Closed loop marketing

Closed Loop Marketing refers to a loop of two-way messaging with customers. Marketing messages and materials are pushed to the customer based upon insights on customer preferences, or accessed in a self-service model. Based on data gathered during the interaction, a cycle of continuous improvement is enacted; for example enhanced knowledge about the customer and customer preferences allow us^{[when defined as?]} to refine the message or content to improve subsequent interactions.

CLM is not about devices. It is about relationship building using data gleaned from customer interactions through various communication channels to support the continuous refining of relationships. The selection of the channel and/or the device to reach that channel should be driven by customer preference and/or receptivity. A secondary benefit of closed loop marketing is an improved customer database and refined segmentation including behavioral attributes.

Closed Loop Marketing can operate at many different levels of sophistication. Ideally a customer database, (CRM, SFA), is linked to a content management platform, allowing the content most relevant to a customer to be accessed by that particular customer or customer segment. As knowledge about the customer increases, the content becomes more and more relevant based on our ability to adapt the channel, content, message, or other preferences.

A central information hub can store data including which content was presented, duration, frequency, presented to which customer, customer and presenter feedback^[1], responses to surveys, and click stream data. Ideally the central hub also houses additional data sets such as sales, market share, sales growth. Analytics^{[clarification needed]} will compare data sets for cause and effect in order to recommend corrections to the next approach. Customer interactions for closed loop marketing may include one or more channels such as face to face, remote, eDetailing, web sites, self service content libraries, call centers, and internet including on-line ordering.

Various devices typically used include iPad, Android, tablet PC (Windows OS), laptop, iPhone, PDA, and smart phones.

When the insights gained during a customer interaction are used to make a change in the sales and marketing approach in order to improve a subsequent interaction, the loop is closed. Continuous Loop Marketing^[2] is when the improvements happen on an ongoing basis, rather than one time only. Multichannel Marketing is closed loop marketing with multiple interconnected channels.

Notes and references

1. ^ Unlocking the Benefits of Customer Centricity
2. ^ Research Report by Leading Analyst Firm

External links

• Exploria SPS
• Proscape
• Agnitio
• Skura
• Closing the Loop: Beyond Digital Detailing
• Capgemini Consulting
• Unifying the prescriber influence network
• ProfitStreams - concept to code implementation of CLM principals