We all know that shoppers in considered purchase markets like to take their time. They’re about to make a big investment and usually aren’t willing to rush into it. So sales cycles can be long and the results, uncertain. Real-time marketing can help shoppers reach a decision faster.

Unfortunately, there’s some confusion among marketers about what real-time marketing actually is and how it works. Some hear “real-time” and think they have to instantly follow up with every shopper anytime the shopper shows the slightest interest. While speed-to-contact can be important, it is more crucial to deliver the right message at the right time.

To achieve that, you need real-time customer segmentation, data, and the technology to bring it all together.

What is Real Time Marketing

Real-time marketing is delivering the marketing message or resource a customer needs exactly when they need it. If done well, it answers the questions and concerns a shopper has, or offers the right incentive to keep shoppers moving through the sales funnel. You don’t have to be a mind reader to do this, you just need data.

That’s where real-time data comes into the picture. Real-time data is data that is immediately processed and ready to use. While most merchants collect data about customers as they shop, that data isn’t always immediately available for use. Sometimes it gets siloed into a CRM or marketing automation platform.

In the worst case scenario, important information about shoppers is trapped in the mind of a sales representative who never shares it with the rest of the team. That representative may know what products the customer asked about, but it doesn’t become part of the shopper’s profile. Unless data is centralized and shared, it’s not really real-time data.

Once you have real-time data, you can use it to predict and meet customer needs with real-time marketing. Data collection is instant, but it’s not always used instantly. Instead, all of the information about a shopper is used to make informed decisions about when and how to communicate with the potential customer.

An Example of Real-Time Marketing in Action

If the overlapping terms seem confusing, an example might help clarify things. Imagine a shopper comes to your site from a search engine ad. Ideally, you’ll track the source of the contact — an ad — and you’ll monitor the shopper as they move through the site. So far, you’re collecting real-time data.

If you have Ignite by LaunchLabs on your site, you can leverage that real-time data, including shopper interest and position in the sales funnel, to enable real-time segmentation. That shopper is immediately sorted into the right segment to deliver a personalized offer that is tailored to them. That’s real-time marketing in action.

But it doesn’t stop there. If the shopper doesn’t take action right away, this could trigger a nurture email sequence. Your marketing automation system will send emails, spaced at reasonable intervals based on what you know about ideal follow-up cadence for shoppers like this one. Those well-timed emails are also an example of real-time marketing.

This real-time marketing approach means that you’re delivering messages when the shopper needs them most, not based on some predetermined schedule. With the right information at the right time, shoppers can move through the sales funnel more quickly, and ultimately convert.

Reach Customers In Time with Ignite by LaunchLabs

Smart marketers know that customer interactions should always inform the timing and frequency of follow-up. With Ignite by LaunchLabs you have the tools to track the largest data segment available to your business — website data.

Here’s how it works:

1. Ignite collects visitor information as they move through your site to enable real-time segmentation.
2. Site visitors are engaged with custom, automated offers tailored to their needs.
3. The system instantly elevates leads who are ready to buy, making follow-up a snap.

Plus, Ignite can utilize existing data from your CRM, allowing you to apply real-time marketing across SMS, email, and advertising campaigns, including customer loyalty alerts and emails. Ready to put real-time data and real-time marketing to work for you? Book your free demo of Ignite today.

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