One of the most crucial aspects in CRM nowadays is online community management. Newsletters and email campaigns aren't enough to meet customer demands and complaints. In order to improve this area of CRM, community managers are focusing on sentiment analysis in order to ascertain the "climate" of their Facebook pages. However, there's one factor that could hinder the growth of Social CRM - Klout.
A Klout is a mere number. A grade that you show to your followers and fans on how influential you are in a particular subject matter or field. Klout has become the social web's standard for measuring social reach and influence. But your grade only matters to web-savvy netizens, normal people who don't live on Internet don't care even if you go outside and wear a shirt that has your Klout score on. So why is Klout a roadblock to Social CRM? Some brands don't bother answering customer complaints on their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts because they don't have a ridiculously high Klout score that can gather flash mobs ala Jeff Jarvis' Dell Hell.
Klout might enhance Influencer Marketing but with Social CRM it's a different story. The social web thrives on popularity but until some regular Joe adds it to his vocabulary, Klout only remains relevant to people who eat and breathe social media. Social influence measurement should not mess with sentiment analytics at all. It's in its own league.
Here are ways to improve your brand's Social CRM:
1.) Ascertain Your Niche
Not all social platforms are for every brand, which is why brands shouldn't establish itself on all social platforms. It is an imperative for community managers to know what type of community they are handling, is it Sports? Technology? Food? The list goes on and on, and it's a must to determine what platform could enhance CRM for a specific community. For instance, food connoisseurs appreciate clear and crips photos of delectable dishes and cute cupcakes, Pinterest works well with these type of communities! It also helps to integrate your primary social accounts such as Facebook and Twitter with Pinterest to increase user engagement.
2.) Feed Content to Increase UGC
Newsletters and email campaigns are almost passe. Users tend to log in to their social accounts before even checking their emails. So before you come up with a nifty newsletter to send to that email list, be sure that the message is on your Facebook page already so it can cascade its way to your fans. As a community manager, finding interesting content to feed the fans is already a given. But always ask yourself : Will the content I'm sharing elicit user-generated content as well?
3.) Every Facebook Page is Customer's Podium
Social platforms are successful because they give user people control. Social CRM could be as successful and effective if community managers and brands know how to collaborate with customers if they treat them as colleagues. Some marketers don't really notice this approach, but if you allow fans to speak their minds, ask for opinions, and let them post suggestions it actually increase your user engagement levels. Questions leads to feedbacks, feedbacks lead to customer-to-customer engagement, engagements lead to increased PR. Always keep in mind that every brand's Facebook page is an idea hub for both the brand and its customers.
4.) Observe Coherence Through Cross-Platform Strategies
Brands need to be coherent with what they say in every social page. It projects an image that they are transparent and open to the public. A coherent voice suggests that they are serious about their CRM efforts as well. The content that you post on one social account should also be seen on another. The cross-platform approach works well for a brand if content is visible in all social pages.