Learning

The last step in the Channel Connexions Process is "learning", which is really based on the measurements used to gauge the relative success of each channel campaign. I think it is important to understand that the ways in which marketing measured is changing. It used to be that we used "Awareness, Consideration, and Purchase" as the success measurements in a marketing campaign. The approach is fine with a mass marketing campaign, but with a true, targeted 1:1 relationship management initiative, we should be focused on customer attraction, retention, extension, and loyalty. This holds true from a channel perspective, as well.

Today, it is fairly common practice to use SEO measurments and targeted advertising to "attract" new business. Retention (engagement) and extension require newer metrics and involve the examination of data over a period of time. For example, revenue growth is good know, but it is more useful to understand the change in revenue growth velocity. This information offers additional insight into each customer/channel, and enables you to make better decision about future marketing campaigns. By managing channel attraction, engagement, and extension, you will increase channel loyalty and accelerate the positive rate of change in loyalty.