Unlocking Customer Potential
The Power of Data Appends
In today’s competitive market, knowing your customers is not just an advantage—it’s essential. Data appends offer businesses a way to enrich their customer data, providing deeper insights that can transform marketing strategies, improve customer experiences, and drive revenue.
What Are Data Appends?
Data appends involve adding new information to your existing customer database. This could include demographic details, email addresses, phone numbers, or behavioral data. The goal is to build a more comprehensive profile of your customers. Think of your friends or coworkers. If you knew one thing about them – Joe likes Cabernet Sauvignon – it would be tough to carry on a conversation with Joe for very long. You’d run out of things to say. But if you also know that Joe likes reading historical fiction and woodworking, is taking adult education classes in painting and art appreciation, and has traveled to Asia several times, you could converse all evening!
Why Knowing Your Customers Matters:
This is where appending what you know about your customers is helpful. It allows you to create a full 360 view of your customer with several benefits:
- Personalized Marketing:
Understanding who your customers are allows for more personalized and targeted marketing campaigns. With data appends, you can segment your audience more effectively and tailor your messages to resonate with different customer groups. - Enhanced Customer Experience:
A well-rounded customer profile enables you to provide a better experience. Knowing their preferences, purchase history, and interests means you can anticipate their needs and offer products or services that are truly relevant. - Improved Decision Making:
Data-driven insights are invaluable for strategic decision-making. By appending data, businesses can identify trends, spot opportunities, and make informed choices about product development, marketing strategies, and more.
At WGM we use data appends for two very specific marketing purposes. First, we use it to craft relevant messages on email and on social media. If we know what consumers are into outside of wine, we have a better chance of connecting with them on content. We group similar consumers together into groups called Personas, and we tag them. Then we create different content for different types of people.
For this winery, we are running different ads to different personas that we’ve identified with different characteristics. The first ad is for the “Flavor Explorer” audience who is looking to experience new tastes, the middle is for the “DIY” audience looking for details, and the ad on the right is for the “Adventurer” audience looking for experiences,
Second, we use it to target new customers on platforms like Meta, LinkedIn, and Google. By now, everyone should know about look-alike audiences, where you upload a database to an ad platform and say, “Find more people like these people.” Well, the more data you have on someone, the more accurate the look-alike audiences can be.
This practice is not new. A recent study revealed that 95% of marketers who employed consumer insights saw enhanced results, particularly by tailoring their strategies to meet customer expectations. This approach allowed them to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market environment, underscoring the power of data-driven marketing (quantizin) (AMA).
The Process of Data Appending:
- Data Collection:
Start by gathering your current data. This could be from transactions, customer inquiries, or other touchpoints. Depending on your set up this could be a nightmare, or as simple as exporting your data from a platform like Commerce7, WineDirect, Orderport or Vinoshipper. - Matching and Appending:
Use a reliable data provider to match your existing records with their database. This step is crucial for ensuring accuracy and avoiding duplicates. Some data companies like Experian are well respected but extremely expensive and work with companies on a subscription basis. Look for someone who will price per project based on the size of the database and has a good reputation online. You’ll want to know how many customers you have in your database with full contact information. Without addresses, phone numbers, or emails, the likelihood that they can find a match is lessened. - Verification and Update:
Once data is appended, verifying its accuracy and updating your database regularly is important. Outdated or incorrect information can lead to ineffective marketing and lost opportunities. Often, the new data will have updated email addresses or phone numbers, so take the time to update records in your POS/eCommerce system.
Best Practices for Data Appends:
- Choose Reputable Data Providers:
Ensure your chosen provider has a track record of delivering accurate and up-to-date information. They should have some statement that they cannot use or keep your data. Many will provide a certificate of destruction, proving they deleted your database after they complete the append. - Comply with Data Privacy Regulations:
Ensure your data appending practices comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws. - Regularly Review and Cleanse Your Data:
To maximize the effectiveness of your data appends, keep your database clean and free from duplicates or outdated information.
How much does all this cost? Assume a data company won’t be able to append all your contacts, and for those they can append, you’ll probably pay $.02 – $.07 per name, depending on your database’s size. You’ve heard the adage that keeping a customer is cheaper than getting a new one? A few hundred or thousand dollars is a small price to connect better with your customers.
But data appends are more than just a tool for updating customer records—they’re a way to deepen your understanding of who your customers are and what they want. In a time when marketing must bring people into tasting rooms and get buyers and club memberships, you need all the tools. By leveraging your database’s full potential, businesses can build stronger relationships, deliver more value, and stay ahead in the competitive market.
Ready to unlock the full potential of your customer data?
Start your data append journey today and see the difference it can make in your marketing and customer engagement strategies.
