In the small business world, social media marketing has become more important than ever. Recently, eMarketer estimated that there will be 180.3 million social network users in the United States by the end of 2015. What this means is that nearly 7 in 10 Internet users and 56.1 percent of the US population will be using a social networking site at least once per month.

Thus, it’s not surprising that according to a June 2015 poll of CRM users in the United States by business software solution provider Capterra, social media tools were the most in-demand CRM software features among small business owners. In fact, the poll revealed that:

  • Around 25 percent of respondents, when asked which features they desire most in CRM packages, cited social media monitoring options. Additionally, 24 percent wanted their CRM software to pull information from contacts’ social media profiles.
  • The dominant industry using CRM is the retail sector at 18 percent. This is in line with recent research that indicates that social CRM integration is growing chiefly among retailers.

Also of note here is a March 2015 poll conducted by Econsultancy and ResponseTap polling, which revealed that 31 percent of agency professionals on a global scale are using social CRM data to achieve a deeper understanding of the customer journey. The focus on social media tools makes sense, and these types of forums provide a rich field of information for marketers. According to eMarketer, “High social media usage presents marketers with a bounty of customer data, and managing this is top of mind for those using customer relationship management (CRM) tools.”

According to eMarketer, the study suggests that companies aren’t making enough of the opportunity that social media provides, where companies are really able to tap into the minds and habits of their consumer base in order to build a more relevant and effective marketing strategy.

Reference:

Barton, J. “Surprise, Surprise (NOT): Social Media Tools Are the Most Desired CRM Software Features.” Mobile Marketing Watch. 8/13/15.