How Social Media Drives Sales: Truth, Engagement, Retention
A recent Forrester report is right: You can’t effectively sell directly with social tactics. “Because it’s like trying to pick up a date at a funeral. Wrong place, wrong time.” Google AdWords will always convert better, and triggered, event-based email campaigns will always be more effective. But social media still has its place in driving revenue, albeit in indirect, hard-to-measure ways. Here are three ways it does this: 1) the “Zero Moment of Truth”: the crucial first touch with a brand experienced by consumers who proactively search for something online; 2) engagement: the missing link between getting awareness and generating sales; 3) retention: it’s important not to neglect things like customer service and following up. (Social Media Today)
