Integrating Path–to–Purchase in Segmentation Analysis
Situation
Traditionally, B2C and B2B marketers base segmentation on different criteria that may include: target audience attitudes, category behavior, benefits sought, occasions and firmographics/demographics. Knowing all of this is important, but clients also want to know how to apply marketing strategies toward targeted segments. Frequently, the segment profiles are not sufficient for developing individual segment marketing strategies and even if they are distinctive the data is not adequate to craft marketing messages and channels for communication to the segments.
Approach
SRP is one of the only firms in the country to successfully integrate path–to–purchase behavior understanding by segment at the various phases of the product selection process. Whether path–to– purchase data is part of the segmentation input or part of the profiling of segments, SRP integrates path–to–purchase behavior by segment to provide marketing strategies specific for key targets.
The benefit of this new approach to segmentation is the superior integration of marketing communications search patterns of client target segments. Using this latent–class segmentation procedures SRP is able to integrate path–to–purchase into client segmentation schemes or as a key profile dimension of segments.
To simplify path–to–purchase learning and implications for the sales and marketing team, SRP created marketing communication “playbooks” – a one–page checklist for marketing professionals to consult every time they interact with different target audiences. This document can help in terms of what to say, when and where to say it, all based on path–to–purchase stage intelligence.
This approach is effective for directing marketing strategies to various stages of the purchase process by segment that can be used by all levels of the marketing team
A sample playbook for a segment is shown below:
