Corporate communications was once a formal affair, sent on letterhead and approved by marketing. No more. Today’s companies are leaky sieves through which unregulated and unapproved messages flow between customers and employees at all levels of the organization. Social media redefines what we think of as public relations, demanding new tools and new approaches.

Career marketers may be tempted to stifle such communications in order to better control their messages and the way the brands they represent are perceived. They’ll fail for one simple reason: customers like to connect. Companies that engage directly with customers for marketing, support, and research get strong competitive advantages—lower costs, stronger loyalty, better conversion rates, and improved product designs.