The Dos and Don'ts of Data in Marketing

If you have started building a database of have a large database in your business then this is for you. Marketing is becoming more challenging as consumers want a more personalised experience.

There's a big difference between generic and personalised messages. For example:

Generic messaging: "The perfect beard wash for your every day use" and

Personalised appeal: "Steve, we know what works for longer unruly beards like yours. We've got you covered with our beard wash designed for longer course beards.

But how do you get to such a personalised message? Data.

Data is king when it comes to understanding customer behaviour and digital experiences. Here are 5 key dos and don'ts to manage your data better:

DON'T silo data

You are risking poor data quality and inaccurate reporting when data comes from many different systems that are not or cannot be integrated.

DO integrate data and your CRM with marketing tools

Talk to your CRM provider about which marketing tools they have partnerships with that will best integrate to ensure all your data and analytics can be managed in one place.

DON'T make decisions based on low quality or inaccurate data

Clean data is the epitome of quality reporting, analysis and marketing decisions the result in your desired return on investment. Up to date data allows credible forecasting and predicting customer behaviour that can map out an accurate customer lifecycle from acquisition to conversion and the user experience of existing customers.

DO implement data management and governance

Put in place strict data management and data governance processes and policies to ensure clean data across all channels.

DON'T rely on website cookies or user engagement insights

Cookies are out and first-party data is in. If you haven't heard, Google is phasing out cookies across all Chrome browsers. This means websites will not be able to collect data when you immediately land on them. Some businesses rely heavily on cookies to identify demographics, location, device and browsers used to access a website to name a few metrics. This data allows a business to target these individuals with key messaging when they land on a website. But what happens when this data is no longer available? Turn to your existing data or first-party data.

DO make the most out of first-party data

Setup a range of different data collection points across your website that give something that is worth exchanging data for.

DON'T expect the same results if you're not using personalisation

Consumers are getting harder to sell to, persuade or even inform. There is an estimated 1 trillion gigabytes of data on the internet alone. That's a lot of information to compete with. So what will cut through the noise? Personal experiences. The more relevant content is to the individual, the more likely they are to engage.

DO utilise data to implement targeted messaging

Invest in the tools, strategies and data that allow to create personalised digital and in person experiences for your clients and prospects.

DON'T buy data lists

Data breaches are becoming so commonplace that they are inevitable. This has ramped up data privacy as an industry resulting in tighter laws and growing awareness of how data is being collected and handled.

DO remain compliant with privacy laws

The key is to familiarise yourself with Australian data privacy laws as well as the EU GDPR rules. In an age where cybersecurity is imperative, consumers are concerned with how their data is being used. Engaging with brand followers beats cold selling.

Get in touch with Found Atlantis Design for an assessment of the state of your data and more tips and tricks on how you can personalise your marketing program.