Starting a Marketing Database
You're committed to having your own marketing database, but haven't yet finalised your approach
"...Data driven marketing is the most powerful tool you can use. If you had the chance to better understand your customers, their needs, their spending habits.... do you think your marketing might be more effective? But you need the right approach to make this a reality." Andy Wood.
Database marketing; loyalty marketing; CRM; one to one marketing; call them what you will - all are about finding and keeping customers, profitably.
Our team has been intimately involved in many of the UK's biggest database marketing operations, which at least means we should be a fair way up the learning curve!
And one thing is sure: whether you want your database to help you win new customers, get them to spend more, more often or for longer, or all of these things, the design of your database and the marketing analysis to unlock the knowledge within it are fundamental to its success.
Of course, every application is unique and should be treated as such, but nonetheless, there are some guidelines. If we could give you our "5 key steps to success", they would be these:
- Don't get carried away, or turned off by the hype surrounding database marketing and CRM
- Be absolutely sure you really want a direct relationship with your customers, and having done so, embrace them wholeheartedly.
- Don't buy technology for technology's sake. Make sure you can apply it in a way that fits your vision.
- Track, Measure, Analyse, Refine. Remember, a marketing database gives you concrete numbers, so you can prove the success of any campaign.
- Dare to be different. Don't be limited or constrained in your thinking. Set some objectives and we can create the solution to achieve them.
If you'd like to discuss any of your ideas, or hear any of ours, contact us to find out more or sign up to a free seminar or database marketing workshop.