The data, insights, technologies and communication channels that today’s marketers have at their disposal should make this the transformative age of marketing. But as new regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) go into effect, US marketers are finding that earning the trust of consumers while remaining compliant is increasingly complicated. Successful brands know they must update their strategies to build meaningful connections with consumers, starting with the ethical credentialing and curation of data.
Below are three overarching guidelines that will enhance your data-driven marketing while building trust.
- Make data strategy part of your marketing strategy
Data is a critical factor in creating positive customer experiences. Ninety-eight percent of marketers agree that customer data is important to the success of their business, according to a recent study commissioned by Acxiom.
But simply having consumer data does not equal success, and the mindset of “more data is better” is no longer appropriate. Instead, having a well-defined data strategy ensures marketers are sourcing and using the data that matters most to their businesses, while building trust among consumers. Such a well-defined strategy allows you to refine your marketing message, better target those who are most likely to welcome it and reduce the risk of consumers seeing irrelevant ads.
- Avoid data garbage: Know your data sources
Accurate and quality data curation begins with proper data credentialing. There is no shortage of potential sources for marketing data. Yet while this may seem like a simple transaction, the impact of choosing the right sources is meaningful to the success of a brand’s campaign or image. It is vital that marketers be thorough and thoughtful in their vetting of potential suppliers, which have varying levels of expertise.
When researching data sources, marketers should understand the strengths and weaknesses of each, including how they respond to questions and the level of detail and education they provide on data sourcing practices. If a data source attempts to back up a dump truck of data into your organization, the predictable result will be a pile of data garbage.
- Do what you say you’re going to do
New regulations offer consumers greater access, transparency and control over the data that companies maintain about them, and responding to consumer requests is now foundational to both compliance and consumer trust.
In order to enhance this trust, marketers should consider if all uses of consumer data are in line with their company’s privacy policy, and whether there is a process in place to understand all potential consumer data use cases within their organization. Having a strong data governance process can ensure companies remain compliant with both CCPA and emerging consumer privacy regulations, in addition to keeping their promise to consumers to engage in ethical data use.
