This is the second of four blog posts on Hyper-targeting and Hyper-Personalization. These two strategies are frequently misunderstood, as marketers attempt to use one strategy, when they really mean the other. In this post, the benefits of using each strategy individually are explained, as well as the benefits of integrating and using them together to create a seamless marketing funnel. If you missed the first installment of the series, you can find it here.

This is the first of four blog posts on Hyper-targeting and Hyper-Personalization. In this post, each of these strategies is defined, and their similarities and differences outlined. Also, some ideas are provided for how each of these strategies can be applied within different marketing channels like direct mail, email, search and content marketing.

In any economic downturn, marketers can quickly find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Sure, no two recessions are alike. But marketers who have been around the block once or twice (or three times) may notice patterns in consumers’ purchasing behavior and/or in marketers’ strategies. And those strategies can either boost or bust their overall performance.

Often what you’ll see in a recession is consumers will tighten their belts and reduce their spending. As a result, sales drop and companies start cutting costs and reducing prices. Budget cuts across the board follow.

But hold on… wholesale reductions like these can be a mistake.

So, How Do You Market In Times Like These?

With hundreds and hundreds of decisions to make every hour, how do humans ever get through the day?

Well, it comes down to System 1 and System 2 thinking.
For example, if a speeding taxi were racing toward you as you stepped off the curb, you’d jump back. No thinking involved.

Or maybe it’s something more subtle, like noticing the facial cues of an angry boss. Either way, in these types of situations, your thinking is automatic. That's called System 1 – and it’s a far cry from the more deliberate kind of thinking you do when you’re asked to work through an algebra problem, assemble some new furniture, or do your taxes — the long-form. That’s System 2 thinking.

It’s been quite a ride.

COVID-19… The Great resignation… Hybrid work styles…

For marketers, this has been the most tumultuous 2+ years in recent memory.

But if you’re reading this, congratulations, you made it this far...

So enough already. Enough looking back, enough lamenting about what was.

Let’s take a look ahead.

What’s next?

What’s out on the horizon?

What could impact your business in the next two years?

Well, how about Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Did you know 90% of the world’s data was created in the past two years?  

It’s true.  

It’s one of the many takeaways in Simon Data’s 2022 State of Customer Data report (available here).  

That statistic alone shows how vital it is to stay on top of the latest consumer data, trends and habits. This exponential growth means marketers need to keep up… or get left behind.  

So looking ahead: what’s next for marketing data? Here’s how data trends are evolving in 2022. 

With the growing number of messages people receive today — online and offline — the importance of delivering a message that resonates with the user has never been more important. Creating a personalized message that creates a connection is critical, and with the increasing amount of data available to marketers, personalization options have only expanded. Personalization needs to be incorporated into all marketing, shopping and service experiences. In many of his presentations on personalization, J&C's CEO Ron Jacobs has referenced the 4 R’s of personalization from Accenture and discussed how they are key ingredients in connecting with prospects and customers. This blog explores these 4 key components of personalization and how you can use them to better connect with your customers.

Personalization in communications is not new. Direct marketers have used it in direct mail since the first computers and printers were used for marketing in the mid-twentieth century. Today, variable data printing technologies mean that marketers can personalize every word of a direct mail package, from outer envelope to letter, brochure and response device. Email marketers have had the same option since email’s first day.

Today, personalized email or direct mail communications don’t seem optional. Yet many marketers that use personalization often report poor results. So, what has held personalization back?

Marketing has changed immensely over the last decade. Primarily, customers now expect to interact with brands the same way across different channels. This poses a problem for the traditional marketer targeting a single channel. Marketers need to adapt and refocus their aim on a specific audience but across ALL channels. From websites to in-store visits to mobile apps, customers want to have the same experience of that company across the board. So how do you change? Going from one channel to multiple has to be hard, right? Actually, it’s an easier adjustment than you think. Here are 10 skills that can help make your transition simple.

Ecommerce tools have made it easier than ever for businesses to create and manage loyalty programs. But creating a quality loyalty program is not as easy. Sure, a store can create a program that offers points or deals to frequent customers, but the question remains — is the loyalty program serving its true purpose? That is, does it engage customers and give them a reason to keep coming back?

According to the COLLOQUY Loyalty Census, the average American household is enrolled in 29 separate loyalty programs — yet they only actively participate in about 12. With more choices than ever available to customers, it's critical to create a loyalty program that actually incentivizes each person to participate. 

Read on to learn four ways you can create a successful loyalty program.