Project Preview
An independent customer data platform strategy demonstrating how customer data, identity resolution, personalization, and lifecycle marketing can work together to create a more connected customer experience.
Role: CDP Strategist, Marketing Systems Consultant
Organization: Independent Strategy Project
Primary focus: Customer Data Platform strategy, personalization, customer journeys, marketing systems, data governance
Tools used: Microsoft PowerPoint, BlueConic knowledge, website analysis, marketing strategy, customer journey mapping
Where This Was Used
This specific project was one I created independently for portfolio purposes, but it aligns with the type of work I did and the opportunities I discovered while managing a CDP for Conn’s HomePlus for three years.
What I Created
I created a Customer Data Platform Strategy Framework to demonstrate the knowledge and skills I developed while managing a CDP for three years. I used a well-known retailer to demonstrate strategic opportunities, but many of these strategies can be applied similarly to other businesses.
This framework includes:
- Profile data sources: various locations from where customer data can be collected.
- Data collection listeners: locations throughout the website where listeners can be placed to collect customer information that can be used for personalization.
- Personalization opportunities: how collected data can be used to provide more personalized experiences for shoppers.
- Data integrity best practices: tips on how to maintain profile data integrity.
- Use case ideas: various use cases to utilize CDP data for marketing campaigns.
- CDP dialogue banner: an example of how a CDP feature can be used to add a special touch for a website visitor.
- Customer journeys: identifying three very different customer journeys and opportunities during each journey.
- Intent classification strategy: how to identify different customer types to improve personalization through various personalized messaging.
- Action plan: a simple plan detailing steps leading to campaign execution.
Why I Designed It
Although I managed a CDP for three years, the work I did was confidential, so I wanted to create some examples to demonstrate the type of work I did and the strategies I came up with to maximize the impact of a customer’s CDP.
It doesn’t require access to a CDP to review a company’s website to find opportunities in which a CDP can greatly improve marketing and data collection opportunities, so I explored several websites, used my previous CDP management experience, and built a strategy as if I was providing a consultation for a client so I could create documentation similar to what I did during my years of experience managing a CDP.
Who I Designed It For
This strategy framework is an excellent representation of a high-level overview that could be presented to stakeholders and leadership. It simply and clearly explains the features and functionality of a CDP, it clearly highlights opportunities, and it draws clear lines between existing data and personalization opportunities.
How I Designed It
Observe
After thoroughly understanding the opportunities a CDP presents, I also understood the challenges and complications businesses face when implementing a CDP. Cross-functional teamwork is a necessity, which can take time, effort, and understanding of why certain things are needed for the CDP to function efficiently.
Understand the Goal
Companies typically get CDPs because they want a centralized location for customer data to be imported where unified profiles are created and grow as more data is collected about each person. The ultimate goal is to then use the data from these profiles to segment them in meaningful ways and market to them in a way that is more personalized so they’re more likely to respond to the content and calls to action. Essentially, CDPs make it easy to more intelligently market to your audience in a variety of ways.
Remove the Friction
Instead of using technical terms or CDP jargon, I connected functionality to real-life examples, making it easier to understand how a CDP collects data, and how it can be used in realistic examples to improve existing marketing and processes. I removed the learning curve and instead focused on the results instead of the tool.
Design for People
Companies can easily get overwhelmed by all a CDP can offer, so by creating a simplified strategy plan that explains in plain terms how it works and ways it can be used, this makes it easier for stakeholders and leadership to see the value of the tool and understand the possibilities it offers.
Evaluate Results & Adoption
Because this was an independent project rather than an employer-sponsored implementation, I did not have access to any analytics to determine how well this strategy would have worked for this company. However, based on my previous experience, many of these use cases and data collection opportunities were successful and could easily be adapted to other businesses.
Refine & Improve
This strategy was created based on a specific company’s customer base and website design which may not be relevant to other businesses. The content and use cases would need to be adapted to the needs, websites, and business practices of other companies, but the basic functionality and many of the data collection opportunities may overlap.
What It Accomplished/Impact
Although this was an independent project intended to represent my CDP experience, it is a realistic example of the type of work I did and the types of strategies I developed.
It demonstrates my ability to:
- Convey complex information in an easy-to-understand manner.
- Analyze a website for CDP data collection opportunities.
- Understand a business model well enough to create realistic customer journeys.
- Provide examples of use cases that could be implemented through a CDP.
- Be aware of potential data integrity issues that could arise in a CDP.
- Create simple but effective website dialogue opportunities.
- Build a realistic action plan for launching a CDP.
- Understand CDP functionality well enough to create a logical business strategy framework.
Explore the Project
Below you can view the Customer Data Platform Strategy Framework I created for this project.
View the embedded file below or click the “view PDF” button to open it in a new browser.
Sally Scott 