In the final instalment of our Figaro Digital Winter Marketing Conference roundup, we delve into the diverse and thought provoking topics covered by our speakers. Presentations ranged from programmatic, customer loyalty and User Generated Content (UGC). For a full breakdown of the day’s events check out part one and part two of the roundup to ensure you’re completely up to date with the latest digital marketing trends.
Growing Your Email List In A Post-GDPR World
Apocalyptic warnings rang out at the start of 2018, heralding in GDPR and the predicted misery that it would bring. And yes, it has changed the way we as marketers send emails, but it CAN be worked around and used as an opportunity to improve strategy. Danielle Woolley, Head of Customer Success at Adestra, sheds some light on how you can salvage your email list and not let GDPR beat you. To promote data optimisation and growth, you need to have a framework that allows you to fully understand your current situation. When rebuilding your contact list, Dani explains, it is essential that you focus on gaining quality contacts that genuinely want to hear from you. Conducting an email acquisition audit is a highly valuable exercise that can be used to make inquiries into your data capture touchpoints and current email sign up processes. Four predominant areas to audit are website, media, social and in store. Additionally, Dani encouraged email marketers to think wider than the point of sign up and explore ideas of providing value in exchange for data e.g. information, competitions, or free downloads.
Dani demonstrates with case studies from Kano and Last Word Media how creating an acquisition plan and getting the value proposition right can result in steady regrowth of your email list. Maximising early engagement is another important way of gaining contacts for your email list and encouraging them to stay there.
View Danielle’s presentation here.
Programmatic: Hanging In The Balance
The extent of programmatic’s usefulness has been a point of discussion over the last few years. Gareth Lloyd-Jones, Digital Marketing Director at Ticketmaster, presents a defence for programmatic and shows how to break it down for those who are unfamiliar with this type of digital marketing. He explains in simple terms that “if you see someone and you like them, then you bid on them.” Ticketmaster’s journey with programmatic started five years ago, but they recently had to make an important decision of whether they should continue with their network of agencies, or take this part of their marketing in-house. As with many companies, money and lack of control were their key motivations for change. Taking ownership of your ad accounts, or data collections, and making sure that they are in your name and not your agencies, ensures that the data you’re collecting will remain in your hands. Gareth advises that although having a Data Management Platform is less essential due to Google and Facebook’s walled gardens, they are still useful tools.
If you decide to bring your programmatic in-house, you need to understand the landscape of inventory and what constitutes a good deal, before you start bidding on things. Often in programmatic you have to think counter-intuitively and creatively. He urges marketers to run their own race and remember that every campaign is unique. Gareth ends his presentation with the insight that programmatic is both a science and an art and needs to be handled accordingly.
View Gareth’s presentation here.
How To Keep Loyalty Alive In The Digital Age
With big brands like ASOS ditching their loyalty schemes, it has resulted in many other companies rethinking their approach to loyalty. Factors such as age group greatly impact how your customers express brand loyalty; 68 per cent of 20-34 year olds state that they would change brands if it meant getting more rewards. It is also important to consider the reason why your customers are engaging with loyalty schemes, with the most popular motivator being the opportunity to gain points and rewards. Floris Oranje, Managing Director Digital Marketing at Dept, gave the delegates some advice on keeping loyalty alive in the digital age. He believes that loyalty can only be generated if there is trust, which is driven by three key factors; quality, convenience and price. Dept’s research showed that loyalty needs to be diversified as it can become ineffective if it is undertaken with a one size fits all approach. Additionally, loyalty is more than just providing rewards, the customer needs to have a sense that the brand they are buying from shares their values.
Floris shared other key findings from their report. Primarily, that to gain loyalty and build a strong foundation for your scheme, your approach needs to be data driven and truly customer centric. It is worth investing in a customer service that not only incites delight and surprise, but is timely, personal and relevant.
View Floris’ presentation here.
Engaging Customers To Spread Your Message
The UK is a nation of pet lovers. We love to talk about our pets and share pictures of them on social media. Cressida O’Shea, Brand and Communications Consultant at Blue Cross, tapped into this phenomenon and orchestrated a campaign driven by User Generated Content (UGC). She enlisted pet owners to celebrate their furry companions on the Superstar Pets app, whilst simultaneously showing their support for Blue Cross. The campaign was built upon the theory of reciprocity; people are more likely to give if they have received something first. The app enabled owners to create a personalised film, starring their pet, that they could share on Facebook. The campaign saw unprecedented success, surpassing their target of videos shared by 33 per cent and extended their reach to 288,850 Facebook users. In fact, it was such a hit that it has been repurposed for Christmas with a festive version.
Cressida ended her presentation with her three top tips for optimising UGC. For a successful campaign, it it is vital that you capitalise on existing audience behaviour as this will decrease time spent and expenditure. You also need to provide something of value, that people will actually enjoy and engage with. Finally, you need to make the process as easy and straightforward as possible so that customers are not deterred.
View Cressida’s presentation here.