Explore the New Multichannel Marketing Database

1. Operational and real time. The new marketing database must be updated whenever necessary, be it daily or hourly, rather than more traditional cycles of monthly or weekly. This requires a fundamental departure from the classic data warehouse architecture. Additionally, the contents of marketing databases must be accessible in real time to the various points of interaction that can be used to drive consumer engagement. You must use individual-level data to create custom and personal URLs for better engagement — and do this on the fly.
2. Messaging and content management must be integrated directly, not over the wall. No longer should marketers cut lists to send to messaging partners. Messaging technologies such as email delivery can and should be integrated in real time to provide full marketing tactical control, as well as reduce overall cost of ownership.
3. Extend the data model. New data must be stored. Our company, for instance, has to be able to take on transactions with no more identification than cell phone numbers or Twitter IDs. Using custom persistent ID systems, we're able to store those transactions and then piece together the picture of the consumer as we learn more. If, for example, a consumer redeems a mobile offer, we're able to retrieve an email address at point of sale.
4. Integrate social media. Follow best practices from direct marketing, and track all social campaigns through the addition of social-specific campaign metadata. If you post a Facebook coupon, for instance, add campaign metadata about that coupon and attach promotion history to every follower from your Facebook fan page.

Consumers always move more quickly than marketers at adopting new technologies. A new approach to your marketing database as outlined above can help you keep up with consumers and market to them where and how they want.