Most marketers agree that there’s 5 stages of social media engagement; from the least engaged enterprise (marketing only through traditional channels), to the fully engaged enterprise (achieving highly desirable social media business outcomes).

In our series on social media engagement, we describe each of the 5 stages to inspire thinking about how to develop or further develop your own structure around the social customer.

STAGE FIVE. Full results are finally coming in. The company is completely engaged with customers. At this point, results are considered a major business breakthrough and customer satisfaction is at an all time high. Revenue increases as does customer loyalty. Customers remark that their needs are anticipated and their ideas are being used to create a better company. The company is totally immersed in social media and can’t imagine business before it.

Part of the company’s main policy is social media engagement with customers. They promote themselves as a company that listens and considers customer concerns a top priority. With constant engagement, companies are able to prove that they not only listen but act on everything a customer has to say. All levels of the business are engaging customers, including top level executives. Employees are fully trained and able to anticipate customer needs.

Companies in this stage of social media engagement are able to market and promote products far quicker, equaling higher revenue streams.

By judging customer responses to pre-promotion, companies are better able to manage financial risks, despite the difficult economic times. Companies have not only prices and profits, but live customer feedback to measure results. This allows them to constantly tailor business practices for optimal results.

Social media becomes an integral part of day to day business tasks. From researching customer buzz to providing real time customer support, businesses see customers as people and employees, instead of just a way to make a profit. Engagement is tied closely to revenue with practices and services changing to meet social media needs. Both the company and its customers are happier with their new relationship. Employees are more productive and campaigns are more efficient since there is no guess work on what customers want and need.

“As an enterprise’s presence shifts into social media, so does the organizations social media engagement structure”

We hope this series on social media engagement will inspire thinking about how to develop or further develop your own structure around the social customer. Be sure to catch all 5 parts and share your comments below.

The 5 Stages of Social Media Engagement: Part 1 of 5 – TRADITIONAL
The 5 Stages of Social Media Engagement: Part 2 of 5 – EXPERIMENTAL
The 5 Stages of Social Media Engagement: Part 3 of 5 – OPERATIONAL
The 5 Stages of Social Media Engagement: Part 4 of 5 – MEASURABLE
The 5 Stages of Social Media Engagement: Part 5 of 5 – FULLY ENGAGED