CDP in marketing is driving the revolution in customer engagement in B2B tech

As the era of third-party cookies comes to an end, marketers are facing a new challenge: how to effectively engage and retain customers in a post-cookie advertising world. The solution lies in understanding not just who your customers are, but how they behave. This is where Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) come into play.

A CDP in marketing is more than a buzzword; it's a powerful tool that is reshaping the way we approach customer engagement and experience. A CDP collects and unifies customer data from various sources, providing a holistic and real-time view of each customer. This comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour is invaluable for marketers, allowing for personalisation at scale and paving the way for more effective marketing strategies.

Today, we’ll explore the evolution of CDPs, their benefits for B2B technology companies, and their role in marketing automation. We’ll delve into how a shift in focus from who the customers are to their behaviour is facilitating a new age of customer-centric marketing.

Whether you're a seasoned marketer or a business owner looking to enhance your marketing efforts, understanding the importance and functionality of CDPs will equip you with the tools to stay ahead in this rapidly changing landscape.

What is a CDP and how does it work?

A Customer Data Platform is a type of software that collects, organises, and unifies data from various sources, creating a comprehensive, real-time view of each customer. This data can come from a range of sources, including:

• Your website
• Email marketing campaigns
• Social media platforms
• Customer service interactions

Unlike other data management systems, a CDP can handle both structured and unstructured data, offering incredible versatility.

The benefits of a CDP for B2B technology companies

The primary benefit of a CDP in marketing is its ability to provide a 360-degree view of your customers. This allows marketers to understand customer behaviours and preferences at an incredibly granular level, paving the way for highly personalised marketing strategies.

For B2B technology companies, this means:

Improved account-based marketing (ABM): With a comprehensive view of customer data, companies can fine-tune their ABM strategies, targeting the right accounts with messages tailored to their specific needs and pain points.

Enhanced lead scoring: By having a deeper understanding of customer interactions across various touchpoints, companies can assign more accurate lead scores, ensuring the sales team focuses on the most promising leads.

Better product development: Insights from the CDP can inform product teams about which features are most desired or which pain points are frequently encountered, guiding product enhancements or new offerings.

Optimised customer journeys: B2B sales cycles are often longer and more complex. With a CDP, you can map out and optimise the entire customer journey, ensuring timely and relevant touchpoints.

Predictive analytics: With a consolidated view of customer data, B2B tech companies can better predict which customers might churn, which are likely to upgrade, or even which prospects are likely to convert.

Streamlined tech stack: B2B tech companies often juggle multiple tools. A CDP can help integrate and streamline these tools, reducing data silos and enhancing efficiency.

In the competitive landscape of B2B technology, using a CDP can be the difference between generic, ineffective outreach and laser-focused, impactful interactions that drive sales and foster long-term customer relationships.

The evolution of CDPs

Over time, CDPs have evolved from basic data repositories into sophisticated platforms that offer not just data management, but also actionable insights. Modern CDPs can analyse data to:

• Identify trends
• Predict future behaviours
• Recommend marketing strategies

This evolution has been driven by the increasing complexity of the digital landscape and the growing demand for personalised marketing. As businesses strive to meet the high expectations of today's consumers, the role of the CDP in marketing has become more critical than ever.

For a more in-depth understanding of this evolution and the benefits of a CDP, check out this comprehensive overview on martech.org.

The shift in marketing focus

The world of marketing is not just about selling a product or service anymore. It's about understanding customers on a deeper level and providing them with value. In this new era, marketers are moving away from traditional demographic-centric strategies—where they primarily focused on who the customers are. The shift is towards a more comprehensive, behaviour-centric approach—where the emphasis is on what customers do, their preferences, their habits, and their interactions across various touchpoints.

This shift represents a new paradigm in marketing. It reflects the growing understanding that each customer is unique, with different behaviours, preferences, and expectations. Marketers are realising that to truly engage customers and build long-term relationships, they need to move beyond demographic data and delve into behavioural insights.

Role of CDPs in the shift

Driving this shift towards behaviour-centric marketing are Customer Data Platforms. CDPs are sophisticated tools that collect, analyse, and unify data from a variety of sources, providing an unparalleled view into customer behaviour. With a CDP, marketers can gain detailed insights into various aspects of customers, including:

• The customer's journey across multiple touchpoints, from initial discovery to conversion and beyond.
• Their interactions with products or services, such as what items they view, how much time they spend on each item, and what items they purchase.
• Their responses to various marketing campaigns, which can help identify what types of content and messaging resonate with different customers.

By analysing this data, CDPs can identify patterns, predict future actions, and provide actionable insights that marketers can use to refine their strategies.

Outcome of the shift

The shift towards behaviour-centric marketing has profound implications for businesses. It enables a more personalised and engaging marketing strategy. This can take many forms, from personalised product recommendations to targeted email campaigns and more. When marketing is personalised and relevant, it not only enhances the customer experience but also drives higher engagement, boosts conversion rates, and increases customer loyalty.

Looking ahead

The shift in marketing focus from who the customers are to their behaviour is just the beginning. As technology continues to evolve and the amount of customer data continues to grow, the possibilities for this type of marketing will expand even further. And CDPs will play a central role.

CDPs and the marketing funnel

The marketing funnel is a model that describes the customer's journey from the initial stages of awareness to the ultimate goal of conversion. It’s a framework that helps marketers understand and visualise the customer's path to purchase. Traditional marketing funnels include stages like awareness, consideration, decision, and action.

CDPs and the marketing funnel: A powerful combination

When it comes to understanding where customers are in the marketing funnel and tailoring messaging and content accordingly, CDPs are invaluable. CDPs collect and analyse customer data from various touchpoints, providing marketers with a detailed understanding of where each customer is in their buying journey.

Let's consider an example:

Say a new visitor lands on your website. A CDP can track this interaction, placing the customer in the "awareness" stage of the funnel. If the visitor starts reading blog posts or browsing product pages, the CDP can move them to the "consideration" stage. Once they add a product to their cart or sign up for a newsletter, they move into the "decision" stage. Finally, when they make a purchase, they reach the "action" stage.

• By understanding these stages, marketers can tailor their messaging and content to meet the customer's needs at each point in the funnel:
• For customers in the "awareness" stage, marketers might focus on educational content that introduces the brand and its offerings.
• In the "consideration" stage, marketers could provide detailed product information or customer testimonials.
• For the "decision" stage, marketers might offer discounts or limited-time offers to encourage conversion.
• Once customers reach the "action" stage, marketers can focus on nurturing the relationship through personalised recommendations, loyalty programs, and excellent customer service.

Enhancing marketing automation with CDPs

This level of personalisation greatly enhances marketing automation efforts. With a CDP, marketers can automate tailored messages based on a customer's stage in the funnel. For instance, a customer who has just made a purchase (action stage) might receive an automated email thanking them for their purchase and recommending related products.

In addition to improving customer engagement, this approach can also increase efficiency. Marketers can set up automated workflows once, and the CDP will continue to send personalised messages as customers move through the funnel.

The power of personalisation

The power of personalisation in marketing cannot be overstated. According to a study by Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalised experiences. By leveraging CDPs to understand the marketing funnel, businesses can deliver the personalised experiences that customers expect, thereby driving engagement, conversion, and ultimately, customer loyalty.

In conclusion, CDPs play a critical role in understanding and navigating the marketing funnel. They not only provide a detailed view of each customer's journey but also enable marketers to deliver personalised content and messages at each stage. This high level of personalisation, facilitated by CDPs, is truly transforming the world of marketing automation.

Leading CDP Companies

As the demand for these platforms grows, many companies have stepped up to offer sophisticated CDP solutions. These solutions can vary widely in terms of features, capabilities, and specialisation, allowing businesses to choose a CDP that best fits their specific needs.

Industry Leaders

Let's take a look at a few leading companies in the CDP market:

• Segment: Known for its robust data integration capabilities, Segment is a popular choice for businesses of all sizes. Its platform allows businesses to collect, unify, and route customer data to hundreds of tools for analytics, marketing, and data warehousing.
• Tealium: Tealium offers a comprehensive CDP that provides real-time customer data orchestration. Its platform is praised for its ability to manage large volumes of data across multiple touchpoints, providing businesses with a single view of their customers.
• Acquia: Acquia's CDP stands out for its strong focus on personalisation. It uses machine learning to automatically segment customers and deliver personalised experiences across different channels.

Case Studies and interviews

To understand the impact of these platforms, look at case studies or conduct interviews with companies that have implemented these solutions. This can provide valuable insights into how these platforms are used in practice and the results they can deliver.

For example, a case study might reveal how a business used a CDP to enhance its marketing automation efforts, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates. Alternatively, an interview might provide a firsthand account of how a CDP helped a business understand its customers on a deeper level, leading to more personalised and effective marketing strategies.

The Future of CDP Companies

As the CDP market continues to evolve, we can expect to see more innovation and competition among CDP companies. Factors such as data privacy regulations, advancements in artificial intelligence, and the increasing demand for personalisation will likely shape the future of the CDP landscape.

While there are many CDP solutions available, the best choice will depend on a business's specific needs and goals. By understanding the strengths and specialties of different CDP companies, businesses can make an informed decision and choose the right CDP for their marketing efforts.

Embrace marketing with CDPs and Fifty Five and Five

If you’re a marketer or a business owner eager to enhance your marketing efforts, it's time to explore the potential of CDPs. Consider how a comprehensive understanding of your customers' behaviour and preferences can transform your marketing strategies. Think of the possibilities of delivering personalised messages and experiences that truly resonate with your audience.

The team at Fifty Five and Five, experts in marketing and customer engagement, can help guide you. With our understanding of CDPs and their potential, Fifty Five and Five can help you harness the power of these platforms to deliver exceptional marketing results. To transform the way you engage with your customers tomorrow, get in touch now.