We all know the importance of intent data. But that doesn’t mean it’s a straightforward path to success. To unlock the full transformative power of intent data, you need to know the proven best practices from the best in business and how to stay ahead of the curve in the face of constant change. And that’s precisely what I’ll be speaking about at Ignite London.
I have 18 years marketing experience for a range of sized organisations from some of the big players such as HPE and Emerson through to pre-IPO Silicon Valley start-ups. In my current role I work for a Paris-based software company called MEGA International helping our clients to digitally transform, manage applications, optimise processes and ensure regulatory compliance. I manage our demand generation and brand awareness in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Where we’ve been and where we’re going
Gone are the days of “spray and pray” – there really is no excuse for “our database is crap” with the range of tools available to modern marketing teams. Whether you run entry-level tools to best-in-class, being able to see what your potential buyers are reacting to and what they ignore is the core of good intent marketing. Even if budget is an issue you can still capture valuable data with free tools – the key is targeting specific buyers or accounts with tailored messaging to appeal to them.
With this knowledge, you can let the data drive your strategy and tactics in order to target potential buyers with the content – and channels – that are most appealing to them.
Marketing departments are facing a period of unprecedented change, with budget holders the world over fed up with being sent generic messages or being asked if they have time for a “quick call” with someone they don’t know.
At Ignite London, I’lln explore how the world of intent marketing is changing, the crucial need to understand different personas, and avoiding the trap of unhealthy marketing-sales relationships.
Intent data has increased in important post-pandemic
With more and more customers silently researching brands online, intent data has never been more important. The trends were definitely heading that way anyway, but more and more we see people interacting with at least five pieces of content before they get in contact to ask for a demo, trial or further discussion. In many ways it’s a good thing because we know we’re talking to serious buyers with actual projects, but it means the quality and targeting of content is all the more crucial.
Why bother with intent data?
How many times have telesales teams wasted time and energy calling, emailing, connecting on LinkedIn, etc. just because someone has downloaded an e-book? A real commitment to intent data can revolutionise your demand generation efforts, both in terms of creating more revenue and also in saving valuable resources. Best practices vary depending on your industry, but the main point is to ensure that you gather and use the data to drive your planning, not as an afterthought.
The death of the third-party cookie puts intent data on the top of your list
Third party cookies may be on the way out, but first-party cookies are central to intent marketing. These enable you to capture how visitors arrive on your site in the first place, as well as their page-to-page activity.
By creating buyer-focused journeys on your website and content channels, you discover what interests them and increase your chances of them responding to your CTA. In fact key pieces of data such as social network interactions, email engagements and – don’t forget – phone calls are all easily trackable without the need for third-party cookies. The key is really to ensure you have the tools and processes in place to collect, use and act with this knowledge.
What you’ll learn at Ignite
If you’re a marketing professional keen to do more with intent data strategy or looking to take your first steps into it, you need Ignite London. I’ll focus on the processes and principles of intent marketing without going into specific tools or promoting any over others. Your key takeaways will be:
- How to understand and target different personas to create personalised highly engaging campaigns.
- How to build a compelling customer journey, including both marketing and sales activity.
- How to access and optimise the right data, using the right tools and technologies.
I am a huge fan of Ignite, and I’ve always found it to have a great blend of sponsored and neutral content. I like the networking aspects too, and find that people are always open to share what’s good and bad about their marketing efforts. I can’t wait!
I’ve already run a couple of my own events since the world got back to normal, and if Ignite is anything like those (which I’m sure it will be – and some!), then everyone is energised to kick on. I’m looking forward to too many sessions to mention separately other than to say it’s a fantastic line up of content as always.
If you only pick one marketing event to attend, Ignite is the best choice in my opinion. The venue is also easy to get to, and you’ll enjoy the buzz of the city in a truly elite setting. See you there!
