Data. It’s a simple word and a complex subject. If you met me at a conference and asked what I do, I’d tell you I use data to help my clients succeed. It’s a good sound bite, it’s true, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also one of my favorite subjects. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s talk about what data is and how it (and Sabal Group) can help you succeed.
Data Finds the Right People
Every single marketing campaign has, at its core, a desire to get more people to engage with your brand. Whether you’re selling cute cat couture or providing skilled nursing services, your marketing campaign needs to be focused on people. But most marketing campaigns fail to reach their fullest potential because they don’t reach the right people. To be fair, there are other reasons why campaigns aren’t successful. The content was poorly written, the messaging was on the wrong platform, the email or direct mail addresses were bad. And so on. But more often than not, it’s because your message is reaching the wrong audience.
In the US, the entire advertising spend for 2019 was approximately 240 billion dollars. As every vertical ramps back up to pre-pandemic spend levels, that number is going to continue to increase. No matter what size of budget you have, the most important question you should be asking is whether you’re getting your money’s worth.
The right data gives you the power to put your message in front of an audience that most closely mirrors your current best customers.
Meet Louise and Lynda
I’d like to introduce you to Louise and Lynda. Think of them as potential audience personas for your senior living community. Why do I want you to meet them? Because if you’re not framing your marketing strategy to each of them, you’re wasting time and budget on the wrong audience. Bonus reason? This short video demonstrates the power of data.
More importantly, I want you to meet them because the right data helps you succeed. Louise and Lynda are not one-size-fits-all personas to be used by every senior living community in the US. They’re unique to a specific dataset for a specific community. But Sabal Group’s proprietary data modeling can provide you with your very own Louise and Lynda, Gene and Gordon, or Cindy and Cody. Because each community and brand should be speaking to a very specific audience, not to the entire world.
Data Facts instead of Guesses
Using proprietary data modeling, we look at thousands of variables and comb through hundreds of databases to develop a comprehensive report on your Louise and Lynda, where they consume content, and other demographic factors that help you frame a customized and persuasive message to each persona.
For example, we’re working with a senior living community in the Northeast on a specific event-centered campaign. Based on the data modeling, we know :
- 94% of the target audience shops online.
- 92.5% do not have any children at home.
- 91% are homeowners.
- 85% are married.
- 67% have a college degree, and 16% hold an advanced degree.
- 48% have lived in their home for more than 20 years.
In addition, we also know that as a cohort, this audience scores higher than average for:
- Donating to charitable and wildlife/environmental causes
- Enjoying classical music, sewing, needlework, and knitting
- Ordering books online
- Taking cruises
- Enjoying gourmet food and cooking
- Traveling, especially in the US
Armed with this type of information, a custom message and evocative imagery are easier to develop for a campaign. Recognizing that they are comfortable shopping online makes it more likely they’ll respond to an event-focused email campaign and/or an email drip campaign. We know they’re affluent, educated, interested in a variety of cultural offerings and the wider world around them. When you add in details about their ages and ethnicity, we have a solid foundation for a successful digital campaign.
If you’re planning a campaign, it only makes sense to ensure its success by arming yourself with the right information. I hope you’ll reach out to me to discuss how data modeling can supercharge your next email or direct mail campaign. I’d love to chat about how Sabal Group can help you understand your audience more completely.
