This is a subscriber-only article. Join Entrepreneur+ today for access

Learn More

Already have an account?

Sign in
Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

How Customer Data Can Help Build Better Marketing Campaigns Online service Windsor Circle uses customer purchase histories to help small businesses improve their email marketing.

By Gwen Moran

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

While online giants like Amazon endlessly analyze customer data to recommend new products, offer promotions and generate sales based on buying history, such sophisticated customer relationship management has been beyond the financial reach of most smaller e-tailers.

Windsor Circle, a new plug-and-play service, is changing that. It extracts customers' shopping-cart data and integrates it with e-mail marketing platforms such as ExactTarget, Constant Contact and VerticalResponse, allowing small shops to create targeted e-mail campaigns based on buying patterns and other trends. Call it the new era of big data writ small.

Because Windsor Circle allows its clients to segment customers and create targeted promotions, merchants can easily reward big spenders, send coupons to folks who haven't purchased in a while, recommend replenishment orders or suggest complementary products. Business Supply, an online office products company, used Windsor Circle to pull a list of its most recent, most frequent and highest-spending customers, then send them a thank-you e-mail and a $10 coupon. The blast generated a nearly 400 percent ROI.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

She Lost Her Job as a Disinformation Scholar at Harvard — and Claims Facebook May Have Had Something to Do With It

Dr. Joan Donovan alleges Harvard stopped her research after receiving donations from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Harvard denies the claim.

Business News

Bank Accidentally Deposits $86 Million Into Woman's Account, Freezes Her Assets

The incident occurred at the Malaysian bank, Maybank.

Business News

Hawaiian Airlines Stock Soars Over 192% After $1.9 Billion Acquisition

Alaska Airlines announced that it had purchased the smaller airline on Monday.

Marketing

Why Every Entrepreneur Should Consider Starting a Podcast

This article sheds light on the power of podcasts, particularly for entrepreneurs, outlining steps to launch a successful podcast.

Leadership

I've Spent Decades Studying How Mentors Make You Successful. Here's How You Find the Right Ones.

After teaching thousands of students and executives, building a personal board of advisors — or a group of mentors — is the one piece of advice I give to everyone. Here are five of the most important things to know about building your board of mentors.