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Better Together

November 30, 2021

I think we can all agree that the pandemic was devastating to our country. It destroyed businesses, it cost families their loved ones, and it put the entire country into a panic.

However, like all things in life, nothing is all good or all bad. We learned some important lessons from 2020 that we should not forget as we close out 2021 and plan for 2022.

Because of the constant sense of the unknown, the flux we all experienced, and all the ways we had to change how we did business – we had to communicate more and better with our customers. They ended up, in many cases, being our co-collaborators as we figured out how we could still serve them, given the constraints and fears on all sides.

While we’re all eager to put the pandemic behind us, this idea of partnering with our customers is one of those silver lining learnings that we might want to embrace for the long haul.

That truth was highlighted in a recent Deloitte report that emerged from the pandemic. I’ve cherry-picked some of the most important marketing trends so we can examine them in detail and walk away with some very tangible to-do items.

This week we’re going to focus on the fifth of the five, allowing your customers to participate.

Here are all five trends on the list:

• Being agile.
• Being a purpose-driven organization.
• Building trust.
• Being authentically human.
• Allowing customers to participate.

What exactly do we mean by customer participation? You have lots of options. It could be as simple as getting your customers to provide feedback or leave ratings and reviews. They could be on a testing panel or be a part of a formal brand ambassador program. You could also invite them to vote on product packaging, partner with your customers to co-create content, or ask them to participate in research around your brand.

There are critical elements to successfully launching any customer participation program. Here are some of the basics.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all effort: One of the elements that make customer participation so effective is that the customers are more likely to participate in activities that they feel good about doing. But that doesn’t mean you have to offer everyone the same opportunity to support your brand. You know who your super users are. Be sure you leverage this, so they gain something unique and of perceived value.

Make it an insider’s club: Everyone wants to belong. We love knowing that we’re special and valued. We also love being in the know before everyone. By creating an exclusivity to some aspects of your customer participation program, you will create rabid fans who go out and recruit for you!

Don’t forget the haters: While it’s easier to lean into the customers who love you and tell the world how wonderful you are, if you really want a potent program you have to include those who do not love you as well.

It has to go beyond your products and services: To truly generate brand loyalty and even brand advocacy, your efforts cannot just be about what you produce or sell. You have to be willing to be vulnerable and share your organization’s heart with your customers. Let them understand not only what you do, but even more important, why you do it.

Pulling this off is no picnic. It requires that you step back from the fray of the moment and be willing to meet your customers face to face, with humility and your humanity on your sleeve. You need to let go of perfect and embrace the messiness of going to market.

Then you get to invite your customers in. Resist giving them the sanitized version of your organization. Let them see it all.

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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What do you see when you look in the mirror?

November 23, 2021

2020 was all the buzz words we’ve assigned to it. Unprecedented. Devastating. Isolating. Frightening. Costly in all senses of the word.

As we scrambled out of 2020, as business owners and leaders, we were naturally very focused on regaining the ground we had lost. Many companies were struggling either to keep employees or to find employees. Keying in on efficiencies and profitability makes perfect sense.

But it’s not where our attention needs to be.

The lesson I hope we learned from the pandemic was just how interwoven we all are. How much we need one another. And how much genuine connections matter.

That truth was highlighted in a recent Deloitte report that emerged from the pandemic. I’ve cherry-picked some of the most important marketing trends so we can examine them in detail and walk away with some very tangible to-do items.

This week we’re going to focus on the fourth of the five, being authentically human. Here’s a snapshot of the trends I pulled from the report so we can dig a little deeper.

• Being agile.
• Being a purpose-driven organization.
• Building trust.
• Being authentically human.
• Allowing customers to participate.

Even before the pandemic, this was a trend we were all aware of and, in many cases, were moving toward. When consumers think about the brands they love, recommend and are loyal to, they describe us in human terms. We’re helpful, we’re concerned about the planet, we encourage them, or we disappoint them.

What does being authentically human actually mean from a brand and marketing perspective, and how do we deliver on that promise?

In the second column of this series, we talked about the importance of being a purpose-driven organization. We have to stand for something. We need reasons for our existence and a set of rules for how we conduct ourselves. Values-based organizations are much further on the path to trust (last week’s topic) than an organization that is not leading with what they believe in.

So it starts with having an organizational heart and wearing it on our sleeve. But that’s not enough. Those values need to come to life for both your internal and external audiences.

Here are some ways we can move our companies toward this level of authenticity.

Asking better questions and listening with intention: When we’re moving at the speed of light to play catch-up, we often miss the signals that others are sending. Slowing down delivers multiple benefits. It signals that we care enough to take a pause. It also gives us the space to genuinely hear people’s ideas, concerns and requests.

Matching our actions to our words: The expression “actions speak louder than words” is a cliche because it’s true. We’re under incredible scrutiny right now. A misstep can be devastatingly costly. If you need to slow down to make sure you can actually deliver on your promise, that’s a very smart choice right now.

Tell them what you’re going to show them: People are very wary these days. Surprises, even good ones, can land wrong when everyone is still on high alert. Being transparent about what’s coming also allows you to set the stage, explain the rationale and the bigger picture. This also demonstrates that you’ve got a plan.

Look for ways to let your values and the way you honor your team and clients shine in all of your marketing communications. Now is a perfect time to spotlight the emotional connections you create with all of your audiences. We’re all craving connection, and when we genuinely connect with our team and our customers, long-term relationships form, and marketing gets much easier.

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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What does trust look like?

November 16, 2021

Trust is one of those words that everyone uses, but I suspect if we asked individuals to define it, we would get a wide variety of answers. Trust is very personal. So how does a brand build trust with all of its constituents, internally and externally?

I’ve cherry-picked some of the most important marketing trends that came from a recent Deloitte report that emerged from the pandemic so we can examine them in detail and walk away with some very tangible to-do items.

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve examined the idea that crisis brings about the need for innovation and evolution and how being a purpose-driven organization can fuel consumer confidence and growth.

This week we’re going to focus on the third of the five, building trust. Here’s a snapshot of the trends I pulled from the report so we can dig a little deeper.

• Being agile.
• Being a purpose-driven organization.
• Building trust.
• Being authentically human.
• Allowing customers to participate.

For this discussion, I’m going to classify trust as what we promise versus what we deliver. The one element of trust that we can probably all agree on is that it’s much easier to lose it than it is to create it in the first place. This is equally true internally as it is externally. After the last volatile political season, the social and civil issues that have come to the foreground, and the pandemic – people are super sensitive to any sign of a misalignment between what a brand says and what it actually does.

The question is: How do we demonstrate this trustworthiness to all of our audiences? There are several elements to consider.

Does our brand demonstrate our humanity? Do we genuinely care about our employees and customers, and how does that show up? If so, according to Deloitte’s research, we’re going to reap some benefits. Customers are 1.6 times more likely to purchase from you rather than a competitor if you are seen as truly caring.

Do we have the capacity to keep our promises? Many businesses go big on what they offer only to discover they bit off more than they could chew. We have to be thoughtful before we boldly hold up an offer. We need to do our due diligence. When we do, according to the research, customers are 2.4 times as likely to buy from us again.

Do we show up the same way every time? One aspect of trustworthiness that often gets overlooked is that we are consistent in our words and actions. I think of this as a brand that is cool and calm and always shows up the same way, no matter how big a crisis or opportunity. That requires an incredible amount of training and communication internally. But when you get it right, customers are twice as likely to recommend your brand, according to the Deloitte data.

How transparent are we? This has always been important, but today it’s essential in an era of fake news and no one trusting anyone. Do we not only openly share information, our choices, and the rationale behind those choices? Are we honest about our motivations? And do we do it in language everyone can clearly understand? When we achieve this on a regular basis, even when we compromise their trust a little (like a data breach), they are 2.8 times more likely to keep buying from us.

The world has always looked to brands to be trustworthy. They wanted to align with a brand they could believe in. But for many decades consumers viewed this as a nice-to-have, not a must-have. Those attitudes and expectations have changed, and we will be judged very harshly if we can’t get this one right.

 

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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Why do we exist?

November 9, 2021

Why do we exist?

Humans have been trying to answer that question for themselves since the beginning of time. But it’s not just about us as individuals. This is a critical question for organizations to answer as well.

Last week’s column examined the idea that crisis brings about the need for innovation and evolution and that pandemic certainly qualifies as a change-inducing event.

I’ve cherry-picked some of the most important marketing trends that came from a recent Deloitte report that emerged from the pandemic so we can examine them with detail and walk away with some very tangible to-do items.

Just as a reminder, they are:

• Being a purpose-driven organization.
• Being agile.
• Building trust.
• Being authentically human.
• Allowing customers to participate.

The concept of being a purpose-driven organization is not new. But it used to be optional. That’s not the case today. What we’re talking about here is that, as a company, you have a very clear and shared vision of why you exist and who you are meant to serve. That may or may not have anything to do with what you sell.

In Deloitte’s survey of almost 2,500 global consumers, 79% of respondents recalled instances of brands positively responding to COVID-19 to help their customers, workforces and communities.\

Almost 25% of respondents strongly agreed that these actions positively shifted brand perceptions, and 1 in 5 strongly agreed that it shifted their buying preferences in favor of the brand. On the other side of the equation, it’s clear that sustained commitment matters. Consumers reported being aware of negative brand actions (66%), leading to 1 in 4 consumers walking away from the brand.

Companies can’t play fast and loose with this. There’s no more picking and choosing when we come from a place of purpose. In the absence of this level of consistency, trust erodes.

Let’s assume that your organization has figured out what being purpose-driven means specifically for you. How do you, as a marketer, convey that to your internal and external audiences?

It’s about brand: It may be time to retool your brand so that your purpose is more front and center. This can be particularly powerful for your internal audience. Not only do consumers want to buy from a purpose-driven company, but employees want to work for one.

Measure and report: Telling someone about your purpose is very different from demonstrating it. In a world where trust is tenuous, we need to have proof points. Keeping track and having a mechanism to report on your efforts is a simple way to go beyond lip service. It will also hold you accountable. A “how we’re making a difference” page on your website that tallies the hours and dollars you’ve invested in your purpose will be enough.

But only if it gets updated consistently.

Don’t go it alone: This is a no-brainer, and yet I don’t see it done as well or as often as I should. While this is a marketing initiative in one aspect, it can be so much more. Get the employees to buy into the vision. Invite prospects and customers to join in to make a difference. Build a community around your purpose and watch how they start doing your marketing for you. For free.

As you embark on or refine your organization’s purpose-driven focus, remember that it must come from the heart. Invest the time to make sure you’ve got it right before you start telling the world.

But once you do, find ways to infuse it into every aspect of the business, from hiring and firing to product development and growth areas.

When your company lives out its purpose in big and small ways, your audiences will take notice and be ready to join you in changing your little slice of the world.

 

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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We can’t go backward

November 2, 2021

While I think we are all a little tired of talking about it, we must acknowledge that we have all endured one of the most problematic, most sci-fi unbelievable years of our lives. But you can feel things coming back to what certainly feels like a more normal world. Many of us are vaccinated, traveling and stepping back into the world in a more confident way. Our consumers are doing the same thing. There’s a pent-up demand for many products and services, and we want to be ready to seize that opportunity.

We cannot deny that the pandemic had a seismic impact on our world and some of the marks it has left are permanent. Some of the changes that we and other businesses had to make to survive the shutdown were actually well received by our customers. They’re going to expect us to keep those around. And, of course, they’re going to want some of our old offerings, pricing models, delivery mechanisms, etc. to go back to pre-pandemic days.

Bigger picture, what our consumers expect to see and hear from us has been forever changed because of 2020. Will the current expectations last forever? That I can’t predict. But I do know we’re not going to go backward and that these new expectations are here to stay for the next year or more.

All through history, moments of crisis or awakening have led to colossal consumer shifts in consumption and behavior. The 1918 pandemic triggered widespread telephone adoption so much so that switch operators could not handle the demand. This pandemic will reshape aspects of our world and invite savvy businesses to take bold new steps toward new opportunities that emerge as part of the aftermath of 2020.

Deloitte came out with a report on some global marketing trends that emerged from 2020, and I’d like to invest the next few columns into exploring some of the most significant ones.

They are:

• Being a purpose-driven organization.
• Being agile.
• Building trust.
• Being authentically human.
• Allowing customers to participate.

You might look at that list and think, “Well, nothing has changed. Of course, people want those things. Haven’t they always?” The difference is that now they are insisting upon them and expressing their displeasure with their wallet. Beyond that, they are more than comfortable calling companies out publicly for not living by these new expectations.

The challenge for us as marketers is multifold. First and perhaps the biggest of them is that we must be a voice for change inside our organizations. Faking any of the above for marketing’s sake will cost us dearly.

The second challenge is helping our internal teams recognize the importance of communicating around these trends instead of always going for the sale. One of the big silver linings of the pandemic, in my opinion, is that it’s forcing organizations to go back to their brand and reinvigorate it to be about what really matters to both their internal audience and their clients.

The third challenge is actually finding ways to communicate how your company is embracing these trends and weaving them into your culture, your products and services, and your customer service. It will be very easy in the messaging to go into the sea of sameness and produce ads or marketing that sounds like everyone else. There’s also a risk of appearing to be grandstanding or bragging. This is going to be a delicate dance.

Over the next several weeks, we’re going to dig into specifics on how we can do just that for each one of these trends. I want to give you really practical examples and ideas so you can forge out with this new messaging as quickly as possible.

Your customers are waiting and watching, so let’s give them the confidence that you are too smart to just go back to new normal.

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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Is it me?

October 26, 2021

I want to take a slight departure from my usual marketing tips this week and address an issue creating havoc in just about every business in the country.  It affects your capacity to serve your customers, the opportunity to go after new prospects, and ultimately your ability to stay in business.

I know of very few businesses that are not being rocked by turnover right now. Many of the businesses we work with have experienced 50-60-75% turnover since the last

fourth quarter. This is not an isolated incident at your company.

This is a COVID-caused phenomenon.

Economists are calling this the “Great Resignation.” The number of employees leaving their employers for new opportunities is at its highest level in more than two decades.

When I look at the departures happening across all industries and businesses of all sizes, they’re very different from what we typically see. What we are witnessing is another casualty of COVID. All of us were affected by the last 18 months, but for some people the effects were so profound and so personal that they are making radical choices.

The departures we’re seeing now are much more about life choices than career choices.

Think about the people who have left your organization. In most cases, they didn’t just trade up jobs and go to one of your competitors. They’re going back to school or moving closer to family, or choosing to work for a nonprofit. They’re taking a “safe” job. They’re staying home to raise their kids. But in most cases, it is far less a strategic career move. It is a survival tactic.

This is about people being afraid, or in some cases about them needing to make a dramatic change in their life to feel as though they’re taking back the control that COVID stole from them. And for others, it’s needing to be closer to family no matter the cost.

This is way bigger than us. This is a long-term effect of COVID.

What does that mean for us, from a marketing perspective? Internally, we must be mindful of two key components: How are we handling the departures, and how are we taking care of the people we still have?

In terms of handling the departures, this is a time for grace and understanding. Again, the folks who are leaving us need to go. And our people are watching how we embrace that idea. We also need to remember that this may be a temporary situation. They might just need a respite and eventually want to come back.

We’re also going to need to be a bit of a cheerleader. It’s frightening to see a good portion of your co-workers walk out the door. Your current team needs reassurance that they’re not going to have to bear the increased workload, that you’re working to recruit replacements, but most of all, that the opportunities and culture that drew them to your organization are still there.

This is also the time for us to be even more committed to our employees’ well-being. It’s fair to say that everyone is dealing with some remnants of COVID. It might be child care or parental health issues. It could be a fear of being indoors with a lot of people. It might even be undefinable, but it’s there.

Investing in our company’s culture and values right now feels like a smart play. I’m not talking about another party or potluck, but really doing the work to live up to the values that are on your wall. What better way to unite your employees and give them a reason to stay?

Now more than ever, our employees need our stability, our compassion and our commitment.

Next week, we’ll cover the external communication we need to be thoughtfully preparing.

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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Let’s go beneath the surface

October 19, 2021

This has been a busy time for brands to outwardly demonstrate their societal stand. They’ve been speaking out about diversity, equity and inclusion. It was the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, and it was Pride month recently, so we saw a lot of brands go all black square or rainbow in their ads and communications.

That is all well and good.

But it’s not enough. I saw a meme the other day that made me realize that brands need to do more and better. The meme said, “You put a black square on your social media posts a year ago. What have you done since?”

It’s a valid question.

While this is not solely a marketing issue, it has a lot of marketing implications. The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer (over 33,000 respondents) showed that 68% of respondents believed that corporate CEOs should step in and take the lead to fix societal problems because they don’t believe anyone else will. Sixty-five percent of respondents believe CEOs should hold themselves accountable to the public, not just to their board of directors.

If those numbers seem high, 86% of respondents expect CEOs to speak out on societal issues.

Whew. That is a vast and clear mandate. From both previous years and this year’s study, we know that consumers are more willing than ever to use their wallets to let businesses know they do or don’t approve.

Even if this wasn’t a marketing and customer retention issue, it is a human issue. So how do we go from lip service to actually becoming part of the solution?

Here are some thoughts examining how we could go beyond the surface in genuinely caring about and fighting for diversity, equity and inclusion in our businesses.

• Have we shared our DEI goals with our entire company and invited their input?
• Do we provide DEI training for all personnel?
• Do we have a zero-tolerance policy for racist or inequitable behavior in the workplace, and have we actually taken action honoring that policy?
• Are we actively working on and talking about what an inclusive workplace looks like for our company?
• Are we measuring diversity of all kinds within our company and setting goals for improving the ratios?
• Are we measuring diversity of all kinds within our leadership and setting goals for improving the ratios?
• Do we actively audit salary and advancement policies to make sure they’re fair and equitable?
• Are our recruitment tactics inclusive and inviting diversity into our candidate pool?
• Do we use our company’s voice to celebrate and support DEI initiatives?
• Do we offer our employees personal holidays so they can enjoy the religious or cultural celebrations that matter to them?
• Is Election Day a holiday in our company?
• Do our charitable contributions include a proper percentage to organizations working toward DEI initiatives?
• Do our communications (internal and external) make it clear that DEI is a priority and nonnegotiable for us?

We’re not going to solve these issues overnight. But our consumers and the world are demanding that we play our part. And it can and should be part of our legacy as leaders.

There’s also the very pragmatic side to doing all we can to improve our company’s DEI efforts and share that commitment and our progress with the world. When it comes to attracting and retaining employees, it ranks very high in most surveys of what team members are looking for in an employer.

Beyond that, as the Edelman Barometers have demonstrated over the last several years, our customers are watching. If we’re going to earn and keep their business, they expect us to take a stand and fight for a better world.

 

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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Surviving a cookie free world

October 12, 2021

In last week’s column, we talked about the fact that third-party cookies and our ability to use the data those cookies mined are going away. The question, of course, becomes – how do we pivot the way we’ve been marketing online to prepare for this change?

Cookies allowed us to track and follow people online at an individual level. Their online behavior allowed us to determine particular interests or buying patterns. We could then put them into an advertising sequence that followed them on the web and served up the ads specifically targeted to them because of what we’d learned.

We’ve all experienced it as consumers, and most of us have leveraged it as marketers. The good news is, there are other effective ways to get your message in front of the right consumer.

First-party data: This is not a new concept, but now it’s critical. We have to find ways to get to know our own customers better. First-party data is the information you collect directly from your audience or customers. It includes data from behaviors, actions, or interests indicated across your website or app. It would also be information you have in your CRM system and your subscription and social data.

First-party data also includes off-line information you might gather like completed surveys, customer feedback, and other information you gathered during the sales process.

The more you know about your customers and even potential customers, the more personalized your communications can be to them as a captive audience. But those relationships also support your outbound marketing efforts. In terms of knowing who to target, the more you know about who already loves you and what matters to them, the easier it is to craft marketing messages to attract more clients that look a lot like them.

Contextual targeting: Contextual advertising or targeting refers to the practice of placing ads on web pages based on the content of those pages. For example, this could be ads for a fishing rod on a news article about fly fishing, or it could be ads for laptops on an appropriate eCommerce site. This is done through contextual targeting on an ad network, which involves segmenting ads based on parameters like keyword or website topics.

This concept may have a place on your own website or social channels, but it’s also a smart way to buy ads or links on other properties. If done well, your ad can feel like part of the story or theme of the page.

Keyword targeting: Keyword targeting uses keywords relevant to your product or service in website and ad copy to achieve a top listing in the search engines. Proper keyword research is vital to determine which keywords your business should be targeting.

This is SEO 101. There are many tools to help you determine which keywords have enough search volume to be beneficial for you. As you build out your content strategy, this should be one of the most significant criteria. It’s an art form to create useful, engaging content that also supports your keyword objectives. This is not about keyword stuffing. It’s about knowing your audience well enough to write what they’ll find valuable and are already searching for.

You’re going to be hearing a lot more about the crumbling cookie, but you don’t have to worry. While it has undoubtedly served marketers well, we have many other tools and tactics at our disposal.

If we’re being honest, some of the tools I’ve reminded you of in this column are actually more effective and better for our audience long-term. And when we serve our audience more authentically and helpfully – we always benefit in the long run, as do they.

 

This was originally published in the Des Moines Business Record, as one of Drew’s weekly columns.

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The demise of the third-party cookie

October 5, 2021

The odds are that you’ve heard that third-party cookies are going away. But you’re probably wondering what exactly that means to you as a marketer and how it will affect your work moving forward.

If you are not familiar with the term, third-party cookies are tracking codes that are placed on a web visitor’s computer after visiting a website. When that same web visitor visits your site or any other, the third-party cookie tracks all of their activity (which sites they visit, what products they click on, etc.) and sends it back to whoever created the cookie. Many brands use cookies on their sites so they can serve up ads to their web visitors on other sites.

If you’re an advertiser, third-party cookie data gives you insights about your web visitor’s overall online behaviors, such as websites they frequently visit, search history, device details, purchases and interests that they’ve shown on various websites. With this detailed data, you can build detailed prospect profiles to decide which of your visitors are your best potential customers and worthy of investing ad dollars to connect with them.

You can then create a re-targeting list that can be used to send ads to your past visitors or people with similar web profiles, called lookalike audiences.

For many years, third-party data has been integral to how advertisers decide where to place their ads and what messages should be served up to specific groups.

As an internet user and consumer, you’ve experienced this marketing tactic many times.

A Google blog post announced the 2022 target date for the final removal of third-party cookies and explained that the reason for the change was to protect users and their privacy.

“Users are demanding greater privacy – including transparency, choice, and control over how their data is used – and it’s clear the web ecosystem needs to evolve to meet these increasing demands,” the post stated.

Safari and Firefox have both blocked third-party cookies since 2013. Google has been working with advertisers for the last two years to ensure that this shift doesn’t destroy the online advertising industry, but the change is coming quickly now.

If your current practice is to simply track your website’s visitors’ behaviors, preferences and basic demographics while they’re on your website and only while they’re on your site, nothing much will change.

However, if you’re a marketer that relies on robust third-party data for targeting online advertising or a very specific audience-targeting strategy, you’re going to have to change your ways.

We’ve known for decades that when we get something for free on the internet, we are the product. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that social media sites like Facebook and search engines like Google already have substantial amounts of information that they could use to develop detailed profiles using a single cookie.

There may come a time when, as marketers, we subscribe to a data source that is powered by one or multiple of these entities to get the same kind of aggregate information we can get today from third-party cookies.

In a cookie-less world, to identify and access external audiences, we may need to subscribe to one or more of these big-box data sources to get insights about our potential customers. The data sources will be able to track and monitor behaviors but in an aggregate way. Hopefully, this will protect everyone’s individual privacy and give marketers a way to access insights that will be valuable.

All of this does not mean online advertising is dead. We’re just going to need to find different ways to build an audience and learn more about them. In next week’s column, we’ll explore some tactics that are worthy of consideration as we adapt to this new chapter of marketing.

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