Imagine a completely automated, digitised Valentine's Day powered by Artificial Intelligence. To some that might sound dispassionate, thoughtless; inhuman. But managed by a smart marketer who understands the fundamentals of human conversation, as well as the evolving martech landscape, it might actually look like this:
Tom browses flights to Paris for Valentine's Day for a trip with his partner, on a popular comparison site. Imagine KLM match 2nd party data with their own databases, and Tom has flown previously with them.
He compares offers from KLM, British Airways & Easyjet, but KLM already knows that this is the same Tom who opts for vegetarian meals and extra legroom.
This is the smart marketer's personal context, built by all the unified customer channels at her fingertips - from Display, Search, Facebook and their own App, to traditional yet still-crucial touch-points like Email, Call Centre and Website - then second and third-party players like popular flight metasearchers and Online Travel Agents.
This is also enriched by data-feeds from the airline's Event and Revenue Management Systems, to optimise flight distribution as well as customer demand and desire.
They also have a broader awareness of seasonality - V-Day is looming.
KLM: re-targeted ads via Display channels to enjoy an exclusive offer on that flight you're interested in?
Tom: doesn't click ads. Wants to be in control. Continues to compare offers.
KLM: listens. Removes Tom from Display campaign selection.
KLM: sends Tom an email a month before departure based on plane fill-rate and previous booking habits - 'We've got the lowest price for two tickets to Paris, with your favourite in-flight meal and front row seats thrown in for good measure.'
Tom: 'yes please' - adds flight to basket but gets distracted and abandons booking. A week later, he downloads the KLM app.
KLM: reminds Tom via the app, his next-best-channel, with a helpful deep-link to where he left the booking journey: 'oh, and here's a list of discount vouchers for restaurants & attractions in Paris once you've booked. '
Of course Tom books the flight. When he arrives at the airport, he also receives an in-app push message; to his surprise, this isn't a traditional sales 'push', but an invite by KLM to reclaim their free drink for two from the carrier's luxury crown lounge.
Why? Because this is an experience Tom and his partner won't forget - and for the smart marketer - she knows they will be flying directly with KLM, again and again.
Want to understand how you can transfer this proven martech use case directly to your our marketing initiatives, from finance to retail? Or you'd like to get this kind of impressive customer journey automation off the ground for your client?
The answer lies with a Data Management Platform (DMP), and with you. Learn more about data with the IDM's Data Driven Marketing course.
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