Social media and CRM go together like a movie and popcorn or cookies and milk.  Tracking all interactions with customers helps to make CRM as effective as it is.  Social media gives your business another channel to interact with your current and prospective customers in an environment they are comfortable in.  In order for your company to be approachable on a social media channel you must first develop a successful social media strategy by using the most effective Social Media channels.  To help you kick start your Social CRM here is a list of the eight most used channels for Social CRM and reasons why they may be right or wrong for you:

1.       Twitter – Twitter allows you to put bits of news out to your followers. 

Pros: It takes little time to set up a Twitter account and even less time to keep it up.  This is recommended for all companies, especially if you are skeptical of the social media tactic of CRM.

Cons:  Since the pace of Twitter is so fast, few people will see each post.  Posting regularly is key for a successful Twitter based Social CRM.  Making time throughout the day to post on Twitter can be challenging.  Likewise for readers, following a conversation is also not as simple as most other social media outlets.

2.       Facebook – Facebook allows companies to create pages with just about any type of content they would like.

Pros:  Facebook is great if you have diehard fans.  Use Facebook to create a following around your brand by offering special promotions and information only to those who become fans of your Facebook page.  You can create a cult following by giving your fans something unique to talk about both on your page and theirs.

Cons: It can become difficult to create fans of your page if your organization provides an obscure service.  One way of getting around this is to find an exciting topic.

3.       LinkedIn – LinkedIn is the professional social media website. 

Pros:  Having a company profile gives the viewer insight into your business.  This is a must if you are a small business; making yourself a celebrity in your specialty will only draw people to you. 

Cons:  All interactions happen on the individual level.  Meaning, self-promotion as a company representative is the best way to attract customers and prospective customers.  When generating business, many companies confuse LinkedIn with being the go-to site for Social CRM and generating business.  In reality, LinkedIn is a great channel to connect with people you already have a connection with.  Since it is saturated with professionals, when connecting with new individuals you will be drowned out by all the other professionals screaming for attention.  Use LinkedIn as a channel of communication and not for generating new business.

4.       YouTube – YouTube allows you to post any type of videos for others to view.

Pros:  You can record tutorials, interviews, public speaking, commercials and facts about your company.  Draw people to you by showing you have the knowledge necessary to give people what they want.  They can also leave comments about your videos and ask questions.

Cons:  Badly edited videos can make your company look unprofessional on YouTube.  And even though “going viral” can bring business, your goal is to receive positive exposure, not negative.  Rule of thumb here is that less is more.

5.       Google+ - Google+ is Google’s response to Facebook and works in much the same way.

Pros:  Google+ had huge hype during the launch, but unfortunatly corporations were not invited to join in the excitement.  Now there is a rumor that Google+ is related to search rakings on Google.

Cons:  The hype is fading and just about everyone has moved back to Facebook.  My suggestion would be to stick with Facebook and not to bother with putting time into making an impression on Google+.

6.       Quora – Quora is a question and answer site.

Pros:  This works very much in the same way that LinkedIn Answers works but is not as saturated with other professionals to compete with.  Most people asking questions on Quora are genuinely looking for answers whereas on LinkedIn Answers many people are trying to generate business for themselves.  Quara is a great way to start communication with people who may become new customers. Quora is also a great place to come up with blog topics.

Cons:  Most of the “good” responses are lengthy.  If you would like to draw attention to yourself on Quora, my suggestion would be to kill two birds with one stone and create answers that you can also put on your blog.  

7.       Foursquare –  Foursquare is a location based social site.

Pros:  Foursquare is a must if you are in the retail business.  Just the game of winning points and becoming mayor is enough to draw business.  Communicate with your customers by giving rewards.

Cons:  Not for home based business or businesses which do not have customers visiting frequently.

8.       Blog – Blogs are a place to share anything and everything with people on a website you monitor.

Pros:  Blogs give you the opportunity to share your expertise and draw people to your website from search engines by using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and should be used by businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Cons:  They can be very time consuming.  Use WordPress.com to set up a site and choose a theme that is not a default option (choosing the default theme screams amateur).  Coming up with new topics can also be difficult.  Use a question that you have recently been asked or use Quora to generate topics.

When creating a Social CRM strategy it can be very easy to be ambitious and get on every social site on the web.  This thinking is a set up for failure.  To be successful with Social CRM first develop a strategy to include the social media channels that would be best for your purpose.  At Webfortis we have the experience with Social CRM to help you to develop this strategy.  We evaluate the best tactics to use in Social Media channels and the tools necessary to execute these ideas.  Email Madeline Goepp at mgoepp@webfortis.com for more information.