On the lighter side…Letterman has his Top 10 and we have our 10 Commandments. Break them at your own peril!
- Thou shalt not attempt an integrated marketing campaign without an integrated database.
- All customers are not created equal (thus, you need to score them – with RFM).
- Thou shalt not covet prospects when your loyal customers already are more likely to worship (and buy from) you.
- Honor thy customer’s preferences for receiving marketing communications.
- Honor thy customers’ channel preferences for purchasing.
- Beware of worshiping false gods (especially pricey CRM software vendors).
- Thou shalt remember that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for IT staff to understand your database marketing needs.
- Thou shalt resist all leaps of faith when renting a prospect list.
- Thou shalt preach the word that database cleanliness is next to godliness.
- Thou shalt not kill the messenger when you are told your database marketing initiatives are failing. Fix them!
Professor’s Corner:
Database Redemption – Where to start? Why not begin with the customer? Own up to the “sins” you may be committing with your database approach. Customers are savvy when they get duplicate mailings, and sense that your right hand does not know what your left hand is doing. Data hygiene (see commandment #9) is usually the best place to start. NCOA (National Change of Address) should be your source for up-to-date, accurate address information.
Our DMSI staff, armed with our award-winning WiseGuys software, can help. With over 50 installations since 2003, we have seen the gamut of database sins! Notice I mentioned staff and software – we believe in providing a solution, not just a tool.
As always, call today to take advantage of our free 15-minute consulting session, “The Professor is in” at 703.941.8109.
