Social distancing is the new normal.
People are relying on their devices more than ever to fulfill both their work responsibilities and social interaction needs. Media mavens are jumping at this unprecedented opportunity and inundating consumers across paid and owned channels with ads promoting their brand. Unfortunately, many opportunity-seekers lack empathy and their messages fall flat.
Personalization and empathy must be prioritized.
For as long as we can remember, marketing experts have touted personalized consumer experiences as the holy grail. However, as personalization becomes more expected and anxiety increases about the coronavirus pandemic, it is no longer an ultimate endeavor. It is now a mandate. Furthermore, we must show empathy. Yet to accomplish true empathy and personalization, we must have the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Disparate data sources and a multitude of channels make this feel impossible.
As the avenues for consumer interaction have increased, so have the touchpoints. And as they’ve grown, identifying the solution to manage each touchpoint has grown more complex. Marketers have invested in martech tools such as customer relationship management (CRM), marketing automation platforms (MAPs), data management platforms (DMPs), analytics dashboards and more to achieve the complete consumer view. Each has its own unique specialty, yet all still struggle to provide a 360-degree view of the consumer and provide usable data across all channels and touchpoints.
The right tool can make a difference.
Enter the customer data platform (CDP). The goal of a CDP is to seamlessly deliver the previously fabled 360-degree consumer view from all touchpoints and martech tools, consolidated into one unified consumer profile.
A CDP is not the same as CRM solutions, data warehouses, or the data equivalent of your dad’s tool shed. It is much more. A CDP provides:
- Unified consumer data pulled from multiple sources, cleaned and combined
- Real-time capability to activate data and make it usable
- Open access for integrations from any channel
According to the CDP Institute, there are over 80 companies identified as CDP vendors and not all are the same. Here are a few questions to put you on the path to a unified consumer view:
- How does the CDP address General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
- Is the CDP integrated with artificial intelligence and machine learning?
- Can the CDP access and provide real-time data?
- Which marketing channels are supported and available for integration?
- What role does the CDP play in an omni-channel campaign?
Communicating like a human is the next holy grail.
It is our challenge to build unique consumer experiences and ultimately develop deeper, more empathetic relationships with consumers. A CDP can help get us there. However, a CDP isn’t the silver bullet to solve all consumer experience challenges. To maximize any platform investment, you need to adopt a consumer-centric approach with personalization that builds trust and provides value to customers.
Listen to the voice of the consumer and then follow our Three T’s:
- Trust– Provide personalized and unique consumer data to internal teams that have a personal interaction with the customer (sales reps, customer service, live chat, etc.)
- Transparency– Eliminate ambiguity and friction so that consumers understand what you’re doing with their data and will give their approval for you to use it.
- Timing – Observe audience behavior for the best times and channels to orchestrate an omni-channel experience with relevant and appropriate content. Be proactive.
As we all adjust to what very well may be our new normal, now is the time for marketers to readjust their messaging solutions to reach customers in a smarter, more personalized and sincere way. We look forward to learning more about how you are making your way in this ultimate endeavor.
