The Digital Measure Show

Jim Tincher, Journey Mapper-In-Chief at Heat of the Customer joins me to chat about customer experience research (CXR). In this episode we discuss some of the basics, why it’s important, ways to get started in CXR and more. Lot’s of great intro content and resources for those who are interested in applying CXR to their organization.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…

• A brief history on customer experience research (CXR)
• The difference between customer experience (CX) and user experience (UX)
• Most common adoption challenges that professionals have while advocating for the customer and customer research methods
• Three types of problems to focus on when trying to drive adoption and develop an effective customer experience practice within an organization
• Three best practices for developing a CX within your organization
• Which CXR metrics matter
• Which challenges CX leaders are solving
• Thoughts on the future of CX

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/intro-to-customer-experience-research

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was implemented on 25 May 2018 and we’re already seeing states propose their own data protection and privacy laws here in the United States. Wondering what impact GDPR has had on marketing since inception ,or what regulations are coming to the states and how to prepare?

Wanda Kauffman and Natalie Simmer join me in an in depth discussion on all of that and more. We chat about GDPR, proposed regulations here in the states, federal law, consumer awareness, and impacts on businesses who are eager to leverage consumer data. There’s a lot in this 45 minute clip so don’t miss it if you’re marketing leader in your organization. Also, see below for resources discussed on this episode. We’ve included several for your convenience.

Note that this is episode number two of a six-part series that I’m recording with The Lacek Group on customer engagement. Links to previous episodes in this series will be listed below as they become available.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…

• How GDPR became a regulation in the EU law
• Why GDPR is the gold-standard and which US states are proposing similar regulations
• Proposed regulations, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
• Types of GDPR violations that are being reported and by whom
• Data privacy, consumer awareness and under what conditions they’re willing to provide personal data in exchange for your service
• Reducing business risk and vulnerability by creating a center of excellence and becoming SOC 2 certified
• How agencies, vendors, and brands are reacting to these regulations, including moving data in-house
• Providing better customer and user experiences while adapting to consumer expectations
• Resources on how to stay up-to-date on violations, new and existing regulations, and certifications

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/018-gdpr-data-privacy-and-regulations-in-2019

Michelle Wildenauer and Tyler Love join us to discuss data signals, an incredibly important (and challenging) part of modern marketing. See highlights below for details. This episode is the first of a six part series that I am recording with The Lacek Group (my employer) on customer engagement. Future episodes in this series will include topics ranging from data insights, how to create emotional content, customer privacy, and more. Come back soon for new episodes or subscribe to the podcast via iTunes to get notified when a new episode on this series becomes available.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
• A primer on data signals
• How The Lacek Group, a leading loyalty service provider, leverages data signals for customer engagement
• Inbound questions on data signals from industry leading brands and Lacek clients
• Common challenges that are keeping brands from sending out data driven communication across their marketing channels
• Three takeaways that will help you and your organization leverage data signals for cross-channel marketing communication

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/017-separating-signals-from-the-noise

I was introduced to customer research several years ago but didn’t really make the connection to digital marketing until almost four years ago when leading a testing and optimization team at Best Buy. I was all in on customer research, not as a researcher, but in terms of how digital analytics and a well-oiled A/B testing program could augment research and deliver a better overall customer experience.

Obviously time is money and resources are limited. Unfortunately, this is a reality for most of us. However, that shouldn’t stop us from delivering a better customer experience should it?

That’s why I’ve invited Jennifer Havice to join me today. Jennifer, founder of Make Mention Media and Communications, a conversion copywriting and CRO consulting company, joined me to share her perspective on this very question. In this episode, she shares why she thinks that research is so important and often neglected. She also provides her take on the research market and how behavioral data can be a powerful tool for augmenting research.

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/016-augmenting-customer-research-with-behavioral-data

Have you ever wondered how consumer expectations are changing the way healthcare payers and providers think about the overall consumer healthcare experience? Wondering how healthcare companies are harnessing data or from wearable devices? Or, maybe you’re wondering how healthcare companies are going to drive innovation in a heavily regulated industry. Wonder no more!

On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rahul Goyal, Director of Digital Analytics and Personalization at UnitedHealth Group and Tess MacGibbon, Account Director at The Lacek Group about all of this. Well, briefly since we only had fifty minutes. Both guests are incredibly knowledgeable about healthcare which made this a fun and enlightening episode. Listen in as Rahul and Tess provide an insiders perspective on data, personalization and loyalty in the healthcare industry.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU'LL LEARN…
• The rise of consumer expectations in the healthcare sector
• Challenges with personalizing healthcare experiences for consumers
• How the healthcare industry thinks about personalization and what they’re doing to address today’s challenges
• How personalization drives loyalty in healthcare; the current state of loyalty and where there are opportunities for innovation
• Data and analytics talent in the healthcare industry; what UHG is doing to bridge gaps between talent types and the business
• The future of loyalty and personalization in healthcare

PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY, AND RESOURCES MENTIONED
• Apple and Aetna partnership
• The Future of Healthcare Looks a Lot Like Retail
• UnitedHealth Groups Individual Health Record (IHR)
• Blockchain in healthcare
• Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
• Apple Watch notified teen of abnormal heart-rate while suffering from kidney failure
• Integrated Delivery Network (IDN)
• AncestryDNA
• 23andMe
• MinneAnalytics
• Halicon 2019

Since starting the Digital Measure Show in April of last year I’ve released 13 episodes which is a little better than one per month. Not as many as I would have liked but then again it’s not about quantity as much as it is about quality and consistency. If I’m being completely honest, 2018 was truly about learning and getting comfortable behind a microphone. For that, I’m incredibly thankful for my guests (and strong network!) for providing me with wonderful content, their time, and network exposure to help promote this podcast.

Looking ahead into 2019 I really feel like there’s momentum behind the podcast—I’ve got some incredible guests lined up already and I’m partnering with The Lacek Group to produce a handful of high-quality loyalty and digital marketing episodes.

UPCOMING TOPICS AND GUESTS…
• Analytics & Personalization at UnitedHealth Group
• Customer Research with Jennifer Havice
• The Twin Cities Big Data, Data Science and Analytics Community, MinneAnalytics
• Conversion Rate Optimization with Peep Laja from Conversion XL
• A 7-Part Series on Customer Engagement with The Lacek Group
• And more being planned…

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/014-into-the-new-year

Two episodes ago I had Femi Olajiga on the show to give us an intro on agile marketing and to share his experience and research in this field. On that episode he provided an overview of some agile methodologies, how he has seen organizations adopt these methodologies and the skill sets needed to be successful. Though I enjoyed our conversation, I had many more questions so I sought out a couple of veterans in the field to provide us with some perspective and to answer questions that the podcast listeners and I still have about agile marketing.
David Stark, Head of Digital Strategy & Web Operations at 3D Systems Corporation and one of IBM’s original agile evangelists, joined me with over twenty years of experience in digital marketing and agile. My second guest, Pat McManus, Sr. Director of Strategy at The Lacek Group joined me to discuss current agile methods used while developing a loyalty program for one of the agencies largest strategic accounts.
On this episode we discuss the mindset of agile, team structures, working with external partners, how data teams can adopt an agile mindset and more.
Whether you’re new to agile, evolving your program or just looking to adopt an agile mindset, there’s 40+ years of combined knowledge to draw from in this episode so listen in and share your thoughts with us on Linkedin or Twitter.

Show highlights and what you'll learn...

• Intro to David and Pat’s combined 40+ years of digital marketing and agile experience
• Why having an agile mindset does not simply mean moving faster
• Team structures, skill sets needed and integrating with cross-functional teams for creative problem solving
• Growing into an agile practice and what that means for team members with non-traditional agile titles and roles
• Finding the right agency partners, relationships and cross-functional engagement in an agile environment
• How The Lacek Group drives effective collaboration across internal and external clients to meet the needs of one of it’s largest strategic account
• Taking a product to market (eg. loyalty program) with core benefits, large scope and a long timeline while remaining agile enough to deliver short-term promotional benefits
• How agile frameworks and methodologies can be used on data teams to meet the needs of organizational demands
• Parting tips and wisdom for those who are eager to learn about agile or introduce agile into their organization

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/013-agile-marketing-development-and-teams

On this episode I had the pleasure of talking with Jerry Helou, Digital Experience Architect at Softcrylic, and Jose Bergiste, Principle Analytics Consultant at Cognetik about martech vendor evaluations. If you recall from the last episode, Jose and I touched on the importance of evaluations when developing a 360 degree view of your customer. This part of the process, as you will hear in this episode, is so critical for the longevity of your investment. Unfortunately, if you haven’t been part of a POC or experienced in leading this process, selecting a new martech vendor can introduce a lot of anxiety and create uncertainty.

In this episode, we hope to answer some questions that cause uncertainty by providing you with some pointers that you can use in your next evaluation. The three of us discuss some of the more important and often overlooked steps during this process. We share our experiences and provide tips that won’t be found in a blog post or an online checklist. Listen in, take a few notes and leave a comment if you have tips not discussed in this episode.

We start off by discussing some of the often overlooked pre-planning and team oriented details that are critical for an effective evaluation. Then we move into the actual evaluation process, conducting a POC, the importance of scorecards, and how to think about scalability after implementation. (See show highlights section below for more detail)

Whether you’re part of the martech evaluation team or a marketing leader sponsoring the investment, this episode has some good tips on how to perform an effective martech vendor evaluation that will provide a greater return on your investment.

If you’re looking for more depth on the topics discussed in this episode don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast. I’ll be digging into more marketing topics in future episodes with my guest of the day.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU'LL LEARN...
• Business and technology considerations before engaging martech vendors for evaluation
• The ideal make up of a core evaluation team (indirect and direct) and types of represented experience needed to be effective and yield long-term results
• When to engage vendors for evaluation and how many to include
• Business and vendor benefits of having a well defined evaluation scorecard
• Additional evaluation techniques such as RFIs, demos, and gaining insights from current clients of vendor prospects
• Post POC considerations: resources needed, expected run time, training and maintenance, vendor and internal support to drive adoption, scalability, and reasons why tool usage starts to decline after on-boarding new vendor

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/012-the-art-of-martech-vendor-evaluations

In this episode Jose Bergiste, Principe Analytics Consultant at Cognetik, joins me to help provide an introductory guide for marketing leaders on how to create a 360 degree view of the customer. We start by discussing some of the general challenges and solutions when creating a 360 degree of the customer. Then we dive into the importance of vendor consolidation, APIs, and identity resolution solutions on the technology side. In terms of strategy, we discuss practical tips on how to improve authentication rates, the importance of digital analytics and A/B testing. We pivot and discuss other considerations such as staffing, data storage and insights. We end on a few tips on how to approach vendor evaluations which we will discuss in much more depth in an upcoming episode.

If you’re looking for more depth on the topics discussed in this episode don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast because I’ll be digging deeper into each of these topics in the future episodes with my guest of the day.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU'LL LEARN...

• We define what we mean by “360 degree view of the customer”
• Common challenges a marketing leader should be aware of when creating a single 360 degree view of the customer
• Why you should expect Martech integrations
• The role of Application Program Interfaces (API) and why they are important
• The role of probabilistic matching and identity resolution solutions
• How to offset technology challenges with a customer-centric strategy
• Staffing considerations and how culture drives vendor evaluation/selection
• The importance of data storage, centralization and customer insights
• A few tips in approaching the vendor evaluation process to tease an upcoming episode which will be strictly focused on this particular point in the process. Will update when that podcast is published.

On this episode I had the pleasure of talking with Femi Olajiga, Agile Marketing Coach at CX Conversion and author of Lean Agile Marketing.
Femi started his career in IT as a Network Engineer at Cisco and eventually made his way into digital marketing as a digital and conversion rate optimization analyst, eventually finding his way into Agile. After holding several positions across those disciplines, Femi decided to start his own practice at CX Conversion where he consults on various Agile and Digital Marketing services.
Femi is here today to talk with us about Agile Marketing, share his experiences, and provide us with a good primer on the subject. We begin our conversation talking about some of the different flavors of Agile and how Femi has seen Marketing teams adopt them into their processes. We then talk about some of the challenges that come with adopting an Agile framework into businesses and we move onto some of the more granular details like cross-functional teams, skill sets, and tips for individuals looking to make improvements to their marketing function.
Whether you’re interested in introducing Agile to your organization or just looking to make some improvements to the way you work in your current role, this episode has some good insights on how to become a more effective marketer.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND WHAT YOU'LL LEARN...
• Femi's journey from selling chickens in Nigeria to consulting corporations like Verizon and Avis on Agile marketing.
• Flavors of agile and three key areas that can be improved to make your marketing teams more efficient.
• The most common Agile marketing teams and also the most challenged.
• How Agile typically gains adoption and practical advice for those who wish to introduce to their functional teams.
• When T-Shaped skills are effective and when they are not.
• Common misconceptions and tips for those interested in improving their marketing function.
• Introduction to Lean Agile Marketing and Femi’s ongoing research on Agile marketing.

To view the rest of the show notes please visit https://brianlpoe.com/blog/010-intro-to-agile-marketing-with-femi-olajiga