Have you ever been optimized?
Have you ever been dynamically served?
Have you ever been experientially immersed?
Yes, folks, people do speak like that – and I imagine that the 2020 version of Mad Men – Digital Guys – will make fun of the latest iterations of “ad speak.”
However, I will indulge my cynicism on our lingo and jargon another time.
Today I will direct my cynicism at the notion that we can affect mass movement by simply allowing computer rules to direct our conversations.
Now before you jump down my throat – trust me, I get it – dynamic optimization and immersive experiences are what make our world so exciting.
But hear me out: What limits us – in what might be a world without limits – is our belief that going digital somehow erases the human element in marketing.
Fact – if I were to add up all of the percent increases in sales, sign-ups, click- throughs, opt-ins, cross-sells, up-sells, whatever – that I see presented in a week by the latest and greatest engines, algorithms and such – there would nothing left to sell as we have all been maximized to buy it all by our computers.
What is missing is the human element. We are a messy race – unpredictable, capricious, subject to violent mood swings, sudden changes of mind, spontaneous and illogical behavior (ah, SPOCK!!). In short – there is a limit to what you can predict about my future behavior because you are crunching a bunch of numbers….
Listen:
So there you have it –
Next time someone tries to sell you digital optimization – ask them what they know about people…about you…it changes second by second….
It’s called insight – by the way.
What do you think?
Totally agree! We are trying to sell to people, not machines.
The idea that computer rules cannot accurately address individual preference implies lack of knowledge, skill, experience, and flexibility in implementing said rules.
People are not segments…that’s true. As tool sophistication improves and marketers’ facility with those tools grows in equal measure, why couldn’t such modelling take into account all of those “random” factors that you mention? In fact, what makes you think that those capricious whims are capricious at all? Many systems are too complex to deduce from casual observation…but through complex modelling, perhaps there IS a pattern.
We provide the means to create better relationships with our customers where it’s not always possible to have a person standing in front of the customer, a handshake, or a smile. Or in places where such a situation might not be desirable or effective.
Doing so requires a certain amount of automation. It isn’t cost effective to have a team of writers writing mails to people one person at a time. It isn’t always possible to generate a completely new site for a single individual if you have thousands (or even hundreds…) of customers.
Whether or not we’re as adept as we think we are in modelling, whether or not we’re as clever as we think we are in understanding our clients’ customers, we are always learning, always gathering data.
Every touch with a customer is a chance to learn.
Every chance to learn means more data.
Every piece of data brings a closer understanding of our customer.
Closer understanding of our customer brings better relevance in dialogue.
Better relevance in dialogue brings affinity and favorability.
Affinity and favorability brings the opportunity for more touches with a customer.
Right now, we might not be able to take into account all of the randomness of which you speak. But what about tomorrow? Next week? Next month?
And the last wrench: If it works for 98% of our customers, shouldn’t we maximize our efficiencies with the 98% of our audience so that we can do something less efficient (but more effective!) with the last 2%? If we even need to worry about the last 2%?
I agree… but it is heading towards the direction where Human interaction will be minimal…
Aren’t we all trying to address the “Why ” question.
Did we wake up on morning to suddenly find a full-grown tree standing tall on our front lawn ?
Of course not. Somewhere in the past a seed was planted.
the automation helps in bringing the historical data/patterns to a moment in time , it when ” the human element/human intelligence” kicks in to provide “insights”.
Neural networks and quantum computers may yet conquer all, and predict behaviour from one nano second to another. And yet there is one promise that works across all barriers and segments, any time of the day, or hour. “FREE”
I will still place my bet on the Human Factor — does not negate progress or suggest that we cant optimize better and better — I am just curious about how many of you think that you will be driven to buy or interact well beyond where you want to by any computer –
Maybe out of curiosity, to see how far it can go, and if it makes sense to me as a human:-). But I see the next few generations getting more and more comfortable with computers, maybe till it all leads to a Butlerian Jihad?