Intelestream, Inc., a CRM consulting firm and developer of intelecrm, a small business online CRM solution, has published ‘Understanding and Harnessing the Power of Social CRM,’ a whitepaper that outlines the concept of Social CRM in the context of small and medium sized businesses.

Officials with Intelestream (News - Alert) said that the whitepaper provides a blueprint to understanding and harnessing the power of Social CRM.

Company officials said that it covers traditional CRMs; social networking sites and opportunities; the differences between CRM and Social CRM; and what organizations should consider, prepare for, and buy in order to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

With social networking opportunities growing at an alarming speed, many businesses are faltering under the pressures to keep up.

Navigating through social networking sites can be an incredible waste of time if professionals are unprepared and do not know what to look for.

Company officials said that with both the potential to reward and devastate a company's brand and reputation, properly understanding and harnessing Social CRM can determine whether a business remains competitive or obsolete.

“Our decision to publish this whitepaper is a response to the confusion about this topic that has been mounting among small and medium sized business professionals. There is an absolute sea of information out there when it comes to Social Networking and Social CRM. Our goal is to break it down into practical terms,” said Stafford McKay, Jr., director of marketing for Intelestream, in a statement.

McKay said that as CRM consultants, it is the company responsibility to keep the market informed of proven developing trends while speaking in a language everyone can understand.