As a small business that is either in the startup phase or looking to ramp up and become competitive, it is important to integrate as much technology as possible in order to streamline your operational capability. One such tool that is important to all businesses is sales automation tool integrated into a customer relationship management system or CRM.
A CRM is simply a tool used to integrate all points of interaction with a customer, from initial enquiry to sale to post-sale follow-up. The capabilities of your CRM system without a fully integrated social media platform is limited in terms of what it can do to grow your aspirations as a business owner. Social media works to keep your business current and relevant with the needs of your customers.
Why CRM/Social Media Integration is Vital
According to the Small Business Social Media Engagement 2015 Digital Marketing Survey published by IT research consultancy Clutch and a survey by IT firm Sprout, the following came to light concerning the use of social media by small business:
63% of millennials use social media to stay up-to-date on the brands they are interested
46% use social media to accomplish their online purchases
53% of small businesses surveyed use social media (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.)
More than three-quarters of small businesses (76%) see the same or an increase in their social media investment
These numbers more than suggest that social media is a huge influencer on purchasing decisions, particularly for tech savvy millennials. This is an important to note as for example millennials in the USA alone – 80 million consumers – are expected to spend over $10 trillion over their lifetime.
A well integrated and managed CRM with social media will give you the tool to reach this group and effectively engage them as consumers, your business growth depends on you being able to manage and grow this, you can read more about our Sales Automation/CRM on our website here and get a free download that may help in your decision process.
