CROconnect: Why IS Online Engagement and Social Media Important?

In the last CROconnect posting, I talked about the power of providing assessments for our customers and the long-term connection it forges. That mutual benefit got me thinking about people connecting and the significance of online engagement.

In today’s fast-paced world of communication, mail is the tortoise and doesn’t always win the race. We have gotten used to and, in most cases, are okay with receiving information from our providers and retailers using digital channels. Something we often refer to in the communications business as electronic delivery or e-presentment.

However, the concept of online engagement has grown far beyond email and website interactions; for a little over a decade (March 21, 2006, to be exact) we have watched the rise of Twitter. Then there is LinkedIn, a social sphere that is considered the digital networking platform for professionals. And we can’t forget about Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, Reddit and a host of other social networks that you may not have experienced.

In the Customer Communications Management (CCM) realm, we tend to talk about social as another part of your communications strategy. And it might also consist of SMS messaging. But there are still many people who ask this question…and it is important:

I go back to what I learned in economics and the principle of opportunity cost. Social media and online areas of engagement have an opportunity cost if you don’t participate in them. On the flip side, it is also considered a best practice to use them as a relationship cultivating or social selling platform and not a lead generation tool.

If you are wondering what value it has if you can’t connect it to a lead, we direct your attention to the relationship-oriented approach we take at Solimar Systems. Think of social media as if you were talking to someone at a dinner party after a conference event. They aren’t truly looking to be sold a product at the dinner party, but they did come to the dinner after the conference to get their complimentary drink and food—and generally, do care about the topics of the conference.

In that situation, we strike up a conversation. Perhaps we say, “What brings you to the conference? And what do you do for a living?” The goal is to build a back and forth that allows each side to learn. THIS IS social media and online engagement. Using social media, some people are on a mission to find something, and if they are, they will look for keywords, hashtags (#itjustgotreal), LinkedIn groups or web searches for their particular roadblock. And if you as a person and company are visible in multiple areas, you have a better shot at striking up a conversation, making an impression—and ultimately you might get a chance to pitch a solution or service.

Other people are just floating around the party floor. They could work in the industry, be contributors and thought-leaders, or be using the social platforms to stay ahead of their competition. They aren’t necessarily looking for specific information but might engage as something interesting passes by. Oh, yes, I will take one of those teriyaki steak skewers. The point here is that social media is an opportunity to reach a tech-savvy and connected group of people. And if they are interested in the area you provide solutions, aren’t you really missing out if you don’t engage?

That is our philosophy at Solimar Systems. We believe that people should find valuable information on more than one channel, just like our workflow and customer communications management platform gives our clients the ability to provide physical print and digital communications to their customers. 2006 was one small step for communications and one large step toward the future we now live in.

Be sure to follow us on our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and our website for news, insights, and innovations. We look forward to connecting with you.