Five “Best in Class” Marketing Elements

Want to be the best? Compete with the best. That’s a powerful motto, whether in sports or business. Here are five marketing strategies used by top marketers that you should be using, as well. Let’s take a look! 

Top strategy #1: Break down the silos.

You can’t use your data if you can’t find it or it is scattered across your systems in silos. Top marketers centralize their data into a single marketing database, so they have everything all in one place. This includes data from events, CRM, website activity, email marketing, online and offline commerce, and digital marketing. It contains data from channel preference centers, too, if they have them. Once it’s all in one place, it’s easier to analyze, update, and use. 

Top strategy #2: Clean it up. 

Data is not useful if it’s out of date or just plain wrong. Regular data hygiene (including using CASS, NCOA) is the practice of top marketers, and it should be for you, too. “Normalizing” is the next step. Normalization ensures that each record has the same information and that all fields are handled the same way. For example, some customers may be listed as last name, first name, middle initial (“Jones, Sally E”). Others might be a salutation, followed by first and last name only (“Mrs. Barbara Smith”). Normalization makes all of these fields consistent. If fields are missing, you can fill them in.

Top strategy #3: Improve your data. 

Once data is centralized, cleansed, and updated, top marketers can see what information they have and where enhancement could benefit them. Add additional demographics, behavioral data (when they shop, which channels they use, shopping behavior while on your website), and third-party data such as interests.  The more you know, the more relevant you can make your communications and offers. 

Top strategy #4: Personalize as much as possible. 

Top marketers use their data to improve their targeting and personalization continually. Whether using segmentation or full personalization, they seek to understand customers both individually and as larger customer groups (segmentation, personas). Using design templates can help flow targeted information into layouts quickly.

Top strategy #5: Test and track.

Top marketers track the results of their efforts, do A/B testing, and use the information they learn to refine their campaigns and improve their results over time. When you know what works, you can do more of it. 

Looking to integrate the strategies of top marketers into your next campaign? Give us a call!