How did this non-marketing but data-driven leader become a Chief Marketing Officer? Shafqat Islam, the CMO of Optimizely, may have had an unconventional introduction to marketing, but he brought a wealth of insights on the power of data to his role. Hear how he’s leading Optimizely’s marketing team into building a culture of data and experimentation.

Let the Data Do the Talking

In this episode of Data-Driven Decisions, we dive deep into the world of marketing data, measurable targets, personalization, and customer-centric marketing.

Shafqat shares invaluable insights on how to approach personalization strategically, emphasizing the value of starting simple and scaling up gradually. He discusses the challenges of content creation for personalized experiences and offers practical advice on leveraging AI to find patterns in customer feedback from support tickets and sales calls.

We also explore the critical role of experimentation and testing when it comes to new marketing ideas, and why Optimizely considers experimentation part of its culture. Shafqat explains why it’s so important for marketers to have a rock-solid understanding of the typical customer journey and why this should be documented and measurable.

In This Episode:

• 0:37 - How Shafqat ended up in his role
• 2:36 - Why Shafqat wanted to build a more data-driven culture
• 4:58 - How this approach affects the marketing team
• 7:07 - The importance of experimenting with new ideas
• 8:28 - Optimizely’s approach to experimentation
• 12:33 - Why personalization is still a huge topic for marketers
• 15:22 - Finding a balanced and realistic idea of personalization
• 18:20 - How Optimizely helps its clients use their own data to make decisions
• 20:54 - Why all marketers need to map out the typical customer journey and document it
• 24:25 - How to ensure customers get the right resources
• 27:09 - How Shafqat researches and understands his customers
• 30:14 - The most important marketing metrics
• 31:56 - How Optimizely uses AI to find patterns in customer interactions

Quotes:

“Marketing is as much about the customer as it is about the prospect. In fact, in the business of our scale, it may be more customer than even prospect.”

“It's really, really important to document the customer journey and understand all the touchpoints and then come up collectively as a marketing organization, with what we want that ideal journey to be."

“Experimentation is much more than tools. To me, the idea is how do we create a culture of experimentation?”

Resources:

• Connect with Shafqat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shafqat/
• Optimizely: https://www.optimizely.com/

Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

How can data help marketing and sales teams achieve their goals? A common mistake some marketers make is not being clear on those goals in the first place. This can lead to marketers and sales teams trying out lots of different tactics in an effort to drive results. But there is a smarter way – using data to build a goal-oriented mindset from the get-go.

Start with Marketing Goals, Not Tactics

In this episode, Tessa Barron, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ON24, talks about why marketers should shift their focus from traditional marketing tactics to a goal-oriented approach. Tessa explains how marketers often fall into the trap of continuously using new tactics without clear objectives and how harnessing the right data can transform a strategy.

Tessa discusses the importance of identifying key signals that indicate buyer readiness, using webinars and events to gather valuable first-party data and using that to create actionable insights that align marketing with sales. We also hear Tessa explain why marketers should create scorecards, identify the metrics that matter most, and improve conversion rates by leaning on data to drive decision-making.

In This Episode:

• 1:54 – A shift to goal-oriented marketing
• 6:22 – Leveraging webinars and other tactics for collecting customer data
• 11:11 – The importance of asking customers the right questions and using those answers
• 14:41 – Aligning marketing and sales to achieve conversion goals
• 18:58 – Testing, iterating, and improving conversion rates
• 26:49 – Why pipeline is a “lagging indicator”
• 31:32 – Why brand awareness is a leading indicator
• 33:51 – Using metrics that matter

Quotes:

“Starting with the goal first, and then the last step is determining the tactic that can really help marketers make the shift.”

“What aspect about a buyer makes them more likely to convert to an opportunity than not? By knowing that, you can start to set traps. You can start to create different interactions that will help uncover that.”

“There is no database on the planet, no third-party resource that can give you that kind of qualitative information that really makes a difference when we talk about improving conversion rates to pipeline and ultimately revenue.”

Resources:

• Connect with Tessa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-barron/

Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

How can organizations drive real impact with data? Many organizations already have plenty of data at their fingertips these days, but it’s not just about the data you collect. It’s how you use it. Joining this episode is Anthony Coppedge, the Principal Lead of eCommerce Seller Initiatives at IBM, who takes us through his methodologies for using data to make a difference in an organization.

Organizations Don’t Lack Data, They Lack Insights

Anthony leads business agility aims across sales, marketing, and product at IBM. But how does such a large organization manage and implement data insights to grow effectively? We hear Anthony’s insightful approach to capturing and acting on qualitative feedback with the ‘Retrospective Radar’ approach.

With AI such an important topic for many organizations, Anthony also takes us through how he uses the Watson Natural Language Processing tool to analyze unstructured data to create actionable insights. Anthony explains why having a clear north star in your organization is paramount and how his ‘Outcome-Drive Alignment’ model helps different teams come together with shared objectives to make smart, data-driven decisions.

In This Episode:

• 1:51 - How IBM manages to drive impact with data
• 4:09 - Why data is often underutilized
• 6:30 - How data can identify challenges and misalignments in a team
• 14:00 - How the ‘Retrospective Radar’ works
• 20:41 - How IBM pulls the right insights from qualitative feedback
• 28:46 - How businesses can use feedback to empower team members
• 33:15 - How AI can help you gather insights from unstructured data
• 39:05 - Changing people’s minds with good data
  

Quotes:

“Everybody knows what it's like to be swimming in data. What you need to be swimming in is insight.”

“Qualitative feedback is a type of data. So if you get feedback in a survey or a poll or a thumbs up or a thumbs down or verbatim text, all of that is a type of data. It's unstructured data, but it's data. And what we want to do is parse that data and understand it in a quantitative way.”

“Feedback is a gift, but aggregated feedback is actionable intelligence.”

Resources:

• Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonycoppedge/
• Watson Natural Language Processing Demo: https://www.ibm.com/demos/live/natural-language-understanding/self-service/

Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

How do you compare with your peers? It’s a question that every marketer asks, and data is the trick to removing the guesswork from that answer. But finding the right data to benchmark yourself against your peers can be a challenge. Joining the podcast this week is Rob Garf, the VP and General Manager of Retail at Salesforce. He explores how Salesforce builds insights for retail customers to gain clarity on where they sit in the market.

Infuse Data into Everything You’re Doing

In this episode, Rob discusses how retailers use Salesforce’s Shopping Index to compare their performance with peers and what types of data are most important to focus on. Our conversation delves into the methods of collecting actionable insights, the importance of understanding customer behavior, and why data-driven personalization is key to building a great customer experience.

Rob also shares plenty of examples of how retailers have used Salesforce's data to enhance their business operations and offers advice for organizations aiming to build a data-centric culture. We also explore how Salesforce’s annual holiday predictions have increased brand recognition and built trust with executives.

In This Episode:

• 1:40 - How Salesforce gathers insights that impact customers
• 3:37 - How Salesforce decides which data is most useful for clients
• 5:11 - Tying data insights into day-to-day actions
• 9:26 - Empowering clients and the Salesforce team to build a culture of data
• 11:59 - Using research as content
• 16:33 - How data can drive personalization
• 20:52 - Why customers now expect personalization
• 23:07 - Salesforce’s holiday insights campaign
• 26:20 - How Salesforce’s insights drive brand recognition
• 31:44 - Rob’s advice for organizations that want to lead with data
• 35:42 - How Salesforce builds a culture of data in a large organization
  

Quotes:

“Anytime we're thinking about collecting data or thinking about telling stories with the data, we try to get as many stakeholders involved in it as possible. And so, we're really getting collective wisdom.”

“I really encourage the team to think about the headline. It's really the thesis. What are we trying to convey? And then work backward to understand how we get the data to either substantiate that point or counter it.”

“Brands and retailers are looking for different and creative ways to capture data in exchange for some value rather than asking a consumer to fill out a questionnaire to learn who they are. It's about then using that data, activating that data, and using it to better their shopping experience.”

Resources:

• Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-garf-224395/

Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

Is it true that many Americans perceive their homes not just as living spaces, but as vehicles for wealth accumulation? And can this lead to a disconnect between their desires and the reality of home ownership? In this episode of Data-Driven Decisions, we find out.

What do Americans really want from their homes?

Is it just a cozy living space, or something more profound? Join us as we dive into the psyche of the modern homeowner with Erin Willis, Chief Insight and Marketing Officer at Sekisui House, one of America’s leading home builders.

We look at the importance of understanding customer happiness and how it's at the core of creating homes that truly feel like a sanctuary. Erin also delves into the methodology behind Sekisui House's customer-centric approach, revealing the synergy between data-driven decisions and a genuine understanding of customer needs.

From leveraging video diaries for real insights to incorporating behavioral science into home design, this episode shines a light on the innovative strategies employed to make homes that genuinely cater to the happiness and health of their residents. This includes addressing common challenges like storage and space optimization, which are crucial for creating a stress-free, comfortable living environment.

Erin also shares the exciting launch of SHAWOOD, a brand that exemplifies Sekisui House's commitment to offering architecturally unique, environmentally friendly homes that meet modern needs.

In This Episode:

• 01:04 - Introducing Erin Willis and Sekisui House
• 03:09 - The overall strategic goals of Erin’s role as Chief Insight and Marketing Officer
• 05:31 - What American homeowners are looking for compared to other countries
• 08:20 - How Sekisui House conducts research into homeowner needs
• 10:40 - Building a culture of curiosity in your team and organization
• 13:29 - Turning insights into messaging that resonates with your audience
• 16:27 - How the data impacts the content that they create
• 19:44 - How Sekisui House sets customer expectations and measures them
• 22:15 - The launch of SHAWOOD and what it means for Sekisui House
• 25:02 - How Sekisui House validates hypotheses
• 27:31 - How the company extends customer lifetime value and builds loyalty
• 30:50 - Advice for marketers to start using data insights to develop a better customer experience
• 34:03 - Practices and guidelines that promote a sense of safety and creativity within the team
• 36:20 - Insights Erin wishes she had known at the beginning of her journey
• 39:23 - Examples of companies Erin admires for marrying customer-centricity and data

Quotes:

“Building a culture of curiosity is something that I always encourage organizations to do. What kinds of practices do you have in your team's meetings or in your guidelines or in your processes that help to create that sense of safety, and make sure that folks feel like they can bring their questions and their ideas to the table?”

“A lot of Americans view their home as an investment property. It's a vehicle to accumulate wealth. And it ceases to be a home when you start to think about it like that. A lot of people don't feel at home in their homes.”

Resources:

• Sekisui House: https://www.sekisuihouse-global.com/
• Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinboggswillis/
• Connect with Zontee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zonteehou/

Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

What can marketers learn from data? Data is more important than ever and gives marketers a seat at the table, not just when it comes to marketing decisions but also discussions that affect company culture, team structure, and sales.

A brand new series hosted by Zontee Hou, the Managing Director of Convince & Convert, looks at the lessons we can take from data to inform the best marketing practices and internal culture. In this trailer episode, we catch a bit of her interview with Daniel Lemin on the Social Pros podcast, where she talks about her new book Data-Driven Personalization. She discusses some of the key insights from the book, why marketers need to have a more important presence at the ‘data table’, and how the concepts in the book apply to every marketer.

The book and podcast explore lessons and insights for marketers to get more out of the data they have and translate that into impactful and personalized customer experiences that increase customer lifetime value and allow us to develop more engaging marketing strategies.

In This Episode:

• An introduction to the book, ‘Data-Driven Personalization’
• What we can learn from companies who use data to drive decision-making
• Why we’re launching the Data-Driven Decisions podcast
• Topics the podcast will cover

Quotes:

“Whenever I can capture stories and share them and also explore why people made the decisions that they did behind the data, it makes it more tangible for us as marketers, and it makes it more usable to the folks who are looking at this content.”

“We're not just going to be talking about marketing specifically, we're also going to be talking about the nexus of marketing and sales, the nexus of data and internal culture. So there's going to be a lot of really fascinating conversations.”

“My goal is to make sure that you are really seeing how these ideas are applicable within your own organizations so that you have ideas of how you can make a more impactful marketing presence through data.”

Resources:

• Connect with Zontee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zonteehou/

Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.