The 3 Keys Takeaways from Braze’s Global Customer Engagement Review

Engaging customers is the heart of marketing. Whether customers are avid purchasers or have yet to pledge their allegiance to a brand, it’s the marketer’s job to strengthen customer relationships at every touchpoint. 

While this focus never changes, the way customers need to be activated for brand engagement to flourish constantly evolves. To bridge that gap, Braze released the 2023 Global Customer Engagement Review, an annual report that aims to equip marketers with the insights they need to continually captivate their customers.

In a sweeping analysis of global trends, get the short-and-sweet sneak peek at what the report uncovers.

Pay Attention to Retention

Virtually everyone has been bombarded with the consequences of economic instability. As a result, customers have no choice but to be more critical of how and where they spend their money; and usually, they’ll be inclined to spend with the brands they’ve already built trust in. 

That means marketers need to hunker down on retention to keep customers engaged. In the last few years, retention has already been a growing priority among marketers—with 45% devoting over half of their budget to this effort in just the last year—and the need is only growing more acute in the face of a fickle economy.

The Data Conundrum

Managing data can feel like directing a disorganized, inconsistent employee who magically disappears when you’re proposing a new project to your boss. It’s confusing, and different team members may read into it differently. 

Data proves to be a difficult roadblock for many brands, with 36% of marketers seeing it as their greatest customer engagement challenge. Collecting, accessing, integrating, and managing data has become a major barrier to engaging with customers in the way marketers want.

Yet data is indispensable, because marketers know it’s the key to nuanced, personalized campaigns that engage customers successfully. 

To use data as effectively as possible, marketers need to opt for tools that automate data processes all while integrating seamlessly into existing tech stacks. Not only that, but a tool that quickly translates countless data points into personalized, visual creative is a must. 

Smash the Silos

Teamwork makes the dream work, but marketing teams need help to turn those dreams into a reality. No matter the size of the company, less than 30% of marketers are actively collaborating cross-functionally with other teams. 

Not collaborating is undoubtedly a barrier to success. But how can marketers solve this challenge?

• Ownership

  • As simple as it may sound, deciding who is leading what initiatives is key. Having a point person for reporting, project management, and liaising will make future collaboration much more seamless. 

• Data

  • When it comes to engaging customers, data is the linchpin, no matter which department you work in. Unifying data practices—from collection to activation to terminology—is a clear next step.

• Personalization

  • Nothing unites people like a common goal. By keeping the north star of customer engagement front and center at all times, teams’ goals will align across functions as a result. The tried-and-true ticket to customer engagement? Personalization.

Conclusion

If customer engagement is prioritized, your brand will grow and remain resilient, no matter the current economic climate. Get an in-depth view of how you can delight customers by reading the full report from Braze.