Christopher Carfi on the Social Engagement Journey

Judith Aquino was at CRM Evolution 2012 in NYC this week and reported on Christopher Carfi’s talk on building and  sustaining a loyal customer base:

Every company wants a loyal customer base, but only a few businesses are implementing effective strategies and pragmatic tactics to build their base of dedicated followers, according to Christopher Carfi, vice president of social business strategy at brand consulting firm Ant’s Eye View. “Social engagement is a journey,” Carfi noted Wednesday at CRM Evolution. “If companies are going to engage their customers, they need to connect with their influencers and advocates.”

Carfi shared several best practice tips companies can use to improve their engagement efforts with customers. The first step is to understand the difference between an influencer and an advocate. Although these terms are often considered interchangeable, they describe two different types of customers.

“Influencers are amplifiers when you get down to it,” Carfi explained. “They will make your message go further, faster, and louder, but it could be a positive, negative, or neutral sentiment.”

Read more at What Companies Miss on Their Social Engagement Journey from CRM Magazine.