CIO.com lays out a compelling argument about why companies using social media will only see long-term success if there is a strong Social CRM strategy in place:

Companies of every kind are beginning to focus more on consumers and engaging with them on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.

What those smart companies are doing, says Denis Pombriant, a Social CRM analyst with Beagle Research Group LLC, is turning their social media efforts into two-way, real-time communications with their customers.

The bottom line is that simply embarking on a Social CRM strategy is not a panacea, according to Pombriant. You have to really do the work to make it a valuable addition for your company.

“Because when you start doing that, you begin to get a much clearer picture of your customers and you become more intimate,” Pombriant says. “And when you become more intimate, you’re more likely to make that second or third sale over time.”

Read the rest of the story here.