Connecting with the people behind the data
According to psychologists, we have genetically evolved to experience the tangible benefits of human connection and studies across all mammals show that our well-being depends on our connections with others. It is therefor not surprising that the modern consumer increasingly cares about personalization. Now more than ever, digital marketers need to find ways to connect with the people behind the data. We live in a data-driven marketplace, no matter the industry you’re in. Many of the interactions you have with customers are online, and data is now a part of every transaction. At the same time, modern consumers increasingly care about personalization. An Accenture report showed that 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands who “recognize, remember, and provide relevant offers and recommendations.” Marketers are faced with what is becoming almost a universal truth: Personalization helps advance customer relationships. But when dealing with so much data, and with so much pressure to make things personal, how do you connect the two? The first step is to recognise that there are actual humans clicking through your website or liking your social media posts, not just targets. Campaigns should therefor be centered around building relationships with people, not just metrics and optimization. When customers feel understood by brands, and when they begin to trust those brands, they’re more likely to provide their personal information. But how do you go about it? It all comes down to the assumptions you make about the data you’re analyzing. For example if your sales numbers changed drastically from one week to the next, and impacted one age range in your audience the most, what could be impacting that change that’s external to your brand message? Looking at the data this way means seeing the bigger picture, recognizing that there are many factors that drive a person to engage with a brand or make a purchase. Finding patterns is another part of analyzing data effectively. But to do so while keeping the focus on the human behind the data requires that you’re acknowledging the thought process behind the patterns of behavior. Data is powerful in this way. In addition to gathering metrics and tracking effectiveness, marketers can use data to better understand the intent and motivation behind the action. By following these intuitive steps, digital marketers might uncover, and be able to address, questions their customers have about their products that aren’t answered by their marketing.
