That ’ s the way the cookie crumbles
Broadway Events senior marketing executive Kara Neill says that with the death of third-party cookies coming next year , it will be more important than ever for marketers to know exactly who their customers are ... and what they want
ith the changeover
W to Analytics 4 on the horizon and the passing of third-party cookies , marketers need to start getting comfortable with relying on first-party data to shape ad targeting , personalisation and the digital customer experience .
Understanding who our customers are has never been more important . It ’ s time to focus on analysing the first-party data we already have and spend time collecting more . You can start doing this by looking at the digital touchpoints between your events and customers , tracking their interactions with your products ( website , SMS , emails etc .) Surveys , questionnaires and interviews can also provide a considerable amount of insight , which you can do face to face , over the phone or digitally . When you have a better understanding of your customers by building up this data , you can start to rely on these understandings to influence personalised advertising – without cookies .
Moving forward and as we start to rely more on the data we can collect from direct customer interactions , more time must be spent convincing them to interact in the first place . To influence this , ensure your strategy relies heavily on customer relationship building .
Hopefully , events companies should already be prioritising this within their business strategies . Obtaining new visitors each event is vital however those who return can make the difference . This loyalty can be earnt from putting on a successful show but also by working at building direct and personal relationships with our visitors . So how can we get them to trust us ?
Firstly , complete transparency is a must . When trying to attain new data , it needs to be clear what the customer is signing up to , displaying an up-to-date and accessible privacy policy .
Secondly , when someone makes the decision to hand over their data - provide them with a valuable exchange . Reach out to your customers directly . We saw that visitors were worried about financial
“ When someone makes the decision to hand over their data – provide them with a valuable exchange ”
Above : Kara Neill
stability , keeping up with industry changes and the lack of government support . They needed connection , to share experiences and feel united .
This influenced a re-brand of our strapline that put emphasis on the show being a ‘ home ’, a comforting and uplifting space where you would leave as part of a community . We extended this tone throughout our marketing , putting more focus on the networking and support . We removed promotional wording around being ‘ the biggest ’ or ‘ the best ’ because at the end of the day – our visitors don ’ t find value in these words .
We introduced newsletters that provide relevant sector updates and created an exclusive site where all year round , visitors can access free resources , exclusive offers and rewards . We keep hold of our customers by providing this value , maintaining a solid presence at all times and offering them the support that they feel the sector lacks .
Now when someone makes the decision to share their information with us , it ’ s clear that it will be worth it . EW
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 4 2022 39