C-suite executives must continuously find ways to amplify brand engagement and drive sustained business growth. Juliette Aiken, CMO at Dotdigital, discusses how customer data, email and SMS marketing and AI tools offer businesses a powerful opportunity to enhance customer experience, deliver meaningful results and craft a brand image that resonates with new and existing customers.
Customer data – marketing’s untapped potential
Data is at the core of all strategic marketing endeavours, and the ability to utilise customer data to derive insights from marketing communications is what separates industry leaders from the competition.
Everything from first-time purchases to gift-wrapping preferences provides brands with critical insight into customer intent. For example, if a new customer opts for gift wrapping on their purchase, we can safely assume the item is not intended for themselves. Brands can leverage this information by sending a welcome email that includes a discount on subsequent purchases with tailored messaging such as ‘treat yourself’, reinforcing the customer relationship while promoting additional purchases.
Gathering feedback from customers who choose to unsubscribe is equally valuable. By understanding pain points and barriers to engagement, brands can make informed strategic decisions to improve customer retention and refine communication. This kind of feedback allows leadership to make data-driven decisions that enhance customer satisfaction, strengthen loyalty programmes and increase lifetime value – further fuelling business growth.
The power of email
Marketing emails have proven to be one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and build brand presence, arriving in inboxes in a variety of formats. Regardless of the content, emails play a critical role in brand visibility and generate higher engagement rates compared to other channels.
By harnessing zero party and first party data, businesses can offer hyper-personalised email interactions that reinforce brand loyalty and fuel engagement. For example, sending a customer a tailored email or freebie on their birthday can foster a deeper emotional connection with a brand, making that shopper feel special.
Behind the scenes, automated email systems can trigger these interactions with precision, ensuring product recommendations or notifications are sent at the best possible times to maximise conversion. Email marketing automation can also provide leaders with robust data analytics (such as open and click-through rates) to inform better decision-making across all departments.
The real strength of email extends beyond its initial reach – it truly shines when integrated with other channels. Cross-channel strategies, such as incorporating email addresses into social media retargeting campaigns, enable your marketing tactics to reach consumers at multiple touchpoints. This multichannel approach significantly boosts customer retention and makes shoppers feel more engaged in a brand’s activity.
What can SMS do?
While email remains effective, SMS offers an even more concise, personal and attention-grabbing way to communicate. With an impressive average open rate of 98%, SMS marketing cuts through the noise and delivers time-sensitive information to shoppers who prefer instantaneous communication.
However, the simplicity of SMS in its format doesn’t necessarily translate to ease of execution. While messages may be short, successfully leveraging SMS requires thoughtful strategy to maximise engagement and drive measurable outcomes. For example, this form of marketing can be instrumental in collecting customer feedback, D2C app promotion and disseminating important transactional updates.
Using SMS effectively is critical for businesses aiming to establish or refine their branding. It’s particularly effective in nurturing relationships with Gen Z and Millennial consumers, who demonstrate a distinct preference for real-time communication.
The AI advantage
Rather than fearing that AI will replace human expertise, leaders should view it as a functional extension of the marketing team, bringing numerous strategic benefits. AI helps businesses by automating routine tasks, providing invaluable customer insights and driving personalisation at scale.
Personalisation, and not just addressing a shopper by their first name, is slowly becoming a non-negotiable for businesses looking to put customers first. AI-driven algorithms can analyse customer data and offer ‘best next’ actions at just the right moment. Beyond birthdays, AI can help create simple yet impactful touchpoints, like celebrating customer anniversaries, whether it’s their sign-up date or first purchase, reminding shoppers in meaningful ways that they are valued. This way, communication is tailored to each customer at key moments in their customer journey – without marketing teams handling all the heavy lifting.
AI’s ability to rapidly process vast amounts of data makes it an indispensable tool for predictive analytics. For example, AI can be utilised to notify customers when items from their wish list or previously browsed products are back in stock, creating valuable upselling opportunities. Businesses can not only drive revenue growth by increasing sales but also strengthen customer relationships, contributing to long-term loyalty and enhanced brand perception.
Beyond individual interactions, AI can play a transformative role in optimising the overall customer experience. AI-powered chatbots and widgets, for example, can handle large volumes of customer queries efficiently, ensuring that every shopper receives timely support. Not only are these solutions cost-efficient and scalable, but they free up human resources to focus on more complex issues. By enhancing responsiveness and efficiency, AI can help position brands as customer-centric and forward-thinking.
Proven success with AI: Boosting revenue by 20%
When implemented correctly, AI can transform traditional marketing approaches, as demonstrated by one Australian D2C manufacturer that was able to achieve a 20% revenue increase through AI-integrations within its email campaigns. By utilising AI-powered product recommendations in newsletters as well as dynamic abandoned cart automation, the company was able to engage customers at key moments and customise incentives based on individual shopper behaviour.
With this success in mind, business leaders wanting to stay ahead of the curve should recognise AI as a core asset that enhances both customer experience and business outcomes. Implementing automated systems with AI ensures that companies can make the most of their customer data, delivering timely insights that elevate customer satisfaction while maximising operational efficiency.
The ultimate alliance: Email, SMS and AI
For C-suite executives seeking sustainable growth, integrating email, SMS, AI and robust customer data is no longer merely an advantage – it’s fundamental for businesses looking to scale effectively. This multi-pronged strategy enables brands to engage customers across multiple channels – boosting conversion rates, deepening customer connections and retaining loyal shoppers.
In a fast-changing digital landscape, long-term success depends on adapting to evolving consumer behaviours. As customers increasingly expect real-time, highly personalised interactions, integrating these tools gives leaders the agility and precision they need to stay future-ready. Businesses that fail to embrace this adaptable, data-driven approach will fall behind, while competitors that embrace innovation will continue to thrive.