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Customers Ignite a New Era of CRM

Posted by cgseo under Social Media

What follows is the unedited version of my latest post at AllThingsDigital … The Altimeter Group today released a new report on Social CRM and while analysts release reports all the time, this is different. The report is free to read and share under Creative Commons and this is a big disruptor, one that reflects the socialization of information and the spirit of social media. The New Rules of Relationship Management The essence of the new report by Altimeter’s R “Ray” Wang and Jeremiah Owyang is putting the customer first. While that seems like a simple principle, it’s easier said then done. The case the duo make is rooted of course in social media and the self-actualization of personal influence. As the report notes in the beginning: Rapid adoption of social networking enables users to connect with individuals and communities who share mutual interests, increasingly leaving organizations out of the conversation. Simply hiring more people to keep up with social marketing, sales, and support will not be sufficient, as consumers and their new channels will always outnumber employees. As a result, companies need an organized approach using enterprise software that connects business units to the social web – giving them the opportunity to respond in near-real time, and in a coordinated fashion. And indeed, they’re right. Social media didn’t invent conversations, it simply amplified and connected them to audiences and the actions that are triggered as a result. With the right tools, and more importantly mindset and resolve, we can now uncover these incredibly valuable, insightful and prominent conversations where and when they happen. Listening is only the beginning however. As in anything, we need a little less conversation and a little more action. As the report notes, Social CRM does not replace existing CRM efforts, it complements it with an outbound extension to connect with the very social beacons that shape and steer perception – those previously untouched with inbound only infrastructures. Essentially the “s” in sCRM should be viewed as a verb…as in socialize . Actions speak louder than words and thus, sCRM transforms words and intent into action. As the “Godfather of CRM,” Paul Greenberg notes, “We’ve moved from the transaction to the interaction with customers, though we haven’t eliminated the transaction – or the data associated with it… Social CRM focuses on engaging the customer in a collaborative conversation in order to provide mutually beneficial value in a trusted and transparent business environment. Social CRM is the company’s response to the customer’s ownership of the conversation.” The Socialization of an Entire Organization The social customer is only one part of the equation. As any listening program will reveal, conversations map specifically to departments within an organization and as such, all units affected by outside activity will socialize over time. This is why I believe that over time, we should focus less on the “C” of sCRM and focus our attention, energy and ingenuity on the aspects of SRM – social relationship management. The Social Web is distributing influence beyond the customer landscape, allocating authority amongst stakeholders, prospects, advocates, decision makers, and peers. SRM recognizes that whether someone recommended a product, purchased a product, or simply recognized it publicly, in the end, each makes an impact on behavior at varying levels. Therefore customers are now merely part of a larger equation that also balances vendors, experts, partners, and other authorities. In the realm of SRM, influence is distributed and it is recognizes wherever and however it takes shape. SRM is a doctrine aligned with a humanized business strategy and supporting technology infrastructure and platform. SRM recognizes that all people, no matter what system they use, are equal. It represents a wider scope of active listening and participation across the full spectrum of influence mapped to specific department representatives within the organization using various lenses for which to identify individuals where and how they interact. But we must begin somewhere and for many businesses, the evolution from CRM to sCRM is in fact, revolutionary. After months of study and interviews with over 100 organizations, Altimeter Group identified 18 use cases for Social CRM to help businesses assess, adapt, and create new programs and processes to socialize their brands. As the report notes, Social CRM programs start at the departmental level, but require corporate support to transform fiefdoms into united efforts.  The challenge lies in mobilizing and organizing resources around distributed conversations and building the connectors that link CRM systems to social networks. And, organizations must prioritize based on market demand and technology maturity. Customers have already migrated towards new channels and in the process, companies that are not in pursuit are quickly falling behind. Relationships between organizations and customers might be better defined simply as “relations” as the existing framework was traditionally optimized around the organization and not the customer. Traditional CRM projects have failed to grasp the complexities of the customer-company relationship. Though these CRM programs started out with the goal of providing a single customer view and 1:1 relationship management, early efforts quickly refocused on automation of front office tasks and improving management visibility across marketing, sales, service and support. Because these programs have often failed to support the front office worker’s needs to manage relationships, internal adoption halted as users grew to resent, and in some cases revolt, against CRM. To begin at the beginning, businesses  must deploy Social CRM for business value and not get caught up in the hype of Twitter and Facebook. We have to go where our customers seek, discover, and share information.  Alitimeter suggests focusing on bite-sized entry points as today’s tight budgets, limited resources, and little time will ensure that companies get the most bang for the buck initially. In the report, each one of the 18 use cases brings definable metrics that should be incorporated in each Social CRM program. - Begin with the end in mind - Metrics should be aligned with an organization’s entry points - Quantify the baseline and determine the effort - Adjust ROI targets to align resources with efforts to move the needle - The goal – drive business value The 18 recommended use cases are organized in seven categories and in order of operations. As observed, most organizations start their initiatives by building out the “5 M’s” and deploying a customer insight program that matures with experience and earned intelligence. I previously discussed the maturation of social media infrastructure in business usually evolves in at least 1o stages . Social Customer Insights form the Foundation for All Social CRM Use Cases – Everything begins with listening 1. Social Customers Insights Social Marketing Seeks to Achieve Customer Advocacy 2. Social Marketing Insights 3. Rapid Social Marketing Response 4. Social Campaign Tracking 5. Social Event Management Social Sales Enables Seamless Lead Opportunities 6. Social Sales Insights 7. Rapid Social Sales Response 8. Proactive Social Lead Generation Social Support and Service Drives Sustainable Customer Satisfaction 9. Social Support Insights 10. Rapid Social Responsse 11. Peer-2-Peer (P2P) Unpaid Armies Social Innovation Streamlines Complex Ideation 12. Innovation Insights 13. Crowdsourced R&D Collaboration Reduced Organizational Friction and Stimulates Ecosystem 14. Collaboration Insights 15. Enterprise Collaboration 16. Extended Collaboration Seamless Customer Experience Sustains Advocacy Programs 17. Seamless Customer Experience 18. VIP Experience The Customer (R)evolution The methodologies, systems, and people that entwine CRM are unquestionably forcing a historical (r)evolution from the outside in. As customers earn prominence online and ultimately in the marketplaces they define, CRM is far more consequential to the prosperity and relevance of businesses, than perhaps ever before. This is about earning a prestigious position in the hearts, minds, and ultimately decisions of customers, prospects and those who effect their actions, today and tomorrow. Essentially, with the socialization of media and the redistribution of authority and influence, we are competing for the future simply by listening, responding, learning and adapting. The social customer is disrupting the balance of power and they’re actively exerting their new found eminence within every social network and community that thrives off of shared experiences. The socialization of CRM is effectively measured by the dedication of resources and resolution the organization commits not just to social media, but to all existing channels where customers, influencers and prospects seek help. Divided we share…United we change. Social CRM: The New Rules of Relationship Management Connect with Brian Solis … Twitter , LinkedIn , Tumblr , Google Buzz , Facebook — Please consider reading my brand new book , Enga ge ! — Get Putting the Public Back in Public Relations and The Conversation Prism : — Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Customers Ignite a New Era of CRM

Building Your Referral Engine – Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team

Posted by cgseo under Social Media

Building Your Referral Engine – Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team This content from: Duct Tape Marketing As part of the Make a Referral Week 2010 Education Series I am highlighting the power of referrals and word of mouth marketing with a live event featuring the some of the brightest authors, speakers and thought leaders on the subject of referral marketing. Join us for a live web discussion Wednesday, March 10th at Noon CST. Click here to register for the online seminar. Ivan Misner , founder of BNI and author of The 29% Solution , Bob Burg , author of Endless Referrals and the Go-Givers Sell More , and Ben McConnell , co-author Creating Customer Evangelists make up a panel of what may be the worlds greatest single collection of thought leaders on the subject of referrals and word of mouth. Join us for a live web discussion Wednesday, March 10th at Noon CST Click here to register for the online seminar. The conference is the headline event of the educational component of Make a Referral Week. More info on the entire week can be found here. Have you made your referral yet? Do it here Related Posts: The Referral A Team Heads Up Make a Referral Week Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine Have You Made Your Referral? Tired of Hearing About E.D. - then do something Ivan Misner, Bob Burg and Bill Cates on Making Referrals Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others

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Building Your Referral Engine – Free Webinar with the Referral A-Team

Local Review Success Hits Speed Bump

Posted by cgseo under Social Media, Web Marketing

Share Local Review Success Hits Speed Bump This content from: Duct Tape Marketing You know I’m a supporter of the local review sites like Yelp! and City Search , but some small business owners have issues with the format. Here’s the dilemma, consumers do seem to like them because they offer an easy way to get some input on a business. Business owners take issue because they sometimes get bad reviews and feel they have little or no control over what’s said about them. I’m not going sit here and say these sites are perfect, but I for one think they provide a necessary service and should be looked upon as a business building tool. Too often the only real problem with these sites is they publish the truth and that’s hard to hear. This past week several attorneys filed class action suits against Yelp! claiming that the service is attempting to sell advertising to businesses as a way to help them erase bad reviews. Here’s some coverage on the filed lawsuit and more in the Wall Street Journal The lawsuit was brought by a vet clinic in the San Fran area called Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital – one look at the reviews on the Cats & Dogs Yelp page and you kind of get the feeling this business has some issues. There are some very good reviews and some very bad reviews. I’ve found these review sites to be very accurately indicative of the health of a business. I suppose this is a good time to remind business owners to be proactive in getting their loyal fans to start the good review trend! Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman had this to say about what he’s called the conspiracy theory . I did some further searching and found one attorney who thinks the Yelp! suit will get tossed quickly . Or consider this from industry analyst Greg Sterling “The allegations above must be proven with evidence. As I’ve said before I’m skeptical that there was any “quid pro quo” or pattern accordingly. But the depositions in this case — and there will have to be many — will start to establish whether there is any meat to these claims or whether it’s just frustration boiling over together with some opportunistic attorneys who may have solicited the action after reading the negative press coverage and wondering if there was a viable lawsuit in the making.” I have no idea whether any of these allegations have merit, but I’ve witnessed how much effort Yelp puts into giving business owners a voice on Yelp and I for one think this shows how authentic their attempt to put out a balanced and necessary offering is. Related Posts: Yelp! Changing the Local Game Some More Your Pizza Sucks And . . . 5 Ways to Rock Customer Review Sites Google Wants to be the Local Place Social Search Gaining Steam Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others

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Local Review Success Hits Speed Bump

Changes in cyberspace – The Hindu

Posted by cgseo under Social Media

Changes in cyberspace The Hindu Then Facebook added a marketing toolbox to sells its uses to the community of sellers. (“100 Tools and Tips to Tap the Facebook Customer Base”. ... and more

Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine

Posted by cgseo under Social Media

Share Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine This content from: Duct Tape Marketing Following on the success of last year’s Make A Referral Week I am calling out to small businesses once again to stimulate the economy and create jobs through the act of referrals. During the week of March 8-12, I am challenging my readers to make 1000 referred leads to 1000 deserving small businesses in an effort to highlight the power of referrals for small business. Help me spread the word? – This is not a money making event, the purpose is simply to change the focus from receiving to giving. Individuals around the globe are invited to make at least one referral to a small business at www.makeareferralweek.com and share the referral details, including information on why they referred a particular business, in the comments section of the Referral Counter Page . (Of course, you might also consider using the Twitter function in the comment section to Tweet your referral!) The weeklong virtual event also features guest contributors and panelists that will discuss how small business owners and other marketers can utilize the power of referral marketing. This blog will be taken over for an entire week to create an warehouse of referral and word of mouth related content so make sure you come back often throughout the week. Featured guest experts include David Meerman Scott , author of New Rules of Marketing and PR , Chris Brogan , author of Trust Agents , Guy Kawasaki , author of Reality Check , Rohit Bhargava author of Personality Not Included , Dan Schawbe l author of Me2.0 , Anita Campbell , publisher of Small Business Trends, Ann Handley , chief content officer of Marketing Profs, Lisa Barrone , Outspoken Media, Scott Allen , author of the Virtual Handshake , me, author of The Referral Engine , Scott Ginsberg of Nametag TV, Janine Popick , CEO of Vertical Response, and Pam Slim , author Escape from Cubicle Nation . (More to come) The highlight of the education series is a live online panel discussion on March 10th at Noon CST featuring Ivan Misner , founder of BNI and author Masters of Networking , Bob Burg , author of Endless Referrals and the Go-Givers Sell More , Ben McConnell , author of Creating Customer Evangelists , and moderated by John Jantsch. Register for the online panel here ?Through Make a Referral Week, small businesses have the opportunity to not only refer other businesses, but have their business listed as well. Hundreds of small business will receive added attention and daily events hosted on the site will offer tips and support from experts. ?? Related Posts: Have You Made Your Referral? Tired of Hearing About E.D. - then do something The Referral A Team Heads Up Make a Referral Week The Three D’s of Being More Referable Ivan Misner, Bob Burg and Bill Cates on Making Referrals Powered by Contextual Related Posts Like this post? Share it with others

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Making Referrals As a Job Creation Engine