The New 1:1 Marketing Approach in Four (Not-So-Easy) Steps

The concept of 1:1 marketing generated a lot of hype — ten years ago. It changed the way companies reached their customers, creating that illusion that personalized marketing was actually… well, personal. But it also raised expectations of customers. They became acutely aware that their actions — especially those online — were tracked and used for marketing purposes. Eventually, they ignored companies’ attempts to advertise based on a search term or status update. “Really? Just because I posted that I’m baking cookies with my son does not mean I want to buy Chips Ahoy right now.”

Why we should stop talking about Big Data and start talking about Big Signal.

“Big Data” seems to be the phrase on everyone’s lips these days — the new Big Bandwagon for enterprise, government, investors, and entrepreneurs. But I would respectfully submit that the term may be missing the point… and those who continue to define the phenomenon in that way may miss the first wave of the real opportunity.