Volume 5

Want to watch or listen to this newsie instead of reading? Click here to watch volume five on YouTube 📺.

Hello, friends!

As a write this intro, I’ve just taken my first sip of steaming hot mushroom coffee (it’s a thing). My head is swimming with ideas over the research we’ve been conducting for our State of Social Care 2023 report.

To put it mildly, I’m blown away! 😮 Both with shock and awe … and to be completely honest, a little what-the-bleep befuddlement.

While there are a vast number of changes happening, I want to focus on the top three for this newsie:

1. Social customer experience (CX)
2. Hyper-personalization
3. The rise of AI in CX

I’ll give you a glimpse of what’s to come in the full report so you can get a head start on thinking through your social media or social care strategy for 2024.

Nearly 1300 U.S. marketers took an accompanying survey with the report. And frankly, the answers delighted and surprised me! Hint: Most are looking to beef up their social media customer service game next year.

To join 1000+ marketers and make sure you’re on the list to receive our new State of Social Care report for 2024, simply reply to this email with “report” and I’ll make sure you’re among the first to read it.

Data often speaks louder than words, and one statistic that majorly stands out is from a 2022 report from Twilio.

On average, a staggering 70% of top-line revenue increased among companies that leaned into digital customer engagement.

Forward-thinking companies are looking to double their digital customer engagement investment by 2025. Are you??

Digital engagement isn’t merely a trend; it’s a testament to the shifting dynamics of brand-customer interactions.

Let’s start by dissecting why this digital embrace isn’t just strategic, but undeniably profitable.

Capitalizing on Conversations: Social Media as a Revenue Driver

By centering their strategies around conversations on social media channels, brands aren’t just building communities; they’re building their bottom line.

These platforms, once seen as mere extensions of a brand’s online presence, are now pivotal hubs for customer acquisition and revenue growth.

Brands that prioritize and engage in meaningful conversations on these platforms do more than just foster goodwill or elevate brand image; they discover rich veins of opportunity.

Platforms like Instagram and Facebook now allow for in-app purchases. A casual chat about a product can easily segue into a sale when purchase links are embedded within the conversation or are readily accessible on the brand’s profile.

Similarly, at B Squared Media, we’re currently testing using promo codes during acquisition conversations on social media to initiate the sale. More on that soon!

We’re overflowing with advertising messages, emails, and endless social feeds. Standing out to a consumer is both an art and a science.

The modern customer, equipped with more choice than ever before, wants more than a product or a service; they want an experience. An experience that says, “We know you. We understand you.”

This is where the power of personalization steps into the spotlight, emerging as the backbone for a truly differentiated customer experience.

Beyond the “Dear [First Name]”
Historically, personalization might have started as simply addressing your customer by their first name in emails.

Today, it has evolved into a sophisticated harmony of insights, technology, and strategy. It’s about serving the right content, to the right person, at the right time, and now including the right platform!

We must meet our customers on their channel of choice. 

Personalization is now about recognizing past interactions, understanding preferences – including channel of choice, and predicting future needs.

Customers who feel ‘seen’ by a brand, who feel their individual preferences are acknowledged, tend to reward brands with loyalty and advocacy.

Personalization, when done right, can lead to higher conversion rates, increased average order values, and overall improved customer satisfaction.

The rapid evolution of technology has consistently reshaped how we operationalize the digital customer experience (DCX).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation have emerged as pivotal players, seamlessly integrating into various facets of CX and DCX.

These technologies, while futuristic in their appeal, have practical, tangible implications for brands striving for excellence in today’s competitive landscape.

Here’s a sneak peek of one of three the report lists: Chatbots.

Chatbots: ‘Think Conversation’ Reimagined
Remember when customer queries would languish in email inboxes waiting for human intervention? My, how things have changed!

Today, chatbots, powered by AI, are revolutionizing the first line of customer engagement. With their ability to be present across platforms, from websites to social media, chatbots provide instant, round-the-clock responses.

But the real magic lies in their adaptability.

Over time, these bots learn from interactions, refining their responses to be more accurate and human-like. For brands, this not only translates to improved efficiency but also significant cost savings without compromising on customer satisfaction.

Although, we always ask that bots be used with extreme caution.

Here’s another sneak peek of how marketers who took our State of Social Care survey are looking at AI:

The future of social care is both exciting and challenging.

To succeed, sales, customer service, marketing, and PR will need to come together to traverse the digital landscape.

You must be agile, empathetic, and proactive.

Those that can adapt, maintaining consistency while navigating the rapid currents of social feedback, are the ones poised to excel in the next chapter of customer engagement.

Make sure you don’t miss the release of our 2023 State of Social Care report! You may also CLICK HERE to automatically be added to the email list for delivery when it’s published.

IT’S HERE: B Squared Media has finally released the first-ever social media mystery shop!

This means you can use our expert Community Managers and proprietary report system to grade how your brand does when it comes to social media customer service — for both acquisition and retention.

Check out our video on how the Social Media Mystery Shop works.

Or, if you prefer, chat with me to see if the shop makes sense for your teams.