Imagine you are on the set of a new movie. The cameras are rolling, the director calls “Action!” … but before the actors start the scene, a man steps in front of the camera with a chalk-filled clapperboard and slaps it together to make a loud “smack” sound.
What’s the point of this funny looking thing? In film production, there are two separate feeds that gather information — the video and the audio. The clapperboard helps the production team match the two feeds into one cohesive movie. Without this synchronization, the “movie” loses its storytelling power, and loses the ability to captivate the audience.
Much like a movie, marketers have to deal with two separate streams of data: their customer data and survey data. In the best case, customer data shows a person’s name, age, email address, channel preferences, past online and offline purchase behavior and loyalty card membership. Survey data is third-party information that explores consumers’ motivations, beliefs, interests and preferences — yet is hard to make actionable when you don’t know how they map onto your current customers. Marketers need to connect these two streams of data to develop a high-definition understanding of their customers.
In a recent report by Experian Marketing Services, Meeting omni-channel consumer demands, we explore what high-definition customer profiles can do for marketers. It can help them tell the difference between two seemingly identical customers — same purchases, same channels, same age — who in reality have very different motivations, needs and wants. It’s critical that these customers are treated differently in marketing communications, yet without a full understanding of their differences, you may end up losing both customers.
To really connect with your customers, to give them not only what they want but what they’ve come to expect, you need a clapperboard. You need to connect your customer data with your survey insights. And when you do, you’ll find that your marketing strategy becomes more engaging, targeted and effective. It’s time to call, “Action!”
To learn more about successfully marketing to today’s omni-channel consumer, download the full report for free: Meeting Omni-channel Consumer Demands: High definition customer profiles drive smarter interactions.