Social CRM Brings Out My Inner “Connector”

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The other day I wrote about how the thought of Social CRM brings out my “inner caveman”. I talked about the excitement of the “hunt” and the thrill of actually making the “kill”. And, that’s all true. The other side of me is that I love to connect with others AND connect others. There is very little else that gives me so much pleasure!

There are several stages in any salesperson-client relationship. You work your way up from being a vendor to a trusted confidant and member of the team, and then (hopefully) you arrive at the top tier … connector. You are the rare person who helps your client become better at their business by connecting them to others who can provide the kinds of services that they really need. How great is that! Are you a salesperson? No, you have gone way beyond that level of relationship.

So where does Social CRM fit into all of this? Well, there is connecting and then there is …. connecting. Anybody involved in social media will tell you that they are making some really great connections but, are they? There is a huge difference between having somebody follow you on Twitter and you then following back and actually connecting with that individual. It requires both listening and engagement and from these behaviors comes …

  • A real understanding of that person’s strengths and needs
  • The potential pathway for you to help them realize their goals and desires

Nimble Social CRM, for example, will allow me to focus on each of my contacts via Nimble’s unique relationship records. Not only will I have all of the traditional key information found in any good CRM, I will also have access to my client’s complete social stream. The social stream will let me know what my client is talking about now, who they are talking to, and what their current thoughts, and often needs, might be. This is huge! This is powerful! This is focused attention!

Let’s take this a step further. Maybe I see a tweet or an update on FaceBook from another one of my connections that would be valuable to “Mr. A”. I can take that update and email it to “Mr. A” thereby providing him with potentially valuable information as well as a potential new connection. And the person who originated that tweet or update? He or she also appreciates the connection and that I have shared his information with somebody that will potentially help them. The mere act of connecting with someone new creates an opportunity to connect that person to others. This is a win-win-win.

The overall potential for Social CRM is mind boggling. That being said, a mind-shift will be required for those who wish to fully take advantage of these capabilities. It will require both patience and diligence.  You will need to learn to approach opportunities from new and different angles. It will not be easy. It will require work. However, all good things are worth working for and the upside of your efforts will be tremendous!

Thanks for visiting!

Craig

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Craig M. Jamieson

Craig M. Jamieson

Managing Member at Adaptive Business Services
Craig M. Jamieson is a lifelong B2B salesperson, manager, owner, and a networking enthusiast. Adaptive Business Services provides solutions related to the sales professional. We are a Nimble CRM Solution Partner. Craig also conducts training and workshops primarily in social selling and communication skills. Craig is also the author of "The Small Business' Guide to Social CRM", now available on Amazon!
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