Albeit a little late because I was off jet setting afterwards, but I thought I’d share a few bite size takeaways that I got out of the Marketing Association Direct Marketing Conference held last week.
Morsel 1 – Data, data, data
To a creative type, the word data doesn’t have the most positive of connotations. But in the marketing world today, data is now your best friend. Get it, understand it and use it.
One of the key themes of many of the speakers was that data had to be used to track customers at an individual level. No longer do customers engage with brands that treat them as part of the masses. They want to feel special and they engage with comms and offers that hit their inbox when they need it and for products and services that actually relate to them.
Essentially what companies need to be doing is looking at customers “moments of truth” – the times in which they are making key decisions. And these are the times you need to be hitting them with your comms, offers and the like. They need to be tailored not only in messaging but also in timing.
80% of response rate will come from timing.
Also, break the rules. No longer do you have to stick to set timings. “I must send email at 9am to get the best open rate” or “I must not email customers more than twice a month”. Throw it out. If your comms are truly relevant to your customers then there’s no reason why you can’t send them more often.
Morsel 2 – Get creative
Creativity is a differentiator and a necessity.
With so much data and so much understanding of our customers and our markets, sometimes the obvious becomes the norm. Creativity cannot be underestimated, as it not only breaks through noise in your current market but can also attract customers you never even knew you could find.
Some great examples of creative ads highlighted at the conference included:
Beldent ‘Almost Identical’
Volvo’s infamous ‘Epic Split’
And some of the other iterations of ‘Live Tests’ before Jean Claude came on board
