The second principle of priorities that I explore in my book, Priority is Action is that if everything is a priority, then nothing is truly a priority. You have to make decisions, and often tough ones. But if you can assess which decisions need to be made (and when), the payoff is worth it. Let’s explore this some more. Leaders who excel in their roles understand the importance of collaborating with their teams to identify critical tasks and establish clear priorities. By doing so, team members can remain focused on what truly matters, rather than getting overwhelmed by trivial busywork. Effec ..read more

The centrality of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) in shaping the trajectory of modern businesses cannot be overstated. A beacon guiding strategic decisions, CLV embodies the essence of sustainable growth, profitability, and customer-centricity. Incorporating CLV into an organization's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is not merely a strategic maneuver; it's a profound acknowledgment of the long-term value and significance of each customer relationship. The Imperative of Customer Lifetime Value At its core, CLV represents the total worth of a customer to a business over the entirety of their rel ..read more

This article was written for CustomerThink by Greg Kihlström. You can read the full article here. Agility has become a cornerstone for success in the enterprise and a culture of agility within marketing and customer experience teams can significantly enhance an organization’s ability to adapt to market changes, meet customer needs more effectively, and foster continuous improvement and innovation. This article aims to discuss the importance of building a culture of agility and provides a comprehensive guide on how to operationalize it within marketing and customer experience frameworks. Why a ..read more

AI enables faster data analysis, revolutionizing the way businesses make decisions and drive marketing campaigns. AI plays a crucial role in analyzing vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently. With the increasing volume of data available to businesses, the ability to extract actionable insights in a timely manner has become a competitive advantage. One of the key challenges faced by businesses today is the overwhelming amount of data available, leading to a situation where there is "too much data and nothing actionable." The importance of using data from first-party and third-party sources ..read more

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for Forbes Agency Council. View the original article here. It takes a lot to compete for first-time customers in overcrowded marketplaces, and doing so based solely on price or even product quality is increasingly difficult. Instead, brands are increasingly focused on building lifetime loyal customers who become return buyers, as well as vocal advocates to their friends and colleagues. Personalized marketing can play a key role in this. At its core, personalization is about creating a sense of relevance and connection with your customers on an individ ..read more

The first principle of priorities that I explore in my book, Priority is Action is that everything can’t be the most important thing. Part of embracing this means learning to let go, which we explored in the last article. Additionally, leaders need to lead by priority. So let’s explore that. Leaders face the challenge of juggling multiple roles and expectations. From being a visionary to a project manager and a cheerleader, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture while getting lost in the detail. However, the ability to focus on strategic priorities is essential for the success of b ..read more

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for MarTech. Read the full article here. As artificial intelligence technologies rapidly advance, marketing teams are tasked with integrating these powerful tools into their existing operations. However, this transition can be daunting, especially if your MOps function was established before the rapid rise of AI. In this first article of our four-part series, we’ll outline the fundamental steps for incorporating AI into MOps, paving the way for the subsequent articles to delve deeper into planning AI integration with people, process, data and platform ..read more

Personalization enhances marketing effectiveness by creating a more personalized and tailored experience for customers. This is especially important in the B2B space, where sales and marketing need to work together to effectively reach and engage potential buyers. One of the key benefits of personalization is the ability to identify critical moments in the buyer's journey and deliver the right message at the right time. By analyzing data and understanding customer behavior, B2B marketers can personalize their marketing touchpoints to ensure that they are providing the most relevant and impactf ..read more

This article was written for The CX Lead by Greg Kihlström. You can read the original article here. It's a cliché, but knowledge is power—and that's certainly the case when it comes to your customers and your ability to understand what they want, as well as when, how, and where they want it. In a 2022 survey by Econsultancy and Adobe, 74% percent of leading marketing organizations consider themselves effective at collecting first-party customer data, and 68% are using this data to personalize experiences.  In this article, we'll look at 4 key types of customer data and how you can leverag ..read more

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for CustomerThink. Read the full article here. Despite living in an era data is heralded as the new currency, a counterintuitive movement is gaining momentum among forward-thinking marketers and CX professionals: data minimization. For business leaders, understanding the pivotal role of data minimization in the modern marketing and CX landscape is no longer just an option; it’s an essential strategy for stewarding trust and enhancing customer experiences. The Unseen Power of Less Data At first glance, the appeal of accumulating vast reservoirs of cust ..read more