Friday, August 24, 2012

Social Media for Business Use: Enhancing Your CRM and Bottom Line

Posted in Best Practices, Online Marketing, Social Media

With the world?s online population now exceeding 2 billion people, growth in websites, social media channels, mobile apps and other Internet features are skyrocketing. And in the U.S., we spend an average of 32 hours online each week ? that?s double the global Internet user average.

When you break it down, you see that social networks equate for 22 percent of Internet use, making it the number one way people spend time online.

Making the connection

More than half of businesses currently use social media, and the majority of them say increased exposure is the biggest perk. Social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter provide consumers with an immediate way to interact with companies and brands. Getting discounts, staying updated on new offerings and asking for help with a product or service are just some of the ways consumers interact with businesses on social media.

Social media users also tend to spend more. One?study?shows?they?re willing to spend 21 percent more on a brand that delivers great service, while non-users are only willing to spend 11 percent more. Reach is also significantly higher for social media users, who share their positive experience with an average of 42 people and share their negative experience with an average of 53 people. While in comparison, only nine people hear about a non-user?s positive experience and only 17 people hear about a non-user?s negative experience. ?Although negative experiences have wider reach all together, more than four out of five social media users report that poor customer service has stopped them from going through with a purchase. That?s why it?s important to respond to your customers when they vocalize an issue ? and do so promptly!

Tapping into success

Social media savvy businesses see an increase in revenue when they spend at least 11 hours each week managing their social platforms. A lot of this results from social media driving website traffic. That?s an important benefit of social media, considering 60 percent of consumers make online purchases at least once every season. For this year alone, online shopping will have generated $179 billion, which is expected to climb to $259 billion in 2016.

Social media requires time, effort and even money, but businesses that use it clearly see the ROI. The social sector is growing, as well as online shopping and the many tools enabling consumers to make purchases and stay connected ? wherever and whenever.

Think of it this way: if you aren?t using social media, which provides another means for interacting with customers, you aren?t enhancing your CRM. In turn, you?re not helping your bottom line either. With the viral power of the Internet and social media, your customers are bound to hear about your socially present competitors. That?s why social media (done right, of course) helps businesses tap into and grow their share of the market.

To further satisfy your curiosity, see how social media?impacts SEO, courtesy of mediabistro.com:

Tagged Angela Schwab, Bottom Line, CRM, Morningstar Communications, ROI, SEO, social media | Leave a comment Posted on by Angela Schwab

Source: http://www.morningstarcomm.com/social-media-for-business-use-enhancing-your-crm-and-bottom-line/

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