been consistent for months.

We have debated the reason why with a number of colleagues and believe that the tail may finally be wagging the dog. Because all of their content is online and easily comparable, newspapers have had to become more creative with the stories they choose to run. Consumers want different kinds of content, so the pressure is on to keep it interesting. And perhaps their online presence is now driving what ends up in print.

If this is true, this may be very good news for those in the PR profession who are creative and understand the new demands.

This past weekend, I went to Charleston, SC for a mini-getaway. (Side note: What a beautiful city. If you haven’t had a chance to visit, I highly recommend it!!)

Since this was my first visit to Charleston, I wasn’t sure where to eat or what tourist attractions to visit. I could have asked the hotel concierge or checked out the visitors’ guide. Neither of those won out. Instead, one “old school” tactic and one “new school” tactic helped me experience the best of this impressive place.

First, we needed to eat. We searched the Yelp iPhone app, which produced a list of suggested restaurants – some with excellent reviews and some with warnings to stay away. Blossom came very highly recommended on Yelp. And, once again, Yelpers came through. The meal was a-maz-ing.

Then, we went old school. We wanted to take one of those horse-drawn historical tours of Charleston. On one street corner, we found a vendor handing out flyers to passersby. Well, the guy seemed nice and the flyer made them sound like the best option in town … so, that’s how we chose this vendor over the others. Pretty, simple right?

Here’s the point: It doesn’t matter how you reach your potential customers … as long as you reach them. Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, flyers, direct mail – those are all just tools that make it easier for customers to find you. As marketers, we need to make sure we’re incorporating the right tools so people can easily find our companies. (Hint: A static, corporate web site is not enough.)

How about your company? Hard to find or easily accessible? What are some innovative ways companies are using tools – old or new – to be more “findable?”

Photo Credit: Bill Ward

Costa DeVault participated in yesterday’s Corporate 5K. More than 11,000 local professionals ran — or walked — just over three miles through the streets of downtown Orlando. Even though our 11-person team definitely wasn’t the quickest, we did enjoy the exercise, weather and mingling with other local businesses. We’ll be back next year!

Here’s an analogy for you: Social media is the new rock and roll. Just stop and think about it … see? Lots of similarities. For example, both evolved out of something else. (Rock and roll from R&B, folk music and jazz; social media from Web 1.0, AOL chat rooms and people’s desire to be heard.)

But, let’s look at the cultural impact.

• Barrier breaking. In the 1950s, racial tensions were surfacing. “Separate but equal” was overturned … Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus — you know the history. Along came this new genre of music that mixed what one DJ called “black and white music.” Concerts crossed racial lines. Clearly, rock and roll didn’t end racial discrimination, but it did help bring people together. Likewise, social media eliminates barriers. It doesn’t matter if you (or your brand) have a lot of money or a little … whether you’re the coolest kid on the block … or a huge geek. Your opinions matter and your voice can be heard, thanks to social media. Social media breaks down walls between you and your consumers.

• Dismissed as merely a fad. As my new Twitter friend Jennifer Wilbur pointed out yesterday, Variety magazine proclaimed that rock and roll would be dead by June, 1955. Well, here we are 50-plus years later … still rocking. Social media? Even though some (wrongly) predicted the end of blogging and Facebook’s immediate demise — both are still here … going strong and gaining in popularity.

• Generational overlap. Rock and roll and social media were first obsessions for “young people.” Think of those heartthrob rock idols — Elvis, the Beatles, Rolling Stones. The younger culture pushed rock and roll … and slowly but surely, the adults quit panicking about Elvis’s swiveling hips and got on board. Likewise, social media started with teens and college kids; however, the recent announcements from Twitter (with more than 10 million users) and Facebook (topping 200 million active users) prove that social media isn’t just child’s play. Grown-ups — and not just the uber-techy ones — are getting social online, too!

• “Save the world” mentality. Remember that scene in “Almost Famous” when they’re trying to define rock and roll? Jason Lee’s character, Jeff Bebe, says, “Rock ‘n roll is a lifestyle and a way of thinking… and it’s not about money and popularity. One of these people is gonna save the world. And that means that rock and roll can save the world … all of us together.” Early rock and rollers wanted love and peace … to make the world a better place. That same mentality is found in many social networks. Danny Brown’s amazing #12for12K is just one example.

So, what do you think? Are we ready to declare social media as this generation’s rock and roll?

Photo Credit: Truus, Bob & Jan