Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are missing out on the opportunities to exploit the latest digital marketing tools to engage with their customers and prospects, according to the findings of a recent online survey.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software provider Amplify carried out the research and found that only 29 per cent of UK small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners saw social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as a good B2B networking tool.
About a fifth of respondents said they didn't know how to harness the power of social media to their commercial advantage and another 10 per cent thought it was an online space largely occupied by kids with too much time on their hands.
The research also revealed that few SMEs had proactive and reliable systems in place for staying in touch with clients and prospects.
Around half of the SMB owners admitted they implemented only very primitive systems to manage business contacts, such as using a simple Excel spreadsheet or Access database, while another 21 per cent had no proper contact system whatsoever.
The results are of particular interest to the PR profession as no industry understands the importance of maintaining and cultivating business relationships more than public relations.
And the research also suggests opportunities for PR agencies to help businesses foster these relationships, which ultimately make a positive impact on their bottom line.
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