Big data has given marketers more information than ever before, but it can also lead to a greater separation from the human behind the data. Here are 6 ways to focus more on the human value behind the data.
Key takeaways
- Focus on problem-solving
- Have real conversations
- Think about relationships
- Create personalized experiences
- Get down to the cause of behaviorsKnow where to find the right data
The emergence of automation, AI, and big data have all meant that organizations can streamline data workflows like never before. More data is being analyzed and businesses are gathering insights that were never available before digital took over. But processing so much information can quickly widen the gap between customers and companies instead of closing it.
It’s easy to forget that there are real people behind all the data we collect and analyze. Without that recognition, however, it’s nearly impossible to understand and harness the real value that consumer data brings.
Here are six ways to focus more on data value by prioritizing human connection.
1. Focus on problem-solving
It’s helpful to take a problem-solving approach to analyzing data. When you receive information about a consumer for example, perhaps they are searching online for a product your first step should be to think about why they need your product. What issue are they facing that is leading them there? What will the product help them solve?
By asking these questions, you uncover both what drives consumers to make a particular purchase and which products would most effectively solve their problem. You can then cater your approach to meet their needs based on human pain points and desires.
2. Have real conversations
Surveys are effective, but processing results can sometimes feel separate from your real customers. It’s helpful to take these data-gathering systems a step further by continuing the conversation after you receive the data.
Perhaps you implement a process where you email customers who are not satisfied with a service based on their survey response. Ask them to provide additional feedback about what would have made a difference in their scoring or experience. Show that you are willing to listen to them, and they will feel like they are being recognized as a human and not just a consumer with a wallet.
3. Think about relationships
Another way to focus more on people and value is to think about the relationships and connections you are trying to make. Your business decisions should be driven by data, yes, but also by your long-term goals to increase customer retention and reduce customer churn. Both of these feats require you to create meaningful connections with your followers that will bloom into lasting bonds built on trust and reliability.
To create those kinds of relationships, you need to focus on aspects like online reputation management, online customer review management, your follow-up approach with leads, and more. The key is to be a support for your customers and not just the provider of products. Think about ways you can show your audiences that you are really there for them as a partner solving the same problems together.
4. Create personalized experiences
It’s nothing new to development that modern consumers care about personalization. But it’s too easy for marketers to think that just by targeting effectively they can provide a customized experience. Recognizing the value of your data is the first step to using personalization more effectively. How can you personalize a message without knowing a) who you are talking to and b) why that person is valuable to your organization?
Ask yourself these questions each time you begin a targeted campaign or are segmenting your audiences. Only then can you create better, more relevant, and more engaging content that will connect with the real people behind the data.
5. Get down to the cause of behaviors
Understanding why people do what they do is an endless journey. For marketers, the influx of so much data in recent years has led to more insight than ever before about what drives customer behavior. But it’s easy to lose sight of the goal: To understand the humans who made that data.
It has become tempting to predict a customer’s behavior based on an identity profile that is similar to other consumers in the same group, for example. But to only make predictions based on numbers is to lose sight of the nuances of people themselves.
Data helps us make best guesses, but getting to know what drives human behavior from one person to the next helps us make real connections that are more likely to last. This requires empathy and patience. Step back from the data and try to take in the bigger picture.
6. Know where to find the right data
Part of your data strategy should include data quality best practices. It’s crucial that your data be accurate, up to date, accessible, and complete. Your data source is one of the most important components of data quality management. Only work with platforms that you know you can trust a substantial consideration in today’s big-data climate.
At BDEX, we do everything we can to filter out bad data. In fact, our identity graph is the highest quality in the industry and delivers insight to help you identify the actual person behind each data signal. We have written the only Whitepaper in the industry that outlines the effects of bad data on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). With our Data as a Service (DaaS) solution, Omnisource IQ, real-time data signals will put the right people in front of you within your sales cycle, helping you make more meaningful connections at the exact right moment.
Our data solutions allow you to create custom audiences so you can send more personalized, targeted messages. BDEX helps you make sense of all the data coming in, empowering real human relationships.
Contact the team at BDEX to get started with our data solutions or to learn about our BDEX Data Exchange Platform (DXP), which collects and provides more user data than any other platform.
