The Pure360 Advanced Email Series: Data Capture

An effective data capture strategy is pivotal in ensuring the success of your business, and in a constantly changing landscape, companies are now seeking proven mechanisms to capture data beyond simple web forms or social media signups.

Komal Helyer, Head of Marketing at Pure360 comments:

“Delivering relevant customer focussed conversations isn’t possible without data. In today’s digital world data is everywhere, however being able to capture the right data that satisfies today’s objectives whilst being mindful of your future requirements can usually go two ways. Firstly, you collect so much data (just in case it is useful), that you have no means to sift through to find anything meaningful and actionable. Or Secondly, you don’t collect anywhere near enough data to demonstrate any understanding of the customer. In this report we will help you discover the best ways in which to capture data, dependant on where you sit on the Maturity Model today, whilst guiding you on what might be useful in the future."

The Direct Marketing Association

The Direct Marketing Association’s Data Guide discussed the importance of data capture for companies, highlighting the need for a robust data capture strategy to support your communications and marketing. Data capture improves your ability to deliver highly personalised, effective and targeted communications to your customers. The faster a company can collect data, the quicker they can make money, and in addition it can impact on product to market time, allowing companies to stay ahead of competitors and set the trends. At Pure360, it’s our business to explore advanced processes and the latest developments in the email marketing landscape, so we’re going to help you identify techniques to optimise and improve your data capture strategy.

Methods of data capture

What is already available?

With advancements in modern technology, businesses are now shifting away from manual data entry towards automated data capture, both demographic and behavioural. Fast, accurate and largely inexpensive, automated data capture can save businesses a lot of time and money. So what are some of the methods currently available to companies?

Forms

• Website/newsletter sign up forms

• Social media sign up forms

• Multi stage forms

• Progressive profiling

• Gated content

• Point of sale sign ups

Behavioural tracking

• Website behavioural tracking

• Post purchase data

Promotion and advertising

• PPC advert extensions

• Competitions, viral campaigns and surveys

• SMS sign up

• In store or at events

Character recognition

• Optical character recognition (OCR)

• Intelligent character recognition (ICR)

Don’t forget...

• Your account management or customer service team!

To find out more download our guide