Person-Level Intent Data: Revolutionising Marketing & Sales Strategies in 2024

In today's data-driven world, understanding our customers' intentions has never been more crucial. Person-level intent data offers us a crystal-clear view of individual behaviors, preferences, and needs. By tapping into this goldmine of information, we can tailor our marketing strategies to meet each person's unique journey, boosting engagement and conversion rates.

Imagine knowing exactly when a potential customer is ready to make a purchase or what content they'll find most valuable. Person-level intent data makes this possible, allowing us to predict actions and deliver personalised experiences. As we dive deeper into this topic, we'll explore how leveraging such precise data can transform our approach to marketing and drive unparalleled results.

Understanding Person Level Intent Data

Person-level intent data helps businesses make data-driven decisions by providing insights into individual actions and preferences.

What is Person Level Intent Data?

Person-level intent data is detailed information about a specific user's online behaviours and actions. This data includes browsing history, search queries, content engagement, and purchase intent. By analysing these behaviours, we can understand individual preferences and predict future actions with greater accuracy.

How is Person Level Intent Data Collected?

Person-level intent data is collected through multiple sources:

1. Web Analytics Platforms: Track user interactions on websites.
2. Cookies and Tracking Pixels: Monitor online behavior across various sites.
3. Search Engines: Provide data on search queries and click patterns.
4. Social Media: Capture engagement metrics like likes, shares, and comments.
5. CRM Systems: Consolidate customer interactions and transaction histories.

Collecting data from these sources requires adherence to privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA to ensure user data is handled responsibly.

Importance of Person Level Intent Data

Person-level intent data plays a pivotal role in shaping effective marketing and sales strategies. By understanding individual behaviours and preferences, we can tailor our approach to achieve better results.

Benefits for Sales Teams

Sales teams gain a competitive edge using person-level intent data. They can identify high-intent prospects, enabling them to prioritise leads more effectively. According to Gartner, sales representatives engaging high-intent buyers see a 60% increase in conversion rates. Optimising outreach with personalised pitches and timely follow-ups becomes possible with precise data insights. Sales cycles shorten because reps focus energy on prospects ready to purchase, reducing time spent on less promising leads. Empowered with data, the team can build stronger relationships by addressing specific needs and preferences.

Benefits for Marketing Teams

Marketing teams also reap significant advantages from person-level intent data. Campaigns become more targeted, leading to a higher return on investment (ROI). For instance, personalised email campaigns have an average open rate of 29% compared to 17% for personalised ones, as Campaign Monitor reports. Better audience segmentation and customised content creation align with individual user journeys. Marketers can refine their strategies, leveraging insights from detailed browsing histories, search patterns, and engagement metrics. By delivering relevant messaging, they enhance brand loyalty and customer satisfaction, ultimately driving engagement and growth.

Types of Intent Data

Understanding the types of intent data is crucial for leveraging it effectively in marketing strategies. Intent data can be classified into two main categories: first-party and third-party intent data.

First-Party Intent Data

First-party intent data is gathered directly from our interactions with users on our platforms. This data includes:

• Website Analytics: User behaviours like page visits, time spent, and navigation paths.
• Email Engagement: Data from email campaigns, such as open rates and click-through rates.
• CRM Systems: Customer interactions, purchase history, and engagement metrics.
• On-Site Searches: Search queries and results on our own website.

By using first-party intent data, we can gain tailored insights specific to our audience. This data is precise and often immediate, making it essential for personalised marketing and sales efforts.

Third-Party Intent Data

Third-party intent data is collected from external sources and aggregated by third-party providers. This data encompasses:

• Browsing Histories: General online behaviours, site visits, and search queries across the web.
• Content Consumption: Interaction with articles, blogs, videos, and other content on multiple sites.
• Social Media Activities: Engagements on social media platforms, including likes, shares, and comments.
• Ad Interactions: Data on ad viewership, clicks, and conversions from various ad networks.

Third-party intent data allows us to expand our understanding beyond our direct audience. It offers a broader view of user behaviours across the internet, enabling us to identify potential new customers and uncover broader market trends.

Comparing Person Level and Account Level Intent Data

Comparing person-level and account-level intent data is crucial to understanding their unique strengths and applications. Each type offers specific advantages and potential drawbacks that can significantly impact marketing and sales strategies.

Pros and Cons of Person Level Intent Data

Person-level intent data provides granular insights based on individual behaviours, preferences, and needs.

Pros:

1. Higher Precision: Offers precise targeting by focusing on individual user behaviours. For example, knowing a lead's recent searches helps tailor marketing messages.
2. Improved Personalisation: Enhances personalised marketing efforts, leading to higher engagement rates. Personalized email campaigns yield a 29% open rate, significantly higher than non-personalized ones at 17%.
3. Shortened Sales Cycles: Identifies high-intent prospects, enabling timely outreach and more effective follow-ups. This streamlines the sales process, leading to faster conversions.

Cons:

1. Data Privacy Concerns: Requires careful handling to comply with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Mismanagement can lead to hefty fines.
2. Complex Data Management: Involves managing vast amounts of data from various sources like web analytics and CRM systems, which can be resource-intensive.
3. Limited Scalability: May not be as scalable as account-level data, making it challenging to implement across large organisations.

Pros and Cons of Account Level Intent Data

Account-level intent data centers around the behaviours and interactions of entire organisations, rather than individual users.

Pros:

1. Broader Insights: Provides a holistic view of an organization's interests and needs. This helps in identifying key accounts, leading to targeted account-based marketing (ABM) strategies.
2. Scalability: More scalable across large enterprises, facilitating the management of multiple accounts simultaneously. Useful for companies with extensive client bases.
3. Strategic Alignment: Aligns sales and marketing efforts towards organisational priorities and strategies, enhancing cohesive business approaches.

1. Lower Precision: Lacks the granularity of person-level data, potentially leading to less personalised outreach. Targeting a company doesn't ensure reaching the right individuals within the organization.
2. Data Aggregation Challenges: Involves consolidating data from multiple sources, which can be complex and time-consuming.
3. Potential for Misaligned Messaging: May result in less customised messaging, as it targets broad organisational pain points rather than individual needs.

Each data type serves different aspects of customer engagement. When integrated effectively, they can provide comprehensive insights to drive robust marketing and sales strategies.

Applications of Person Level Intent Data

Person-level intent data has numerous practical applications that empower businesses to tailor their strategies with unmatched precision.

Personalising Marketing Campaigns

Person-level intent data allows for highly customised marketing efforts. By analysing individual user behaviours and preferences, we can craft personalised content that resonates with each user. For instance, personalised email campaigns based on this data achieve an average open rate of 29%. Additionally, tailored advertisements on social media platforms boost engagement rates by 26%, ensuring our marketing messages reach and engage the right audience.

Enhancing Sales Strategies

Utilising person-level intent data streamlines sales efforts. Sales representatives can identify high-intent prospects, leading to optimised outreach. When we target these high-intent leads, our conversion rates improve by 60%. This data enables personalised pitches and timely follow-ups, shortening sales cycles and fostering stronger customer relationships. For example, real-time insights into a prospect's online activities help sales teams prioritise outreach, making engagement more effective and efficient.

Improving Customer Retention

Person-level intent data plays a crucial role in customer retention. By understanding user behaviors and preferences, we can anticipate their needs and address them proactively. For example, personalised service offers and targeted retention campaigns based on user activity can reduce churn rates by 15%. Monitoring engagement patterns allows us to offer relevant product recommendations and timely support, improving overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Ethical Considerations in Using Intent Data

Ethical considerations in using intent data are crucial for maintaining trust and compliance. It's important to balance marketing objectives with user privacy and consent.

Privacy Concerns

Privacy concerns are paramount when handling intent data. Collecting detailed user information, such as browsing history and search queries, raises potential privacy issues. Unauthorised data collection or misuse can lead to breaches of trust and legal penalties under regulations like GDPR and CCPA. To address these concerns, it's essential to obtain explicit user consent and ensure transparency in data practices. Users should be informed about what data is collected, how it’s used, and who has access to it.

Best Practices for Ethical Usage

Adhering to best practices for ethical usage ensures responsible handling of intent data. Prioritising user consent and data minimisation is key. Collect only necessary data and anonymise it where possible. Secure storage and robust encryption safeguard user information against unauthorised access. Regularly updating privacy policies and ensuring they are easily accessible fosters transparency. Moreover, offering users control over their data, including opt-out options, enhances trust and compliance. Implementing these practices helps align marketing efforts with ethical standards and legal requirements, fostering a responsible data use culture.

Conclusion

Person-level intent data is a game-changer for both marketing and sales teams. By leveraging this data, we can craft highly personalised strategies that resonate with individual customers, leading to improved engagement and conversion rates.

With the ability to predict customer actions and deliver tailored experiences, businesses can streamline their outreach efforts and foster stronger relationships. The ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and consent are crucial, and adhering to best practices ensures we maintain user trust while maximising the benefits of intent data.

As we continue to navigate the data-driven landscape, integrating person-level intent data into our strategies will empower us to achieve remarkable results and drive sustainable growth.

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