Three Best Practices for Database Marketing
Database marketing continues to be a vital tool for multichannel marketers. Whether it is through email lists, direct mail or mobile marketing, developing and managing a database is essential for driving advertising campaigns. Databases offer small businesses the opportunity to archive customer information in one accessible place and allow companies to optimize marketing strategies to generate stronger sales. Adopting a few best practices for database marketing management can prevent marketers and sales teams from losing lead conversions and keeping the database up to date with the target client base.
1. Develop customer experience goals
One of the best ways marketers can direct their multichannel marketing campaigns is to integrate the database with established customer experience goals. Instituting long-term plans into the database lies in proper management. According to CRM Trends, companies can define the database’s consumer experience goals through evaluating current database performance. Asking how client interactions are being handled and about any potential improvements can help marketers identify how the existing marketing strategies are assisting overall customer satisfaction.
CRM Trends suggest organizations focus on parts of the database that can create the strongest return on investment, such as the quality of email lists or if current digital marketing tools are generating new leads. To enhance customer experience, companies can develop these potential areas by responding to customers in a unique way that can also adapt to changing preferences.
2. Archive birth dates
Many database marketing experts suggest obtaining birth dates during the lead generation process to allow marketers to send customers special deals for their birthdays. Companies can simply ask for the month and day of birth during email or direct mail subscription or while cold calling. Many customers shy away from providing too much information about themselves, but offering to send them an offer specific to them on their birthday may convert a lead into an existing customer. Businesses may also offer the option of not providing the year of birth, if the customer does not wish.
Databases tend to be overflowing with customer information, such as purchasing behavior and how many times they have changed addresses, but birthdays never change and allow marketers an essentially effortless opportunity for connecting with consumers. Companies might want to consider adding inquires about birth dates during the lead generation process to promote brand loyalty and increase customer retention.
3. Monitor consumer preferences
Consumers frequently change their preferences regarding their marketing subscriptions and databases grant businesses the opportunity to manage customer information in one place. New marketing channels open up all the time, but database marketing continues to be an essential part of every advertising strategy and companies might want to consider adding the ability to update customer preferences within the database. Marketers and sales teams gather innumerous amounts of consumer data every day and allowing the database to shift with customer preferences offers businesses an easy way to keep all information within a single archive. This one portal not only stores the data but can track activity in case preferences change.
Customers are the heart of database marketing and companies should align their multichannel marketing campaigns around target client base data. Businesses might want to consider adopting best practices that allows the company to easily archive and update customer information in accordance with changing consumer preferences. Database specialists recommend organizations use database marketing as an essential part of multichannel advertising initiatives and to align all practices according to the target audience, but to never forget to stay informed about existing customer inclinations and to integrate current data into future initiatives.
