As seasoned marketers, we know that there are two primary requirements in order to execute a targeted marketing campaign. The first is to be able to target your audience on a one-to-one basis, and the second is to be able to measure performance.
Without targeting, you don’t know if the right customer or prospect is getting the message. Without measurement, you don’t know if your message is working. With this in mind, every marketer should ask themselves the following questions prior to executing a targeted marketing campaign.
- How do I know that my marketing message is going to be received by the target audience?
- What mechanisms exist that will allow me to measure the performance of the marketing message?
Getting Your Message to the Right Target
The first question primarily involves channels of engagement chosen for the targeted marketing strategy. Consider which channels will enable you to speak to individuals in a meaningful and relevant way. Some established one-to-one channels include direct mail, email & SMS.
Also, some could argue that digital channels like display ads or social media ads may support one-to-one targeted advertising. However, this may be challenging given that these avenues generally engage anonymized audiences, and there is no guarantee that your message will be served to a specific audience.
Measuring the Performance of Your Marketing Message
The second question specifically involves capturing data which may be a particularly challenging nut to crack. The following list of data capture methods may help when contemplating how best to track performance.
Barcodes or promo codes
If your customer dynamic is more transactional, does the point of sale system have the ability to capture barcodes or promotional codes? In this case, static or unique codes may help to tie performance back to a campaign.
Address capture
If your business is more relational, does your marketing funnel incorporate capturing address detail? This may be a great way to track back to those targeted for the marketing content.
Email or phone capture
Contact elements beyond address can be leveraged on their own to track back to who was selected for a marketing message. Reverse append (using the email or phone to track back to an address) may link back to other contact information utilized when targeting.
UTM codes or vanity URLs
While UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) is a bit different from vanity URLs, each could be a viable means to identify inbound traffic driven by a digital marketing campaign.
Make no mistake that there are many things to consider when building targeted marketing campaigns or programs. But there is a tremendous opportunity for marketers willing to go down this path. Speedeon can help you leverage your marketing efforts and reach target customers with the right data!
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