List Segmentation Trends in 2012
Welcome to Broker Roundtable, where each week we ask list brokers to give their opinions on issues that matter to the marketing community. This week’s question: What new list segmentation trends do you expect to see going forward?
Our panel includes Michael Peterman of Veradata, Stefanie Pont of Pont Media Direct and Herb Torgersen of DirectInnovations. Would you like to be considered to be a member of our roundtable? Contact Larry Riggs ([email protected]).
Michael Peterman, CEO, VeraData:
Looking at Cyber Monday’s stats, mobile will be a big trend in the coming months. One indication of this is that 8% of Cyber Monday’s online purchases were made from a mobile device or smartphone. This number is staggering and represents an increase of several orders of magnitude over 2010. Anything with this type of rapid adoption cannot be ignored by our industry; and I think it is going to continue to accelerate. I also predict an increase in multiple variant segmentation. Most segmentation is done one variable at a time, something I feel is a fairly pedestrian practice, considering what is possible with data today.
As a segmentation trend, I think attitudinal segmentation will begin to take shape. This means that instead of segmenting by age/income/family status, we’ll see more complex utilization of data that buckets people into categories of behavioral drivers derived from algorithms based on hundreds of data elements, not just one or two pieces of demography. These buckets will drive segmented messaging targeting consumers based on why they like what they like and why they buy what they buy.
For example, I like vacationing in the mountains because I have a stressful job. Solitude is what drives my interest so I would fall into a bucket with creative that speaks to my stress and need for peacefulness. Tapping into these ‘attitudes’ will yield better results for marketers.
Stefanie Pont, managing partner, Pont Media Direct:
The ability to identify online versus other channel response should be more widespread, and I am seeing more people offer it. One that I’d like to see is a better option for selecting affluence than old household income. In today’s economy, one’s household income isn’t entirely indicative of ability to purchase or pay.
Herb Torgersen, president, DirectInnovations Inc.:
The list segments now available will hold their own. In this economy you truly need to continue to be able to select segments of databases that will show life. There is a premium on “direct mail buyers” and on purchasing behavior segments. I also see income segmentation being more heavily used
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