[Creativity]: The link between data and engagement

Last year I had the good fortune of listening to a panel of CMO’s from Facebook, Twitter & Salesforce at the LinkedIn Global Marketing offsite. One key take away; creative storytelling woven into data-driven marketing is where true customer engagement lies. I first wrote this blog many years ago and didn't press 'publish'. After validating my thinking with a CMO panel of that calibre, let’s talk it through..

Big Data and Technology Impact - ‘It’s not the data, it’s how you use it.’
Marketers have access to more data than ever through emerging technologies and sources. We know where customers live, what they like, how best to reach them and who they, in turn, influence.

However, the sheer volume of data is often hard to wrangle for insights and won’t manufacture creativity or innovation.

Creativity Linked to Brand Engagement - ‘Creativity is contagious’ 
In a 2016 survey of 200+ Australian B2B marketing campaigns, creatively-awarded initiatives were identified as most effective in building a connection between brands and customers.

Standout creative campaigns are relevant, entertaining and shareable. The trust between brand and customer comes from this connection and helps to bind customers to brands over time.

But, how do you ensure creativity is funneled to the right audience, at the right time through the right channel – AND answers the questions customers are looking to solve?

Data-Driven Creativity - ''Make data beautiful through stories’
Every digital action is like looking under the bonnet of a customer’s buying journey. As marketers, how do we best leverage this data to deliver an entertaining and compelling brand story without compromising ROI?

A relatively simple* framework is to build a continuous cycle of data insights, content development and contextual execution. Most marketers already do these in silo, or marry two together, however the 360 cycle seems to be more elusive.
*I totally get the reality is far from simple and takes lots of hard work and collaboration.

Here’s some thoughts on how to conceptually go about it. There is one assumption, that you have basic to advanced analytics, monitoring and marketing automation platforms.

1. Data insights

• What do you know about your audience? If you haven't already, build role personas and audience segments.
• Leverage digital, search and social insights to identify key content themes and preferences - what have your customers talked about, searched for, across what channels and shared, i.e 'hot' topics.
• Validate these personas and content themes with sales teams and real-life customers.

2. Content Development

• Develop or curate content mapped to identified themes or trends, audience and lifecycle stage. Often a piece of primary content can deliver 8x content outputs and even more social posts.
• For activation, use creative messaging and varying content formats to entice, engage and encourage sharing - think cheeky, innovative and 'big', within the boundaries of your brand, and work back from there.
• For progression, identify Challenger content like insights, value-add and customer success.

3. Contextual Execution

• Map content to stories and stories to journeys, across all brand interactions.
• Apply journeys to smart digital and social programs for each audience segment and/or lifecycle stage.
• Identify channels and influencers most likely to inspire customer action and consider high-impact creative at these touch points. This could be higher CPL activities, offline tactics or creative brand activations. Important note, all CTA's should drive back to digital.
• Once a customer has self-selected into their journey, leverage automation platforms for behavioral, triggered-based nurturing to deliver custom messages across all channels.
• Test, measure, adjust, repeat - this is where the true 360 cycle begins. Use response data from pilot programs to shape or validate the next wave of content and execution channels.

Be data-driven, be entertaining and be innovative in delivering your brand's story and value to customers.

Easier said than done, right? Content Unicorn can simplify planning and development of your customer journey and programs. Contact us today to book a Discovery Call and complimentary audit.