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Database Marketing definition
Database marketing is the form of direct marketing. It involves collecting the customer data like names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, transactions histories, customer support tickets, etc.
It is then analyzed and used to create a personalized experience for each customer or attract potential customers.
And traditional direct marketing involves creating direct mail pieces like brochures and catalogs and mailing them to a list of potential or current customers in the hopes it evokes a positive response.
Also, database marketing takes that strategy a step further by understanding how customers want marketed to and then applying those insights to fulfill the customer’s need via the best channel.
What is the Importance of Database Marketing?
Today marketers take access to extra customer data than ever before. That’s why database marketing once again becomes so essential.
It’s all about using the sea of data to creates extra relevant marketing messages that better resonate with customers — both current and potential.
What are the Benefits of Database Marketing?
- Today’s consumers expect a personalized experience with the brand. It delivers one, and marketers need a unified view of each customer across every touchpoint.
- It’s only then they understand the customer’s journey and engage them in a meaningful way. Database marketing strategies make that easier.
- It identifies customer groups – from your most loyal, high-value customers to first-time customers and occasional purchasers.
- Also, it creates detailed customer segments based on demographics, behaviors, or even personal interests.
- And also, its designs are highly personalized messages for both current and prospective customers. It determines the best channel and time to engage customers.
- It improves marketing efficiency by not wasting time and money sending campaigns to those unlikely to respond.
- And it builds effective loyalty programs that provide the right incentives for repeat purchases. It improves customer service by providing support staff with a 360° view of your brand’s interactions.
What Challenges of Database Marketing?
- Database marketing offers some compelling benefits — but to do it successfully, marketers need to understand the challenges as well. Watch out for these database marketing challenges:
1. Data decay
- Anytime a customer or prospect changes jobs or earns a promotion, moves to a new address, changes the name, gets an unknown email address, or makes any other life change, their profile becomes outdated.
- A well-managed database decays at an average of 2-3% each month, which means in just a year, a third of your data could be invalid.
- To limit data decay, focus on information that is less likely to change: name and phone number, for example, rather than business email.
2. Data accuracy
- Customers don’t always provide accurate information. Typos, handwriting legibility, or incomplete info can have a significant impact on your database’s quality.
- You can limit inaccuracies by replacing input fields with standardized drop-down menus or checkboxes.
3. Acting on customer data promptly
- Firstly, it collecting and analyzing customer data is just the first step. You have to act quickly enough to capitalize on a customer’s interest and interactions with your brand.
- Secondly, it is where marketing automation tools like clever tap become so important.
- Lastly, by unifying rich user profiles with powerful segmentation. And omnichannel marketing campaigns deliver timely, personalized experiences for every user.