Page 20 - index
P. 20
BEST PRACTICES & STRATEGIES
Data-driven
Marketing and
the pitfalls you
should avoid
The conflict between strategy and implementation, hu- 3. Pull the plug on data silos
mans and technology, as well as between marketing Whoever holds on to the separation of online and of-
and IT departments, just represent a few hurdles in the fline inevitably prevents a data consolidation and bogs
implementation of data-driven marketing. In order to turn down with many decentralized data pots and chaotic
this into a success, besides having to deal with these information flows, denying himself a 360-degree view of
obstacles, Martin Clark, Managing Director of the mar- the consumers. "If, instead on cross-channel communi-
keting software solution provider Apteco, formulated five cations, you set and enable spontaneous interaction of
resolutions. campaigns, you can inspire your clientele with relevant,
The key for marketing decision makers is to understand timely and targeted communication", Clark says, but
how to navigate around these hurdles and create prom- insists: "In order to achieve this you have to pull the
ising conditions for their data-driven marketing success: plug on data silos and let your teams use a consolidat-
ed database. With a holistic view it is possible to devel-
1. Become independent from IT and (hardly) ever op multichannel campaigns through automation rules
wait in line again for trigger events and frequency capping", the Apteco-
Whoever does not set fixed resource conditions - be it boss explains, in reference to non-routine and moder-
technically, structurally or systems-based - is often pun- ate communication. Therefore, a recently contacted
ished with long waiting times, detours via IT, as well as customer ideally receives only one relevant kick-start
scarce and expensive resources. email, SMS or call during the first week of first contact.
"It is not rocket science to overcome these obstacles 4. Through ‘small data’, the Big Data gains drasti-
and to build the infrastructure for data-driven marketing cally in meaning
in such a way that the decision makers move from the It is possible to draw knowledge by analyzing the avail-
passenger to the driver’s seat, and in this way decrease able data, and through it generate additional revenue.
dependency from IT", Clark sketched. The marketer has But for strategists, it is particularly important to get in-
to stand in the center, as he best knows the issues and formation derived from automatically processed "big
therefore needs direct data access to resolve important data", to then also be able to extract meaningful "small
issues. data" and produce visually appealing objects which are
2. Gain time and turn from being the hunted into the comprehensible to the human brain. "Only the step to
hunter small data allows analytical thinking. This will help in
the next step of the process, namely the ‘doing’, to con-
Decisiveness enables you to act and allows a rapid sys- vert information into ideal campaign measures", Clark
tem implementation, if there is the need for it. In addi- explains. At this stage, the marketer needs to set the
tion, keep in mind: "Whoever is not playful, flexible and context and formulate the strategically important ques-
willing to test ad-hoc campaigns, in order to learn from tions.
them how to optimize a roll out (based on what competi-
tors are up to right now), lags behind in the market", 5. Increase efficiency and effectiveness, by making
Clark explains. In times in which long, planned commu- sure that analysis and automation go hand in hand.
nication loses in value, it is fatal if a long planned dialog “If you separate analysis and campaign-automation -
attempt only takes limited account of the immediate the two main aspects of data-driven marketing - you will
needs of the customer, Clark explains. "Whoever would generate extra costs through uncoordinated marketing
like to benefit from a higher pace through the use of data efforts”, states Clark. "You will therefore also not be
-based marketing, can get started in a small scale – in a able to act in a timely manner or put to use the findings
“start-up” kind of way - and employ his creativity profita- of the campaign in time", he warns. “This means more
bly this way. Willingness to take calculated risks opens losses and lower sales due to a lower response, how-
up new opportunities. The main thing is that the market- ever, through data-based automation and scaling,
er quickly learns and begins to act instead of reacting", which must work hand in hand, you can counteract this
he adds effect in the digital age and use your budget effectively
and efficiently", Clark concludes. ◊
By Roger Stadler
20 Asian eMarketing January 2015 - Digital Marketing Trends & Predictions
Data-driven
Marketing and
the pitfalls you
should avoid
The conflict between strategy and implementation, hu- 3. Pull the plug on data silos
mans and technology, as well as between marketing Whoever holds on to the separation of online and of-
and IT departments, just represent a few hurdles in the fline inevitably prevents a data consolidation and bogs
implementation of data-driven marketing. In order to turn down with many decentralized data pots and chaotic
this into a success, besides having to deal with these information flows, denying himself a 360-degree view of
obstacles, Martin Clark, Managing Director of the mar- the consumers. "If, instead on cross-channel communi-
keting software solution provider Apteco, formulated five cations, you set and enable spontaneous interaction of
resolutions. campaigns, you can inspire your clientele with relevant,
The key for marketing decision makers is to understand timely and targeted communication", Clark says, but
how to navigate around these hurdles and create prom- insists: "In order to achieve this you have to pull the
ising conditions for their data-driven marketing success: plug on data silos and let your teams use a consolidat-
ed database. With a holistic view it is possible to devel-
1. Become independent from IT and (hardly) ever op multichannel campaigns through automation rules
wait in line again for trigger events and frequency capping", the Apteco-
Whoever does not set fixed resource conditions - be it boss explains, in reference to non-routine and moder-
technically, structurally or systems-based - is often pun- ate communication. Therefore, a recently contacted
ished with long waiting times, detours via IT, as well as customer ideally receives only one relevant kick-start
scarce and expensive resources. email, SMS or call during the first week of first contact.
"It is not rocket science to overcome these obstacles 4. Through ‘small data’, the Big Data gains drasti-
and to build the infrastructure for data-driven marketing cally in meaning
in such a way that the decision makers move from the It is possible to draw knowledge by analyzing the avail-
passenger to the driver’s seat, and in this way decrease able data, and through it generate additional revenue.
dependency from IT", Clark sketched. The marketer has But for strategists, it is particularly important to get in-
to stand in the center, as he best knows the issues and formation derived from automatically processed "big
therefore needs direct data access to resolve important data", to then also be able to extract meaningful "small
issues. data" and produce visually appealing objects which are
2. Gain time and turn from being the hunted into the comprehensible to the human brain. "Only the step to
hunter small data allows analytical thinking. This will help in
the next step of the process, namely the ‘doing’, to con-
Decisiveness enables you to act and allows a rapid sys- vert information into ideal campaign measures", Clark
tem implementation, if there is the need for it. In addi- explains. At this stage, the marketer needs to set the
tion, keep in mind: "Whoever is not playful, flexible and context and formulate the strategically important ques-
willing to test ad-hoc campaigns, in order to learn from tions.
them how to optimize a roll out (based on what competi-
tors are up to right now), lags behind in the market", 5. Increase efficiency and effectiveness, by making
Clark explains. In times in which long, planned commu- sure that analysis and automation go hand in hand.
nication loses in value, it is fatal if a long planned dialog “If you separate analysis and campaign-automation -
attempt only takes limited account of the immediate the two main aspects of data-driven marketing - you will
needs of the customer, Clark explains. "Whoever would generate extra costs through uncoordinated marketing
like to benefit from a higher pace through the use of data efforts”, states Clark. "You will therefore also not be
-based marketing, can get started in a small scale – in a able to act in a timely manner or put to use the findings
“start-up” kind of way - and employ his creativity profita- of the campaign in time", he warns. “This means more
bly this way. Willingness to take calculated risks opens losses and lower sales due to a lower response, how-
up new opportunities. The main thing is that the market- ever, through data-based automation and scaling,
er quickly learns and begins to act instead of reacting", which must work hand in hand, you can counteract this
he adds effect in the digital age and use your budget effectively
and efficiently", Clark concludes. ◊
By Roger Stadler
20 Asian eMarketing January 2015 - Digital Marketing Trends & Predictions
