Whether you are new to your marketing role or a veteran, the variety of marketing programs and segments can be complex. Check out some points to consider when reviewing your options.
Dear Zippy,
I head up marketing for my family’s eCommerce business that was launched in 2019. Not only is the company just a few years old, I am new to this marketing role.
Fortunately, we have been able work with best-in-class marketing partners, and are rapidly growing. More recently, several of my partners have been introducing new programs to me and I am not understanding the similarities and differences of these programs. They all sound the same to me. But, as I mentioned, I am new to this role and prefer not to remind my partners of that (😊). Could you please let me know how I should think about digital retargeting, direct mail retargeting and trigger programs?
Sincerely,
Newbie in New York
Dear Newbie,
This is a reasonable question no matter how long you have been working in marketing! It’s confusing to many of us.
Retargeting refers to the act of targeting a consumer after they have taken some action that indicates interest in your brand. Retargeting, most commonly refers to digital retargeting, which is the act of targeting a consumer after they have shown interest in your brand by visiting your website. After that consumer leaves your website, having not taken action, paid digital ads are served to those consumers when they appear online elsewhere, with the intent of bringing them back to your website to transact.
Retargeting is not limited to digital channels. Retargeting can be executed through email and even more successfully via direct mail.
When is the right time to retarget a consumer?
The act of visiting your website can serve as the “trigger” to activate retargeting. When we talk about trigger programs, we are referring to a marketing action that occurs, automatically, after a specific predefined event transpires. When a consumer visits your website, that visit is the event that can trigger a retargeting program. It can trigger outreach via social media, outreach via email or outreach via direct mail, as more specific examples. In this context, a trigger program can be a digital retargeting program.
It can be a direct mail retargeting program – hence the confusion.
To further add to the complexity, you can and should create different segments to retarget to, each based on different triggers.
Many companies can create and execute triggered programs, via digital channels, to known customers. Options are limited when the consumer is not known. Direct mail is not an option. Very few companies can create and execute triggered direct mail retargeting programs to those new consumers. When talking with your partners, don’t hesitate to get this level of clarification by asking these questions:
I promise you, you will not be exposing yourself as someone new to marketing by asking these questions. Everyone should be asking them!
Good luck!
Zippy