It’s more than just a buzzword – customer experience is a central component to success in the modern business world. One recent survey from Oracle even stated that 97 percent of executives view CX as a differentiator in their overall brand strength. No matter how one chooses to define the term, the implications are clear: A strong customer focus is now a necessity.
So, what does this mean for marketers looking to capitalize on the trend? To help brands reach out to new prospects and engage past customers with CX best practices in mind, here’s a look at three key dynamics that every marketing team should be sure to leverage:
Personalization: The concept of a personalized marketing experience has always been idealized, but only now are companies utilizing the tactics and technology necessary to make it happen on a consistent basis. As an article from Direct Marketing News pointed out, a bit of personal information can go a long way in building rapport with a customer, new or old.
“Providing relevant messaging fosters engagement and retention,” said Andrew Kelly, director of new business development at marketing agency Baesman, according to the source. “It’s an opportunity to build on an emotional connection, whether it’s person-to-person or brand-to-consumer.”
Of course, without accurate information in the database, a brand’s personalization effort can backfire in the form of an incorrect name or purchase reference. It’s important for marketing teams to regularly clean their portfolios to ensure the data within is relevant and up-to-date.
Multi-channel: Just as the modern customer experience is connected across in-store and online channels, so should the marketing efforts put forth by every brand. The best campaigns strike a balance throughout email, social media and direct mail formats, while retaining a consistent message and capitalizing on opportunities to include personal data.
Still, there are boundaries that every marketing team should be aware of as they craft a multi-channel campaign strategy. Too much reliance on a single avenue of communication can seem invasive, especially if the marketing materials are disconnected from the rest of the initiative.
“Brands need to respect the time and frequency of customers’ communication preferences, whether that’s text messages, emails or other types of communications,” Kelly told Direct Marketing News.
Measurement: According to a blog from Gartner, customer experience technology was the top marketing investment for organizations in 2014, and CX was cited as the No.1 innovation project this year. It’s not surprising that analytics tools are seeing such widespread and eager adoption, as they represent the key to discovering customer preferences and leveraging first-party data for campaign adjustments and long-term strategy development.
Now, it’s up to marketers to either implement these tools themselves, or team up with a service provider capable of offering valuable marketing insights. After all, clear and close measurement is required in making any educated business decision, especially those that relate to customer-facing activity. With these strategies in mind, however, a brand should have a strong foundation of customer experience know-how for marketing success.
