Subscribe

Why analytics is key for omni-channel success


Johannesburg, 03 Jun 2015

"Did you know: the 2015 Rugby Tournament is scheduled to be the eighth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial rugby union world championship?" This was the opening sentence that started a flurry of conversation and heated debate in the office about whether or not we will party like it's 2000. Being a proudly South African company and a strong supporter of all South African sports, we've delved into the passionate, enthusiastic and sincere conversation surrounding the predictions of who will win the 2015 tournament.

Now, being an organisation that specialises in data analytics and predictive modelling (among many other cool core disciplines), we have gathered the data, segmented it, extrapolated and deep-mined the information to its core - but one has to be realistic about our chances of actually winning.

So, how does this relate to omni-channel marketing?

Just like rugby, omni-channel marketing is about teamwork, using the various marketing channels towards a single goal and delivering a unified customer experience.

Some channels may be 'high scorers' and other channels may be great in the 'scrum', but, what makes a winning formula and our chances of winning the World Cup greater is that all players should work together in unison. The team should be able to harmoniously make adjustments on the fly and always make the right pass at the right time.

Marketers crave the benefits of omni-channel, but often lack analytics and insights to make it work. Companies are realising the strategic value of their internal data assets paired with external market intelligence to drive decisions, yet many companies are challenged with the complexities of how to apply the information.

What's also important is that consumers are spending more of their lives on social. With the decline in traditional media and the increase in integration of social into digital channels, social is a guaranteed method of marketers reaching consumers. The right analytics knows the ins and outs of all the players, measures and attributes the right statistics objectively, synthesises multiple kinds of data, and relays actionable information to the team.

Here's what the game-play looks like for marketers:

1. Digital identity: Social profiles are consumers' digital identities. Doesn't matter the channel (Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) - this is how consumers verify their identity and establish a presence across digital channels. Tying this together with a strong data asset (one we happen to own) makes it possible to deliver personalised and relevant messages, no matter the touch point - the key to omni-channel success.

2. Measurement: There must be unified metrics. The customer journey is no longer a straight line, with every channel playing a specific role in the funnel. Unified metrics is the only way to truly compare channel performance. It gives marketers an apples-to-apples view, which is vital for making sure the entire marketing effort is running efficiently and optimally.

3. Synthesising first and third party data: First party data is what you have already (Web site logs, transactional data, e-mail registrations, etc). Third party data is what happens everywhere else (we have this information readily available to you), like what the consumer is doing everywhere else. Separately the data is useful, but combined with Effective Intelligence, it's more powerful. Now you have a data set at your disposal with breadth, depth and scale.

4. Action-ability: Marketers don't need more data. They already have enough. They need the right data from which actionable analytics can be drawn. Marketers covet the data that can uncover that single targeted insight/truth. They need analytics to deliver just that.

Omni-channel marketing and sophisticated analytics are synergistic. All the channel tools, without the right analytics, aren't going to be successful. At the same time, the right analytics without the right channel tools (or the right data at the very least), are going to be mediocre. Make sure you have the right partner at your side to deliver the right analytics for your omni-channel marketing efforts. Partner with Effective Intelligence to help you win the championship.

Share

Editorial contacts

Fatima Ross
Effective Intelligence
(+27) 86 100 0452
fross@e-intelligence.com