Service Push Attending Dreamforce 2009

Meet the Social CRM Tools Product team and Partners in San Francisco on November 17th through the 20th for the Cloud Computing event of the year called Dreamforce.  Provided and sponsored by Salesforce.Com, Dreamforce brings over 12,000 professionals from around the world to share best practices, networking, inspiration, and training needed to succeed in the Cloud Computing Business.  The Social CRM Tools team will be there to speak with you along with our partners to demonstrate our product capabilities and answer any questions you may have.  Email us if you plan on attending.

Why Twitter is a valuable Social CRM tool

They have the (C) with Customers engaging conversation on a specific product. Sometimes good or bad.  They have the (R) with all users following a brand. Hey, that ’s how it works.  The opportunity is with the (M) Management portion. You can collect this information for traditional CRM purposes or track it to monitor your brand.

Click here for the full article.

50 Social Sites Every Business Needs a Presence On

Inside CRM wrote an excellent article on some of the Top 50 Social Networking sites that any company should have a presence on. The list was broken out in to 4 categories, and I thought I would compile a snippet of some of the more useful sites for your Small or Medium sized business. For the full list, click here.

Social-Media/Social-Bookmarking Sites

Share your favorite sites on the Web with potential clients and business partners by commenting on, uploading and ranking different newsworthy articles. You can also create a member profile that directs traffic back to your company’s Web site.

1. Reddit: Upload stories and articles on reddit to drive traffic to your site or blog. Submit items often so that you’ll gain a more loyal following and increase your presence on the site.
2. Digg: Digg has a huge following online because of its optimum usability. Visitors can submit and browse articles in categories like technology, business, entertainment, sports and more.
3. Del.icio.us: Social bookmark your way to better business with sites like del.icio.us, which invite users to organize and publicize interesting items through tagging and networking.
4. StumbleUpon: You’ll open your online presence up to a whole new audience just by adding the StumbleUpon toolbar to your browser and “channel surf[ing] the Web. You’ll “connect with friends and share your discoveries,” as well as “meet people that have similar interests.”
5. Technorati: If you want to increase your blog’s readership, consider registering it with Technorati, a network of blogs and writers that lists top stories in categories like Business, Entertainment and Technology.
6. Ning: After hanging around the same social networks for a while, you may feel inspired to create your own, where you can bring together clients, vendors, customers and co-workers in a confidential, secure corner of the Web. Ning lets users design free social networks that they can share with anyone.
7. Squidoo: According to Squidoo, “everyone’s an expert on something. Share your knowledge!” Share your industry’s secrets by answering questions and designing a profile page to help other members.
8. Furl: Make Furl “your personal Web file” by bookmarking great sites and sharing them with other users by recommending links, commenting on articles and utilizing other fantastic features.
9. Tubearoo: This video network works like other social-bookmarking sites, except that it focuses on uploaded videos. Businesses can create and upload tutorials, commentaries and interviews with industry insiders to promote their own services.
10. WikiHow: Create a how-to guide or tutorial on wikiHow to share your company’s services with the public for free.
11. YouTube: From the fashion industry to Capitol Hill, everyone has a video floating around on YouTube. Shoot a behind-the-scenes video from your company’s latest commercial or event to give customers and clients an idea of what you do each day.
12. Ma.gnolia: Share your favorite sites with friends, colleagues and clients by organizing your bookmarks with Ma.gnolia. Clients will appreciate both your Internet-savviness and your ability to stay current and organized.

Professional-Networking Sites

Sign up with these online networking communities as a company or as an individual to take advantage of recruiting opportunities, cross-promotional events and more.

1. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a popular networking site where alumni, business associates, recent graduates and other professionals connect online.
2. Ecademy: Ecademy prides itself on “connecting business people” through its online network, blog and message-board chats, as well as its premier BlackStar membership program, which awards exclusive benefits.
3. Focus: Focus is a business destination where business professionals can help each other with their purchase and other business decisions by accessing research and peer expertise. Most importantly, Focus provides open, quality information for all businesses that is freely available, easily accessible, and community powered.
4. YorZ: This networking site doubles as a job site. Members can post openings for free to attract quality candidates.
5. Xing: An account with networking site Xing can “open doors to thousands of companies.” Use the professional contact manager to organize your new friends and colleagues, and take advantage of the Business Accelerator application to “find experts at the click of a button, market yourself in a professional context [and] open up new sales channels.”
6. Facebook: Facebook is no longer just for college kids who want to post their party pics. Businesses vie for advertising opportunities, event promotion and more on this social-networking site.
7. Care2: Care2 isn’t just a networking community for professionals: It’s touted as “the global network for organizations and people who Care2 make a difference.” If your business is making efforts to go green, let others know by becoming a presence on this site.
8. Gather: This networking community is made up of members who think. Browse categories concerning books, health, money, news and more to ignite discussions on politics, business and entertainment. This will help your company tap into its target audience and find out what they want.
9. MEETin.org: Once you’ve acquired a group of contacts in your city by networking on MEETin.org, organize an event so that you can meet face-to-face.
10. Tribe: Cities like Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New York and Chicago have unique online communities on tribe. Users can search for favorite restaurants, events, clubs and more.
11. Ziggs: Ziggs is “organizing and connecting people in a professional way.” Join groups and make contacts through your Ziggs account to increase your company’s presence online and further your own personal career.
12. Plaxo: Join Plaxo to organize your contacts and stay updated with feeds from Digg, Amazon.com, del.icio.us and more.
13. NetParty: If you want to attract young professionals in cities like Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Orlando Fla., create an account with the networking site NetParty. You’ll be able to connect with qualified, up-and-coming professionals online, then meet them at a real-life happy-hour event where you can pass out business cards, pitch new job openings and more.
14. Networking For Professionals: Networking For Professionals is another online community that combines the Internet with special events in the real world. Post photos, videos, résumés and clips on your online profile while you meet new business contacts.

Niche Social-Media Sites

Consider linking up with one of these social-media sites to narrow down your business’s target audience. You’ll find other professionals, enthusiasts and consumers who are most likely already interested in what your company has to offer.

1. Pixel Groovy: Web workers will love Pixel Groovy, an open-source site that lets members submit and rate tutorials for Web 2.0, email and online-marketing issues.
2. Mixx: Mixx prides itself on being “your link to the Web content that really matters.” Submit and rate stories, photos and news to drive traffic to your own site. You’ll also meet others with similar interests.
3. Tweako: Gadget-minded computer geeks can network with each other on Tweako, a site that promotes information sharing for the technologically savvy.
4. Small Business Brief: When members post entrepreneur-related articles, a photo and a link to their profile appear, gaining you valuable exposure and legitimacy online.
5. Sphinn: Sphinn is an online forum and networking site for the Internet marketing crowd. Upload articles and guides from your blog to create interest in your own company or connect with other professionals for form new contacts.
6. BuzzFlash.net: This one-stop news resource is great for businesses that want to contribute articles on a variety of subjects, from the environment to politics to health.
7. HubSpot: HubSpot is another news site aimed at connecting business professionals.
8. SEO TAGG: Stay on top of news from the Web marketing and SEO (search-engine optimization) industries by becoming an active member of this online community.

General Social-Media Sites

The following social-media sites provide excellent opportunities for businesses to advertise; promote specials, events or services; and feature published, knowledgeable employees.

1. Wikipedia: Besides creating your own business reference page on Wikipedia, you can connect with other users on Wikipedia’s Community Portal and at the village pump, where you’ll find conscientious professionals enthusiastic about news, business, research and more.
2. Newsvine: Feature top employees by uploading their articles, studies or other news-related items to this site. A free account will also get you your own column and access to the Newsvine community.
3. 43 Things: This site bills itself as “the world’s most popular online goal setting community.” By publicizing your company’s goals and ambitions, you’ll gain a following of customers, investors and promoters who cheer you on as you achieve success.
4. Wetpaint: If you’re tired of blogs and generic Web sites, create your own wiki with Wetpaint to reach your audience and increase your company’s presence online. You can easily organize articles, contact information, photos and other information to promote your business.
5. Twitter: Is a social networking and microblogging service that allows you answer the question, “What are you doing?” by sending short text messages 140 characters in length, called “tweets”, to your friends, or “followers.”
6. Yahoo! Answers: Start fielding Yahoo! users’ questions with this social-media Q&A service. Search for questions in your particular areas of expertise by clicking categories like Business & Finance, Health, News & Events and more. If you continue to dole out useful advice and link your answer to your company’s Web page, you’ll quickly gain a new following of curious customers.

Job Sites

If you want to secure high-quality talent during your company’s next hiring spree, you’ll need to maintain a strong presence on popular job sites like the ones listed below.

1. CareerBuilder.com: Reach millions of candidates by posting jobs on this must-visit site.
2. The Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal: The Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal attracts well-educated professionals who are at the top of their game. Post a job or search résumés here.
3. CollegeRecruiter.com: If your firm wants to hire promising entry-level employees, check CollegeRecuriter.com for candidates with college degrees.
4. Monster: Post often to separate your business from all the other big companies that use this site to advertise job openings.
5. Sologig: Top freelancers and contractors post résumés and look for work on this popular site.
6. AllFreelance.com: This site “offers self-employed small business owners links to freelance & work at home job boards, self-promotion tips” and more.
7. Freelance Switch Job Listings: Freelance Switch is the freelancer’s online mecca and boasts articles, resource toolboxes, valuable tips and a job board.
8. GoFreelance: Employers looking to boost their vendor base should check GoFreelance for professionals in the writing, design, editing and Web industries.
9. Yahoo! Hot Jobs: This site is often one of the first places that job seekers visit. Post open opportunities and check out informative articles and guides to gain insight on the hiring and interviewing process.
10. Guru.com: Build your company’s repertoire with top freelancing professionals by advertising projects on this site, otherwise known as “the world’s largest online service marketplace.”

5 Steps To Success With Social Sales

Over the last two weeks there has been alot of coverage around Social Media as a sales tool. Specifically, the buzz has been primarily about Social CRM Tools that sit on top of your existing CRM system to help your organization sell more effectively. Recent articles on SearchCRM discussing Social Sales, and Xerox’s announcement on how they plan to utilize Social Media has clearly illustrated that the Enterprise now sees value in Social Selling.

But what really is Social Selling? As I put it to a collegue the other day, it is first a strategy! It is not a tool or technology. In fact, the tools and technology out there today really force the strategy of Social Selling. Service Push’s Social CRM Suite of tools enable that strategy. So here are the 5 Key steps in Social Selling that you may want to employ with your next lead that you may find on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. These are steps any sales person should take to effectively sell using social techniques.

#1 – Monitor Conversations Related to Your Brand, Service, or Topic.
#2 – Add value to those conversations and get support and/or provide assistance to those who inquiring about your products or services.
#3 – Become active in the community by posting or adding valuable content to your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn Networks
#4 – Follow, Connect, and Link with your Leads across these social networks as long as they follow you or have been familiar with your Social Conversations online.
#5 – Continually work the relationship and begin to have sales discussions.

If your a sales person who wants to skip steps 1 – 3, then you will fail at Social Selling. Many folks online will not take a sales pitch over the web without seeing value in what you are doing within the community. The benefits of this strategy is that it forces Salespeople to manage the relationships better while also ensuring that they are upto speed on trends, and conversations within their industry. The challenges with this will likely be in the Sales’ persons success to keep up with adding value to the Online Communities through tweets, and blog posts while also serving as a Customer Support liaison on product or service related issues. However, when this is effectively done with the right resources and support – you will see customers convert to your product.

What are some of your steps in managing a successful Social Sales?

Realtime Twitter Support & Lead Generation with SocialCRMTools

Here is a preview of how to provide pro active and realtime Twitter Support and Lead Generation by monitoring Twitter Conversations within Salesforce.Com. The new features in the SocialCRM Suite of tools allows you to monitor the conversations on key search terms, and then create support cases or leads in SFDC. To learn more visit http://www.socialcrmtools.com or http://www.service-push.com.

Finally!! Social Media Proves To Impact The Bottom Line

A recent article published on WebProNews reveals data that proves Social Media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and Wikis really impact the bottom line. According to the article:

The “ENGAGEMENTdb study” shows that companies who measured as having “the greatest breadth and depth of social media engagement” grew revenues by 18% over the last year, while the companies that were the least engaged dropped 6% on average. This is the first study of this depth on the top global brands and we think the results provide a good guide for corporations and brand marketers in every industry,” says Charlene Li, Founder, Altimeter Group

Channels of Social Media reviewed included Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Wikis, and Discussion Forums. The Brands reviewed included:

• Starbucks
• Dell
• eBay
• Google
• Microsoft
• Thomson Reuters
• Nike
• Amazon
• SAP
• Yahoo!/Intel (Tie)

So while it will take the rest of the Enterprise to finally compose their strategy over the next year, this study will help the leaders and managers who have been trying to lead the Social Charge in their organizations but had trouble with coming up with the ROI for it.  Plain and simple, this is a milestone of a study that I think will get business leaders to think more serious about their Social Strategy.

Implementing Enterprise 2.0 (A Downloadable Guide)

The folks over at Enterprise 2.0, have released free chapters of their online/downloadable guide that informs businesses on how best to Implement Enterprise 2.0 strategies. The guides are particularly used for:

• Gaining a clear understanding of Enterprise 2.0 and Web 2.0 in organizations
• Identify opportunities for value creation
• Provide a structured view of benefits and risks
• Establish governance initiatives
• Create and communicate a clear Enterprise 2.0 strategy for your organization
• Convince executives to take action
• Design and implement successful projects

Click HERE for FREE SAMPLE Reports.

IE2 Sample Chapter 11

Twitter Launches A Business 101 Guide

Twitter appears to be directly marketing to it’s Enterprise and Business users!! Today, the company just released a Twitter for Business Guide that shares best practices, case studies, and guidelines. The guide contains a simple summary of how Businesses can utilize Twitter for Sales, Marketing, and Support purposes. This is the ideal guid for any business just looking to learn on what Twitter can do for them. I also think this is a strategic step in the right direction for Twitter as they start to figure out how to sell it’s Technology, and Services to Enterprise and Small Business Customers. Check out the links below.

Twitter 10 For Business Mainsite
Getting Started
Best Practices
Case Studies
Download Slides (PDF Link)

A Video Demo of Microsofts CRM Social Accelerator (Twitter Monitoring)

So Microsoft has been a little behind the Twitter bandwagon.  It wasn’t till just over 1 month ago when they officially launched a Twitter Channel which is currently being used for Marketing purposes.  However, it looks like they are making strides in the Social CRM space by announcing last week that they are introducing Twitter capability into their Dynamics CRM application.  The application will allow you to monitor, manage, and support social conversations related to your brand’s conversations.  Microsoft also has announced the ability to integrate other social networks like Facebook at a later time.   The application will be available for free for Microsoft Dynamics CRM users at http://crmaccelerators.codeplex.com/.  One of the highlights of the video above is their ability to provide comprehensive Social Conversation analytics and dashboards right from within the CRM environment.

It seems like the Social CRM craze has not caught on to all other vendors.  While companies like Oracle have introduced a Social CRM offering, they have yet to integrate Twitter or Facebook into their applications.  However, I can certainly see it happening real soon.  One of the budding opportunities in this space will be Free Social CRM applications as this business matures.  We are already seeing various apps make a big mark in this space like CoTweet.  Applications like CoTweet are not only being utilized by Corporate Customers like Jetblue, but the tool also seems to be an excellent fit for small businesses.  One of the challenges with Cotweet will be their ability to synchronize their data with Enterprise CRM.

CoTweet Video – The Free CRM Tool for Twitter Interactions

Check out this video demo of CoTweet in action. John Perez of http://www.service-push.com (A Social CRM Consulting Firm) demonstrates how you can support your customers and twitter conversations using Co Tweet. Can co tweet replace traditional ticketing systems for small businesses? Visit http://www.service-push.com and http://www.socialcrmtools.com for more information on Social CRM Tools, Information, and Strategy.