Big Data + Direct Mail = Powerful Results
“Big data” has become much more than a buzzword. For marketers, it’s a virtual gold mine of information just waiting to be tapped. In the past, data was limited to surface demographics. Today’s big data digs deeper. It delivers details on who consumers are based on real-time, online behavior and interests. Integrating these valuable insights into your mail campaigns can help you better target your audience and help increase your ROI.
How Data of the Past Compares to Big Data of Today
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Small data of the past: general, vague
- Urban dweller
- 18 to 35 years old
- Mid to upper income
- Ethnic minority
- Financial services professional
Big data of today: targeted, specific
- Currently lives in Manhattan near 55th and 7th Ave.
- Spent $326 on clothes/shoes on Saturday
- Returns 40 percent of what she buys online
- Upset with recent experience at an airline; spread the word on social media
- Never clicks on banner ads
- Makes lists for everything; food shopping, uses a note-taking app for social functions.
- Reliant on friends for technology ideas, but not afraid to try something new.
In Conclusion
Big data helps you personalize the customer journey by making your marketing messages more customized and relevant. By leveraging what you know about your target audience, you can complement your online efforts with a personalized mailpiece—adding another touchpoint that can move the customer to finalize the purchase. Direct mail is the perfect vehicle for harnessing big data because it helps turn browsing behavior into action.
