10 Data-Driven Marketing Pitfalls You Must AvoidDiscover 10 key data-driven marketing pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Big data here,marketing

automation there

and right in the middle

?

the marketing team who ideally should take care of all topics simultaneously and pull a solution out of the bag

for each individual one.

With all these trends, there is one key issue at the heart of the matter:

The answer takes us on a direct path to the next buzzword, “data-driven marketing”.

What do you do with your customer data?

1. Essentially this is a symbiosis of many marketing trends since it involves both big data and multi-channel or automated campaign management, whereby the customer and the customer’s needs are always the focus.

Data-driven marketing[dey-tuh] [driv-uh-n] [mahr-ki-ting]

However, data-driven marketing isn’t a strategy that just happens by itself. If you avoid the following pitfalls, you will be well on your way to individual

customer communication.

1. Data management

Data strategy is not a one-man job.Pursuing a data strategy is a company-wide decision and will only

be successful if all departments work together when it comes to data management. After all, customer data doesn’t just

accumulate in the marketing department, the sales and service departments also maintain close links with the customers.

2. Data consolidation

You want to start? Then don’t forget to merge your data silos.

Customer data often comes from different sources (e.g. CRM, on-line, store, e-mail) and needs to be merged in a single database. That’s the

only way to ensure you have a 360° view of your customers.

3. Data quality

Individual communication is only as good as the data on which it is based.You should not blindly rely on your dataset, especially if you are just starting to collect customer data specifically for data-driven marketing activities. Addressing the wrong people with the wrong message is worse than having no personalisation at all.

4. Data protection

Despite the euphoria, do not exceed the customer’s pain threshold.When you’re not just collecting customer data for the sake of it, you’ll find it’s beneficial to keep gaining new insights. Nevertheless, you should have clear guidelines on data protection that everyone adheres to. Too much personalisation (private sphere) and you’ll soon hit the customer’s pain threshold.

5. Transparency

Customers want to manage their data themselves.Give your customers the ability to adjust and modify their data, for example when they move house or get married. Most companies don’t offer this, even though the customers are perfectly capable of updating their records. So why not make

them feel good by being transparent?

6. Building up relationships

Customer data is not just numbers.Don’t forget that behind all the data, numbers and facts, there is still a person. Data analysis helps you segment your target groups and create accurate profiles of all customers. Nevertheless, your brand and your relationship with your customers thrives on emotions and positive experiences with your company.

7. The right goals

Profit maximisation and cost reduction should not be the primary objectives.Of course, these are some positive side effects of a data-driven marketing strategy that will come automatically with time. But for you to be successful, your data strategy must focus on the customer and building a good, long-term relationship with them. In other words, data-driven marketing is an attitude, not just a decision.

8. Holistic marketing

There is no turning back: consistency is the keyword.It’s no good if you send customers a fabulous e-mail that is tailored to their needs, but as soon as they press the well-placed call-to-action, the positive experience is over. Customers want a consistent brand experience across all channels. For you this means: once individual, always individual.

9. Resources

Personalisation requires the necessary content.Data-driven marketing gives you unlimited possibilities for personalisation. But don’t forget, each individual variant needs individually tailored content.

Do you have the necessary resources (staff of course, but also topics, creatives and offers) to do it justice?

10. Campaigns at the right time

The customer will not wait for you.It’s very good if, thanks to your data-driven marketing strategy, you know

and understand your customers. But is that enough? You use the data your customers provide; step one done and dusted. But your customers

expect that always and everywhere - and whenever they want. Practically no-one will wait a long time for a response nowadays. Welcome to the start of real-time marketing.

Now you know the pitfalls to avoid, start making the most of your data marketing, download:

How to Track Customers As They Take a Journey With Your Business

How to track customers as they take a journey with your businessWritten by Chris Roe, Developer, Apteco Ltd

Being able to not only track how your customers interact with your business but also understand how these interactions fit into behavioural patterns is key to ensuring a successful campaign execution. In this white paper from Apteco discover how customer segmentation and data analysis can not only ensure the success of your future campaigns but also enable you to spot when a customer is about to lapse - giving you the chance to target them with appropriate marketing and transform them back into a loyal, high value, customer.

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