Embrace Smart Data to Achieve Your Marketing Goals

Data is an invaluable currency for most companies these days. In 2015, users generated nearly 8 zettabytes of data worldwide — and that number is likely to reach 35 zettabytes within just a few years. Companies are contributing to that massive statistic with basics like customer names and contact information, as well as new demographics such as purchase histories, travel patterns, social engagement, behaviors, attitudes and much more.

This bounty of data — and the options for collecting and analyzing it — often tempts companies to enter a feeding frenzy of data acquisition and analysis. On top of that, the time-sensitive nature of many types of data adds to the sense of urgency.

Points like daily or weekly sales results are critical for a brand and its stock ranking, urging companies to shuttle data quickly out to various stakeholders. Because email is typically the cheapest form of communication, the attitude is often to simply “send to everyone,” a wide-field approach that is quick, simple to deploy and inexpensive.

But is this approach actually effective?

Not always. Rushing to leverage the data-age without proper planning is riddled with dangers. As with any endeavor in which details are key, haste is not your friend. While speed is often an advantage in the marketplace, when it comes to data, accuracy is just as important — if not more so. Rushing data out to everyone in the organization without taking the time to check its integrity is a disaster waiting to happen.

One issue is customer satisfaction. When data is misrouted for customer requests, it results in poor personalization and reduced engagement at best — or even the alienation of customers. Just as restaurants shouldn’t forget to hold the mayo, data-serving companies must prioritize getting data request orders right.

Insights from data allow companies to craft precise messaging for their customers based on individual needs and preferences.

This can be done as a form of “storytelling,” a scalable approach that can deliver timely, measurable and action-oriented messages to one’s base — but only if each customer’s relevant details are understood. These details can include spending behavior, buying journey and other salient information.

Understanding these details requires data that’s both accurate and effectively managed. To see why, consider how different categories of products or services inform the messaging that ought to be sent to a customer. Depending on the category, what drives customer decisions could be the branding, price, convenience or quickness of service.

By using the appropriate data, companies can better understand both the category and the consumer’s intention across the purchasing journey.

This allows marketers to more easily influence customer decisions with relevant offers and product services that are delivered at just the right time. But mishandling this data may result in a poorly targeted marketing attempt, which can put off customers rather than entice them into a purchase or engagement with a brand.

Mismanaged data can lead to blunders, but when things go well, it can be a powerful connector for customer and company.