How to Use Campaign Data to Budget for Success

Overwhelmed by the pace and volume of "big data," marketing campaign analysis can become a shortsighted focus on lead metrics and quick reaction. We'd like to thank Bonnie Crater, president and CEO of Full Circle CRM, for her emarketingandcommerce.com article reminding marketers that campaign data is also key to long-term ROI--via improved marketing budgets and campaign development. Here are five tips on using campaign data to budget for future success: Start by using prior-year data on lead generation, close rates, average deal dollars, and ROI to provide a roadmap to current-year marketing budget targets. Second, gauge marketing performance and adjust forecasts according to industry benchmarks of realistic lead generation and campaign close rates. Third, in deciding budget allocations, don't measure campaign ROI just by first and last touchpoints; look at the detail of multi-touch, multi-channel, multi-campaign marketing to accurately credit each campaign with revenue generated. Fourth, weight the different elements affecting campaign touches (such as campaign types, user roles, when the touch occurred in the sales cycle) to better allocate spending to maximize campaign ROI. Finally, while digging into campaign data, take note of process problems, such as lead hand-off gaps and sales bottlenecks, and take action to improve efficiency of marketing and sales spending. For detail from the complete article, go to http://www.emarketingandcommerce.com/article/5-tips-using-campaign-data-build-your-next-marketing-budget/1

Mail to Lead 2015 Direct Marketing Budgets

Direct mail will still lead marketing budgets this year despite all the chatter about e-mail and digital content, predicts the Winterberry Group. At a forecast $45.7 billion spend for 2015, direct mail is showing only a 1% growth, but that still puts mail well ahead of an expected e-mail spend of just $2.3 billion, as well search dollars of $26.9 (including desktop and mobile). Although targeted digital display, including desktop and mobile promotions, has the strongest predicted growth (21.1%), it still comes in well behind mail at $28.3 billion in projected spending. The key factors driving this year's direct mail budgets will be the lack of a postal rate increase in early 2015, rising mail volumes, strong acquisition mail investment to offset declining retention mailings, and a rise in digital-to-offline retargeting, according to the Winterberry study. Direct mail may also benefit from a proven ability in data-driven targeting. Across channels, Winterberry predicts that 2015 marketers will invest in data-driven promotion, with the top reason (from 52.7% surveyed) cited as the demand for more relevant, customer-centric communication. For an infographic summarizing results, check out the Direct Marketing News magazine article at http://www.dmnews.com/marketing-spending-in-2015-infographic/article/400487/