How data-driven is your marketing department?

Marketing has evolved from creative newspaper, magazine and billboard advertising, to processes that are designed to drive customer engagement and accelerate business growth. With all the data at their hands nowadays, what is necessary to become a data-driven organisation?

“Ultimately, a data-driven marketing organisation learns to use data analytics as part of all marketing campaigns; from setting-up your campaign to post-campaign review. Within a data-driven organisation, information can move freely, is consistent across all channels and decision makers at all levels use data to better serve their customers.” (source: Forbes Insight Report) 

So what does this mean and how can your organisation use data analytics to create data-driven marketing campaigns? 

Take a look at your own marketing department:

How do they give customers the perfect introduction to your company? Are they just using the technology tools as an instrument to execute their marketing campaigns or do they really use the data which is available to target the right customers with the right message?

By combining both social and transactional data in one centralized view it is possible to create a 360 degree view of customer interactions with your company and use these insights to deliver contextual marketing. With this information it is possible to deliver the best one-to-one marketing experience to your customers, by using various contexts in which marketing campaigns are likely to succeed, such as location, time, device, language and performance.

Recently I came across a good example of how one-to-one marketing in the hotel industry can be executed to give their guests a memorable experience by using personalised data-driven interactions. 
In this example I have included the SAP Hybris Marketing features that can support you in achieving this in your own marketing department.

Pre-arrival (SAP Hybris Marketing: Data Management, Segmentation & Recommendations)
If previously interactions and interests of the guest are available, certain facilities are recommended or offered with a discount when booking the hotel. If not available, guests can specify their interests.
About one week before their stay, guests receive a personalised e-mail which includes information about the hotel, the weather forecast, special events at the hotel (restaurant, spa) and events in the city (festivals, shopping information) during their stay.  
If travelling with kids, guests receive information about facilities that are available at the hotel like nursery, dry-cleaning services and swimming pool.
When opening the e-mail on a smartphone, guests are forwarded to the hotel app in which more information is available and they are able to plan their route via Google Maps.

Stay (SAP Hybris Marketing: Data Management, Segmentation & Acquisition)
During their stay, the one-to-one marketing experience of guests continues via physical interactions with hotel staff and by services provided. Based on the facilities booked in advance and interests specified, guests receive additional relevant information about activities and events via e-mail or on their smartphone.

Post-departure (SAP Hybris Marketing: Data Management, Convert, Acquisition & Loyalty Management)
After departure, guests immediately receive a ‘Thank you for staying’ message with an online survey to rate their experience. To maintain the relationship, targeted post-departure e-mails are sent in which the following is considered important: offering real value, targeting the right offer to the right customer and timing it right. 
For example after a couple of months a follow-up e-mail is sent which do not include special offers and book now buttons, but contain tips based on their activities and interests during their stay. Everything to remind them about the best aspects of their stay at the hotel. 

Furthermore, they are invited to join the hotel’s loyalty program in which they can choose the benefits themselves: earn points for free stays, free dining in the hotel restaurant or special discounts on wellness facilities. By offering a loyalty program which is tailored to their interests, a long-term relationship is created instantly because it delivers value both ways.


In the previous example you can really see the power of one-to-one marketing, which can be described as the ability to communicate in a personal, relevant way with individual customers. With it you can leverage Big Data to know exactly who you’re communicating with, how and when to communicate with your customers and what to say – whether it’s through marketing automation or face-to-face interactions. It fills the gap between Marketing and Sales departments by increasing sales opportunities, introducing & improving (new) digital channels and better targeting of your customers. 

SAP Hybris Marketing empowers your organisation to deliver individualised one-to-one marketing. This gives your organisation:

• Deeper customer insights into not only history, but also in-the-moment intentions and motivation.
• An enriched customer view and the ability to share this single source of customer information across the organisation.
• Advanced analytics to discover hidden trends and opportunities.
• The ability to deliver contextually relevant customer experiences at every stage of the customer journey.
• The option to re-market to target audiences based on online behaviour and make it relevant and easy for customers to convert.
• An understanding of all marketing activities to optimally plan resources and drive customer advocacy and growth.

Curious how Acorel can help your organisation to benefit from one-to-one marketing? Click here to contact us.