After all, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for B2B may not apply in the same way to B2C. Likewise, there will be differences between industries. And, even within the same company, channel optimization is likely to change over time. We’re going to have to stay on our toes, ready to evaluate, execute and evolve.

Recent study results prove my point. Lauren Freedman and the e-tailing group asked 110 retailers how they are likely to allocate their 2012 digital marketing budget. The retailers identified paid search (30 percent), email (18 percent) and SEO/natural search (11 percent) as their top priorities, but they also indicated they would shift these allocations in response to changing dynamics in today’s marketing landscape. In fact, survey respondents said they would tweak SEO, social, email and behavioral marketing the most.

Shifting budget to targeted communications across the most cost-effective channels is smart strategy, and companies are testing the waters on new approaches. Earlier this year, The Grocer published its Top 100 advertisers report showing that Coca-Cola cut ad spend by 6.6 percent in 2010 and invested more in social media. This fall, Anheuser-Busch InBev beefed up its efforts to engage with Bud Light customers across social media platforms, too.

Am I suggesting that the shift toward social marketing is inevitable? Not at all. They key is to let tracking and integration guide you –and when you do, it’s likely you’ll find that both online and offline channels yield benefits.

Last year, Aprimo polled hundreds of marketing professionals who attended Online Marketing Summit events, and we uncovered some intriguing sentiments about traditional vs. newer approaches. Not surprisingly, 62 percent of those we surveyed said they planned to increase their spend for online marketing. But, when we asked the marketers “What channel has yielded you the most success in connecting with customers?” here’s how they responded:

Events – 49 percent
Email – 29 percent
Advertising –15 percent
Industry publications – 4 percent
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) – 4 percent

Based on these results, there’s no question that marketers need to find ways to engage both on- and off-line, integrating the messages to connect with prospects and customers in relevant and refreshing ways.
Marketing pioneer John Wanamaker once lamented the difficulty of reaching customers with traditional advertising. “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half,” he said.

That quip is now legendary, but none of us can afford to be so cavalier today. Fortunately, advanced analytics and data management can help marketers track results, refine attribution and ultimately, let go of initiatives that aren’t working. Be the change agent your business needs and start directing spend precisely to the channels driving the most revenue.

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

1. Big Data

Large data sets – aka, “big data” –are here to stay. As McKinsey explains in its report from earlier this year, each second of high-definition video generates more than 2,000 times as many bytes as required to store a single page of text. Video is only one example. Intelligent chips, tags, text, Tweets … they all leave digital information trails about how we communicate, what is important and how we are interacting with our world. “In a digitized world, consumers going about their day –communicating, browsing, buying, sharing, searching –create their own enormous trails of data,” the report says.

Getting your arms around all that information is a challenge, but once you do, it’s incredibly empowering. Because of the data generated by today’s digital strategies, marketers now can apply the same scientific discipline and metrics to marketing that are applied to all other areas of business. Marketers can automate, analyze and measure marketing processes to ensure maximum business value. Clearly, marketing isn’t just art; it’s science, too. And there’s no doubt that going forward, harnessing and mastering big data will lead to competitive advantage and growth.

2. Integration

Channels have multiplied, and consumers now can access more touchpoints with your brand than ever before. But, don’t let all these new possibilities overwhelm you. Instead, simplify your approach by focusing on integration. Zero in on your message, and make sure it’s consistent across channels. Then, test, measure and analyze to determine where you should concentrate your efforts for optimal ROI.

Integration helps you simplify, and it also helps you drive revenue. At most companies, marketing represents the single largest variable spend, but unless you’re using an integrated marketing management (IMM) approach, you can’t measure where the value really is, and you can’t keep marketing activities properly aligned with organizational strategy. One-off point solutions and data silos only add to the confusion and slow you down. Today’s forward-thinking marketers realize that integration is not just the key to success; these days, it’s the key to survival.

3. Engagement

I’ll agree: The word is overused. But, that’s only because “engagement” is so critically important. Marketers today have to let go. These days, customers have control, and they belong at the center of each marketing initiative. Communicate with your prospects and customers with information that is relevant –that’s the only way your message will be heard above all the noise. Make it a priority to be strategic about engagement, and base your efforts on the answers to these fundamental questions:

• Who and where are your customers?
• What do they want?
• How can you understand their needs?
• How can you customize our product or service to suit them best?
• How can you establish a continuous, multi-level conversation that benefits customers and your organization?

4. Nurturing

Now that marketing campaigns are spread across so many channels, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to gauge which particular initiatives are succeeding and when/where you need to step in to nudge prospects through the pipeline. For instance, it’s no longer enough for B2B marketers to look just at first and last touch. Instead, you need to incorporate analytics across all touchpoints to get visibility into the process and a clear view of the customer. These advanced analytics will provide valuable insights to guide your nurturing activities. What’s more, your efforts shouldn’t stop after a prospect converts. Use fresh content and promotions directed specifically to buyers to cultivate those relationships and strengthen brand loyalty.

5. Viral

We’ve all heard the success stories –a video campaign that reached millions of viewers over the course of three days or some other project that created enormous buzz seemingly overnight. How can you create a marketing initiative that will get those kinds of results? While the proportion of ads that go viral is small, you can take steps to increase the odds in your favor. But perhaps the most important point is to stop aiming for viral. Aim for pleasing your audience instead. Give your customers information they want and need. Make it compelling. And, be sure they can easily share your message.

Remember: Long-term success today won’t come from one “Big Win” on a social media channel. In order to drive revenue, you need to blend online messages with offline messages and learn how to aggregate and analyze data so you can understand trends and apply those insights to your go-to-market campaigns. It may not be as “sexy,” but cross-functional collaboration and a plan that incorporates integration both internally and externally will drive results long after the thrill of a viral video has passed.

Those are my five hot-button words (technically six, if you count “big data” as two). What did I miss? Is there another term that’s making your head hurt? How are you handling the changing marketing landscape?

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

The study, which focused on public-facing social media use of the F500, found that adoption of blogs, Twitter and Facebook in 2011 appears to have plateaued, with no significant change in the past year.

Here is just a small sampling of the findings:

Blogs. About one-quarter (23 percent) of the 2011 F500 have corporate public-facing blogs with a post in the past 12 months. That’s up from when UMass-Dartmouth first studied corporate blog use in 2008. Back then, only 16 percent of F500 companies had blogs. But, blog adoption rates among F500 companies have been relatively flat ever since, with 22 percent in 2009, and 23 percent in 2010.

Twitter. Well more than half (62 percent) of the 2011 F500 have corporate Twitter accounts with a tweet in the past thirty days –but that’s only an increase of 2 percent from last year. Interestingly, all the top ten companies in the 2011 F500 are tweeting. And, overall, about half (49 percent) of the Twitter accounts belong to the top 200 companies on the list; about one-third (34 percent) belong to those ranked in the bottom 200.

Facebook. Fifty-eight percent of the 2011 F500 have Facebook pages. Last year, the researchers from UMass-Dartmouth found 56 percent were on Facebook. As with Twitter, about half (48 percent) of the Facebook accounts belong to the top 200 companies on the list, while 35 percent belong to those ranked in the bottom 200.

It’s also worth noting that this year’s research discovered that 31 percent of the 2011 F500 still have neither a Twitter account nor a Facebook presence, at all.

What’s going on?

For starters, keep in mind that UMass-Dartmouth has conducted longitudinal studies on four major sectors of the US economy –the Fortune 500, Inc. 500, charities, and higher education –for the past four years. In every one of those years, the F500 has lagged behind the others in adoption of social media. (For example, last year, 71 percent of the Inc. 500 was on Facebook, as was a whopping 98 percent of the higher ed institutions and 97 percent of the charities studied. Compare that to the 56 percent of F500 companies that had Facebook pages in 2010.)

Perhaps corporate silos are getting in the way? “Ownership” of social media can get sticky, and teams bogged down by border wars and artificial boundaries may find it difficult to innovate. Retrenchment could also be a factor, I suppose. And, I know that integrating social media and proving ROI remain significant challenges for many–although marketing automation technology continues to mature towards sophisticated and elegant solutions.

While I recognize these obstacles, I still must admit that I’m disappointed in these survey results. Why? Because now is not the time for complacency. It’s not the time for companies to lose focus. Empowered consumers are here, and they’re here to stay. We’re just beginning to tap into the potential of strategies like intelligent 1:1 marketing, and that means marketers must continue to find ways to engage with their customers and prospects online in more personalized ways.

As I’ve said before, the time for equivocation has passed. Mobile and social are now strategically important, and the land-grab for digital channels is on. Your customers want engagement. They want you to deliver value. And, they want it online. Let’s hope they find you there, instead of your competitor.

Many more details from the Umass-Dartmouth study are available here.

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

But this fall, I’ve really been struck with how each organization in this unlikely trio is scoring big from a marketing perspective. Each one, in its own way, has mastered the art (and science!) of market segmentation and customer engagement.

The MLB Fan Cave

Located at the corner of 4th and Broadway in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, the MLB Fan Cave has been home to baseball fan Mike O’Hara and his Wing-man Ryan Wagner for every day of the entire 2011 MLB season. The two were tasked with using the Fan Cave to watch all 2,430 regular season games (plus all post-season games) while chronicling their experiences and sharing their viewpoints through Facebook, Twitter, a blog, custom videos and regular appearances on MLB Network.

As we discussed at the Aprimo blog last week, the results have been quite impressive. According to ESPN, this first-of-its-kind immersive fan experience helped MLB connect with a younger audience. (The average Fan Cave fan is 28 years old; the average die-hard MLB fan is 45). In addition, the MLB Fan Cave has generated:

• 100 million social media impressions on Facebook and Twitter over the past six months

• 150,000 fans and followers

• 300 blog posts and 200 videos (including this David Ortiz clip that went viral)

McDonald’s McRib

Just as MLB used the Fan Cave to tap into the likes and behaviors of a key demographic, McDonald’s says it is giving “barbeque sauce-loving . . .fanatics” what they crave: the return of the McRib.

Billed as an iconic sandwich with a cult-like following, the McRib is only occasionally available –and  it generates plenty of buzz (and revenue) whenever it re-appears. The Los Angeles Times reports that when the McRib made a limited-time reappearance last fall after a 16-year hiatus, customers went whole hog and drove up McDonald’s US sales 4.8 percent.

Of course, these days the return of the McRib is being celebrated via fan-generated Facebook groups and on Twitter. McRib fans can also play “The Quest for the Golden McRib” on McDonald’s Facebook page . . . and if all of this talk is making you hungry, log into the McRib Locator to find a sandwich near you. (You may also want to locate a few extra napkins.)

Patagonia’s Common Threads Initiative

MLB knows its fans love to talk baseball. McDonald’s knows it customers long for boneless pork patties smothered in barbeque sauce. How did Patagonia connect with its target audience this fall? The company underscored it long-standing tradition of corporate responsibility and urged consumers to “buy less, buy used.”

You read that right. This September, Patagonia teamed up with eBay to expand its Common Threads Initiative and encourage less consumption, reuse and recycling.

“This program first asks customers to not buy something if they don’t need it,” explained Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia’s founder and owner, in a press release. “If they do need it, we ask that they buy what will last a long time — and to repair what breaks, reuse or resell whatever they don’t wear any more. And, finally, recycle whatever’s truly worn out.”

While this approach has obvious environmental benefits, it certainly seems counterintuitive to an apparel manufacturer’s growth. Can a “buy less” philosophy lead to success?

Eric Lowitt over at the Harvard Business Review Blog Network thinks it can. Since Patagonia is already focused on high-quality goods, this new approach could lead to increased prices, a broadened customer base and expansion into new categories, he says.

As I see it, Patagonia also wins by sending out a message that truly resonates with its customers. The company’s target audience already has an interest in sustainability; this new initiative helps make those connections even stronger. In addition, Patagonia’s heightened commitment to environmental stewardship widens its appeal even more to those who make green issues a priority.

MLB, McDonald’s and Patagonia all know how to nurture brand affinity. Over the past few months, each has stepped it up a notch to connect with customers using strategies that are innovative and targeted. With these examples from major league sports, fast food and outdoor apparel, it’s clear that marketers across the board now recognize the value of market segmentation and customer engagement.

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

How do you identify the right buyers? Can you possibly create right offers for each one? Now that there are so many channels to consider, where do you find your right buyers? What role does social media play? How can you know when it’s the right time for them to buy?

For marketers, the questions continue to multiply, and these days, your answers can mean the difference between a successful campaign and one that’s simply ignored as part of the fire hose of digital data.

Fortunately, new integrated digital marketing solutions can help you design a campaign that resonates with today’s empowered consumers. We’re learning that combining analytics, social media and IMM software creates more impact and a better customer experience overall –because that customer experience is informed by insightful data.

At Aprimo, we borrowed the name from one Teradata coined in 2010: The Socialization of Data. And, earlier this month, we put some of our theories to the test . . . in real time at an event with  nearly 4,000 attendees . . .  Really!

Here’s what we did:

Attendees at PARTNERS 2011, the Teradata User Group Conference & Expo, were invited to opt-in to a Socialization of Data Experience so they could receive targeted offers based on their social preferences.

We 1) captured registrant data (which, of course, is similar to traditional CRM data), 2) matched offers from local vendors to registrants based on interests and real time data from social channels, and then 3) delivered the offers according to registrants’ desired methods of communication.

The results were –in a word –amazing! Here are just a few preliminary take-ways to give you an idea of the enormous potential behind the socialization of data:

• We successfully created a multi-step, multi-channel campaign that spanned 45 companies and delivered 100+ offers.

• More than 20 percent of attendees participated (734 of 3500 registrants).

• Two-thirds (67 percent) of those participating chose to get access via Facebook. (Interestingly, the most common reason for not engaging was that attendees didn’t want to mix Facebook with work activities.)

• We delivered 22,304 offers via three channels (SMS, email, Facebook) with a 50 percent open rate.

• We captured and analyzed 6,253 Facebook posts and 644 Tweets.

• We created an automated audit trail of all reviews, comments and amends, regardless of the distribution channel.

• We generated reports identifying key influencers, top offers, top delivery channels, etc.

Marketers know that consumers today are flooded with irrelevant offers arriving via email, social networks, mobile devices and even traditional channels, and so, we know that consumers are starting to tune us out.

Tapping into the socialization of data and intelligent 1:1 marketing can help reverse that trend. The key is to keep customer in charge, to appeal to them with meaningful offers delivered when they’re ready to buy.

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

Ever since my posts here last month (see The Next Big Thing for Marketing and The Role of NFC, QR Codes and Microsoft Tags in Intelligent 1:1 Marketing), my inbox has been flooded with positive feedback and questions from colleagues wanting more information.

As a result, I’m more convinced than ever that marketers are ready to take digital marketing tactics to the next level.  We’re ready to combine the digital and physical worlds so we can present customers with better, more relevant (more “intelligent”) offers on a 1:1 basis.

Of course, one of the first steps in any transition like this is to start gathering knowledge. Marketers need to educate themselves about this updated approach.

I have a great suggestion to help you begin that process: Take the time to listen to Scan It Baby! How and Why Tags Are Revolutionizing Digital Marketing, a free webinar that aired last week.

The hour-long presentation features Paul Cunnington, Director of TAG Product Management, Startup Business Group, Microsoft Corporation and Dave Motheral, Director ISV Alliances at Aprimo, and it is jam-packed with information, use cases, business impacts, best practices –all centered around using mobile tagging to create richer customer experiences.

Here are just a few nuggets from the webinar that I found particularly informative:

Think of smartphones as data devices.  As Paul pointed out, consumers don’t use smartphones as phones, in the traditional sense. They use them to get data in real-time, wherever they happen to be. Marketers who tap into that potential can start changing the customer experience and driving conversions. Marketers who don’t tap into that potential will be left behind. “We’re at an inflection point,” Paul said. “If physical stores are going to survive, you need to change the way you’re doing things.”

Tags add measurability to the physical world. Billboards, posters, in-store signage –marketing in the physical world has always been effective because it impacts consumers when they’re in the store, ready to buy. However, we have never been able to directly measure the effectiveness of marketing in the physical world . . . until now. With Tags, you can see which offers resonate/convert, and you can use these insights to improve your message and the deals you provide.

Microsoft Tags differ from QR codes. QR codes are black and white. Microsoft Tags can be customized with color (and even images). But, there are more important differences, as well. Tags are both a format and a cloud platform –that means content and information accessed by Tags can be changed and updated. Plus, Tags’s advanced analytics let you know how, when and where your Tags are being used. Tags allow you to identify the customer device so you can provide the most meaningful communication.  (You’ll know which Tags a particular device has scanned previously and which actions resulted. You’ll know if the device in your store represents  a new prospect or a loyal customer, e.g.)

Privacy is respected. As always, privacy must be a top priority. First, consumers have to declare their intent by physically scanning a Tag. Second, identifying the customer device isn’t the same as identifying the customer, and ccanning a Tag won’t reveal details about an individual; a customer would have to opt in to allow access to that additional information. In other words, the end user is still “anonymous,” to a degree, but marketers can see what the device ID is doing –and that’s plenty for targeting of messages and offers.

Tag analytics can be tied to warehousing, back-end. Offers can be based on inventory.

Tags can be added to your existing print campaigns today. Intelligent 1:1 marketing may sound like a “new” concept, but in fact, certain elements can be incorporated into strategies you already have in place. For example, by adding tags to an existing print campaign, you can combine print, mobile, social and local –and start measuring your effectiveness –now.

Please check out the webinar for many, many more details and results of use cases. Even though marketers have only begun to scratch the surface of intelligent 1:1 marketing, we’re already seeing dramatic results. Consumers appear to be enthusiastic about this approach. They want targeted messages delivered at the right time (when they’re in the store, ready to buy).

Dave summed it up nicely. “This (intelligent 1:1 marketing) brings the physical world into digital and gives you the measurability to provide integration of channels, measurability in reporting to dashboards so you can offer many more touchpoints and offers,” he said. “Basically, you’re connecting the digital and physical worlds to bring mobile, social and local channels to your consumer base.”

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

But, what’s happening at the other end of the purchasing spectrum? Aren’t today’s CMOs more empowered than ever before, too? Or, don’t they at least have the potential to be more empowered than ever before –if they choose to rise to the challenge?

According to the dictionary, the word “empowered” means invested with power, control or official authority. Clearly, buying behaviors have changed forevermore, and consumers control the marketplace in new and exciting ways. In many respects, marketers are still playing catch-up, still learning to tame the latest channels so they can be used to better connect with our target audiences, still finding their place in the C-suite, still maturing into key corporate decision makers.

Will there come a time when CMOs also feel as empowered as their customers?

Here’s how I see it. Today’s CMOs will feel empowered as strategic thought leaders when they fully accept the challenges going forward and realize that new authority goes hand-in-hand with new responsibility. For example, for me, the empowered CMO:

1. Owns engagement with customer, but not all functions. Marketers must take a new, customer-centric approach because now, the customer experience rules. Traditional “push” advertising is becoming less effective as customers no longer separate “marketing” from your product or the service they received (either on- or off-line). These days, everyone at your organization has to be on the same page, since as McKinsey said, “In the era of engagement, marketing is the company.”

2. Owns building bridges with the CIO to express strategy through technology. In today’s digital marketplace, technology is essential to improve marketing performance and processes and deliver better, more integrated campaigns with higher ROI. Rifts and/or lack of communication between marketing and IT can no longer be tolerated. Instead, collaboration is critical. Data is now the foundation of creative thinking, and marketing and IT must learn to master the modern fire hose of digital customer data and drive revenue growth together. (See my earlier blog post for specific suggestions to help CMOs build robust strategic partnerships with CIOs.)

3. Owns making rest of the organization uncomfortable. All marketers –whether B2B or B2C –are now part of an industry-wide revolution. The marketing function is evolving, and CMOs have no choice but to become change agents. We need to lead the way, and at first, not everyone is going to want to follow. That’s no surprise; change is never easy. But, business survival today depends on making the transformation, and CMOs have no choice but to be persistent. Fortunately, a new emphasis on accountability and ROI will help us make the case for change.

4. Owns showing value, both internally and externally. Marketing is one of the last business functions to integrate its data, processes and systems, and as a result, CMOs face tremendous fragmentation and complexity in proving ROI. That may make the job initially more difficult, but it’s no excuse for avoiding accountability. Today’s CMOs can use integrated marketing applications that merge digital data with offline and consumer information to create a much clearer picture of the value of marketing –and that’s the view we need to communicate in the boardroom.

5. Owns being the linebacker, not the quarterback. Your team doesn’t need you to control the ball and call all the plays. Your team needs you to know the playbook and remove all the obstacles. If you do that, then the team can get to work winning the game. Over the years, I have learned there is a fine line between knocking down roadblocks and disempowering. It may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll actually gain authority by delegating responsibility to your team.

What are your thoughts? Do you feel empowered as a CMO? How will you go beyond the traditional and tactical to become more of a strategic partner in the C-suite?

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

When discussing intelligent 1:1 marketing, however, triggers take on a completely new dimension. Let me explain . . .

Last week, I introduced you to this formula for intelligent 1:1 marketing:

Intelligent 1:1 Marketing = Mobile Devices + Triggers + Social Media + Point of Sale Data

In this context, trigger refers to a physical prompt that:

•     Opts your customer into the sales experience at that moment in that location
•     Gives you location-based data on your customer so you can drive new deals

In other words, the trigger functions to integrate mobile, social and local. For now, marketers should be thinking about two broad categories of intelligent 1:1 marketing triggers:

•     Near-field communication (NFC)
•     QR codes, Microsoft Tags

As Google demonstrated earlier this week with the launch of Google Wallet, NFC has enormous potential.  (See this Ars Technica article for a re-cap.) Not only will marketers benefit from the “closed loop” NFC can provide; consumers will benefit, too. As Google explains on its website, eventually Google Wallet will be able to conveniently store and sync payment cards, loyalty cards, gift cards, receipts, boarding passes, tickets . . . even your keys.

The full promise of NFC won’t be realized for several years, though. It will take time for NFC to be widely adopted by the public and for the technology to be installed in consumer mobile devices. Also, retailers will have to implement NFC readers at all points of sale.

So, at least for now, it makes sense for most marketers to turn their attention to triggers such as QR codes and Microsoft Tags.

Please, don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut, believing that QR codes and Microsoft Tags are nothing more than hi-tech links to a company URL. (That kind of thinking is so Web 1.0!)  Remember, the key innovation here is that triggers like QR codes and Microsoft Tags can now be attached to loyalty management systems, offer management strategies, data warehouse systems, etc.

For many of you, that means you can link these triggers to technology you may already have up and running. Add QR codes and/or Microsoft Tags to existing print (mailers, store shelf talkers, etc.), integrate the triggers with automated solutions already in place, and you’re on your way to producing a customized 1:1 customer experience.

Once consumers start scanning the triggers, the “intelligence” enables you to offer different digital coupons and deals to different segments of shoppers. You may want to reward a frequent shopper (who usually buys shirts) with a discount in a new category (shoes). Likewise, you can bolster a new shopper’s enthusiasm by providing another kind of digital coupon for a future visit.

Plus, you’ll be able to track responses to these offers. As one of my colleagues describes it, the combination of mobile devices, triggers and marketing technology can empower you with email-like measurability in the real-world.

Or put another way: As it stands now, when a customer walks into your store, she is largely invisible. You’re not sure when she arrived, what she’s looking for, if she remembered her coupons, what she’s purchased before.

With intelligent 1:1 marketing, that no longer has to be the case.  With intelligent 1:1 marketing, shopping becomes a personalized experience. The customer is no longer invisible, and she can be targeted with relevant offers, ones that build brand loyalty, drive more inventory churn and deliver revenue growth.

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

For eons, merchants have benefited from focusing on customer preferences. Even for early traders, it was clear that remembering details about your customers’ likes and dislikes enhances transactions and builds customer loyalty.

About fifteen years ago, marketers started using the term “one-to-one marketing” (or 1:1 marketing) to describe a CRM strategy that emphasized this kind of highly personalized interaction.

Then even more recently, technology and social media platforms added digital dimensions to 1:1 marketing tactics. Marketers started tracking customer behavior and engaging with their customers and prospects online in increasingly personalized ways.

But now, it’s time to ratchet it up and update the concept once again.

As I see it, the next big thing in our industry is going to be intelligent 1:1 marketing.

Here’s how it breaks down for me.

Going forward, it won’t be enough to know that a certain customer bought a shirt from your store last month or that they “liked” your brand’s Facebook page last week. Going forward, marketers will need to combine and analyze these data points plus others, from a variety of different resources, in real time.

Sure, you’ll still want to know about that past purchase, the more recent social media engagement, etc.  –but you’ll also need to integrate that data with even more information. Perhaps most important of all, you’ll want to know when that customer is in your store, considering a purchase. Then, you’ll be able to put all that CRM data to work. (Does your customer want another shirt like the one she bought last month –according to warehouse records, there are plenty more left in stock. Does she know that slacks to match are now on sale? Etc.)

Think of intelligent 1:1 marketing as a strategy defined by this simple formula:

Intelligent 1:1 Marketing = Mobile Devices + Triggers + Social Media + Point of Sale Data

By combining today’s  technology with various data points, marketers will be able to present customers with better, more relevant (more “intelligent”) offers on a 1:1 basis.

I know many of us have been talking about intelligent 1:1 marketing for awhile, but only recently have all the pieces started to come together. Certain processes are still evolving, of course, but we now have significant enabling technologies.  On the consumer side, there are mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) and social media networks. For retailers and brands, there are now triggers (QR codes, Microsoft Tags), new data warehouse technologies (marketing analytics, predictive modeling, business intelligence) and integrated marketing management solutions (offer systems, segmentations).

Intelligent 1:1 marketing will allow marketers to drive revenue in new ways. Ultimately, we’ll be able to create a completely unique customer experience based on location, past purchase history and behavior analytics. Plus, we’ll be able to integrate that customer experience with warehouse data and other promotions to maximize sales and drive revenue even more.

In other words, get ready. Buckle up. Mobile, social, demand chain/point of sale technologies and integrated marketing are converging . . . and it’s going to get very, very interesting.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be exploring intelligent 1:1 marketing in more detail.  There’s a lot of ground to cover, so please stay tuned. And let me know your thoughts. What changes do you anticipate as intelligent 1:1 marketing continues to evolve?

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.

But, if you’re a savvy marketer, you may also want to tune in to see what’s happening with the league’s new beer sponsor: Bud Light.

At an estimated cost of $50 million a year for six years, the coveted “official and exclusive” beer sponsorship gives Anheuser-Busch InBev several significant benefits. As noted in a press release, Anheuser-Busch can use the NFL shield and other logos in Bud Light advertising and retail displays. Plus, it can use select NFL footage in promotions.

I’m curious to see how Anheuser-Busch combines all these elements to deliver what I’m anticipating will be an intriguing case study in multi-platform, integrated campaign management.

AdAge says Anheuser-Busch has several ideas in the works, ranging from tv spots and innovative store displays to new packaging and a 60-city Bud Light Fan Camp designed to challenge consumers to compete in traditional and non-traditional football skill tests (the winners earn a trip to the Pro Bowl).

I’m sure we’ll see Anheuser-Busch leverage social media platforms in some innovative ways, as well. Already, it appears that Anheuser-Busch prefers to use social media (rather than its website) to drive targets towards Bud Light. Throughout this past year, the company has run contests or give-a-ways through Facebook, and television and print ads contain the Facebook page URL.

For example, check out the “Best Round Ever,” a contest run exclusively through Bud Light’s Facebook page earlier this year.  The promotion offered a $10 million grand prize to the fan (21 years of age or older) who could predict the first round of the NFL Draft perfectly.  Official rules and entry for the Best Round Ever sweepstakes were available at www.facebook.com/BudLight.

Does this mean Anheuser-Busch has benched the www.budlight.com website? Perhaps, at least to some extent. To me, it’s clear that the company has evolved its understanding of customer engagement and now is beefing up efforts to interact with consumers, rather than simply push its messaging. We’re seeing again and again that a static B2C homepage is much less compelling than the dynamic characteristics of social media.

In addition, Anheuser-Busch is ratcheting up segmentation and customized messaging even more. For instance, the Denver Broncos and Bud Light have combined for Bronco-specific contests and content on Facebook. Plus, BeerNews.org reports that we’ll be seeing beer cans sold within each team’s market printed with that team’s logo.

Today’s consumers are clamoring for this kind of “personalized” interaction. They want brands to evolve the customer relationship across the entire buying process. The keys for Anheuser-Busch will be to: 1) keep the campaign integrated and seamless across all these diverse channels; 2) monitor progress/response and adapt accordingly. Meeting those challenges will help establish brand trust and loyalty while also creating momentum and enhancing amplification.

Are you ready for kick-off? I am. It’s going to be great to watch the NFL –and its sponsors –this season.

This post appeared first at The Marketing Revolution, my blog at Forbes.com.