How strong is the relationship you’re building with your customers? Have you thought about every step of the process, from the moment they start searching for your product or service, until you close the sale and beyond?
CRM – customer relationship management – defines this process. Social CRM creates a connection between business and customer in the media channel of their choice. It might be Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or it might be phone, text, or email.
The best customer relationship management strategies think of everything and incorporate every possibility into a unique dynamic profile that can be used again and again. Think of it as your marketing and salesforce super team.
Why Social CRM Is Perfect For Customer Service
Think about your own buying experiences. Don’t you appreciate great customer service? Don’t you prefer to do business with companies that are proactive in meeting your needs and desires?
Do you give that to your own customers?
According to Salesforce, one in four customers state that it’s easier than ever to find a company that gives them the experience they are looking for. And they aren’t afraid to go looking for what they need most.
They expect a seamless process from beginning to end. They expect customization and personalization every step of the way. Engagement is everything. There’s no more treating your customers as if they were a number.
What if you knew more about your customers and prospects every step of the way? What if you were able to act quickly and respond to their every need? What if you could anticipate their needs and respond accordingly? That’s the power of a good social CRM system.
Think of every interaction as a chance for one-to-one connection. Think of it as an automated customer service agent meeting their every need. Why not give each and every person the attention they deserve?
You supply the content – blog posts, Facebook posts, photos on Instagram, videos on YouTube – and social CRM monitors and tracks engagement and encourages people to take action and spread the word.
The Benefits of CRM
>Of course, interaction isn’t the only thing an effective customer relationship management strategy does. It can also qualify your leads and respond to your customers no matter what their needs. The more you put into your CRM process, the more you’ll get in return.
Consistency – Every social media site you use carries to look and feel of your brand. All data – including phone numbers, social media accounts, addresses – it carries through from place to place.
Transparency – Your customers can see the step by step process of working with you no matter where they enter or how they search to find you.
Create more qualified leads – By adding more to your process, your customers learn more in automated ways. A more educated prospect is very often easier to sell and easier to please.
Creates a smoother process – Have you ever had a communication breakdown in your internal process? By controlling ever customer platform in similar fashion, you’ll never get mixed messages confusing your prospects.
It allows everyone to be proactive – No more being blindsided by comments you’ve never seen or read. If you have an internet connection, you can be part of the process. It allows more people to be involved in the customer service process, to give feedback and to connect any time of the day.
Build deeper relationships – A click of a like button. A simple comment. An update to a question or a concern. A friendly hello. It doesn’t take a lot to build a better relationship with your customer base. Even simple contacts can go a long way. Social CRM is the way to do that and more.
How To Build CRM Into Your Business
Still not sure if CRM is right for you? Consider what social customer relationship management can do for you to increase business performance.
Customer Service
The most obvious is customer service. The more access you have to your customers across all channels, the more strong you’ll build your base. A social CRM that spans across multiple channels and business functions means a quicker response rate and a higher quality customer service option for the people doing business with you.
Sales
An efficient social CRM can help move a prospect through your sales funnel and increase the chances they will click the buy button down the road. It allows sales teams to personalize the experience while automating it at the same time. Ever been sold to by contacts through text, email, different landing pages on a website, and connections via your favorite social media site? That’s an effective social CRM process in place.
But it’s not just selling to one; it can improve both referrals and future sales as well. How about keeping your happy customers attuned to what your company does? How about turning customers into advocates and influencers with further education? You can do that with a well thought out plan.
Marketing
No sales process is complete without increasing your connections with potential customers throughout the process. Social CRM can expand your reach while reducing your costs at the same time. That’s a win-win for everyone on your team.
What we like about social CRM is the ability to think outside of the box. This isn’t a process you design overnight and keep in place for months – years – at a time. Instead, it’s always evolving, ever-changing to better suit your prospects needs. With just a little bit of effort each week, you’ll quickly reap the rewards.
How Do You Use Social CRM?
Is your business using social CRM as effectively as possible? Have you thought about the message you’re spreading across platforms? Have you defined your niche market and understand them well? Do you have strategies in place to grow your customer base into influencers and raving fans?
If not, maybe now is the time. Why not start creating your strategy today.
