This article was written by Greg Kihlström for Forbes Agency Council. 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.

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, it is important for leaders to lead by priority. So let’s explore that some.

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for MarTech. 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.

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.

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.

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for CustomerThink. 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.

Contextual personalization in physical retail refers to the practice of tailoring the shopping experience to individual customers based on their specific context or situation. This approach takes into account various factors such as location, time, weather, and customer preferences to deliver personalized and relevant content or offers.

This article was written for CMSWire by Greg Kihlström. With competitive pressures mounting and customer expectations continually rising, organizations are under constant pressure to provide personalized and seamless experiences to their customers across various touchpoints.

Customer lifetime value (CLV) is a crucial metric for businesses to understand and prioritize. It refers to the total revenue a customer is expected to generate over the course of their relationship with a brand.

When customers have more options and higher expectations than ever before, optimizing and personalizing customer touchpoints has become crucial for businesses. The customer journey consists of every interaction a customer has with a brand, from the initial awareness and consideration stage to the purchase and post-purchase support stages.

Positive dialogue builds trust and engagement. In a highly competitive environment, where brands are constantly vying for attention, it is crucial for businesses to establish a meaningful connection with their customers. This connection goes beyond simply sharing information or pushing products; it involves engaging in a genuine dialogue that builds trust and fosters a lasting relationship.

This article was written for CustomerThink by Greg Kihlström. The strategic management of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) has become increasingly critical for securing both short-term gains and long-term financial performance in the enterprise. Both first-hand findings and recent research sheds light on the nuanced relationship between effectively measuring and improving CLV and its consequential impact on an organization’s financial performance.

Good data drives better outcomes. This statement holds true in various industries, including digital advertising. In today's digital age, where data is abundant and easily accessible, advertisers have the opportunity to leverage this information to enhance their advertising strategies and ultimately achieve better results.

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for MarTech. In this final article in the series, we’ll uncover how data can play an impactful role as we engage and retain existing customers, ideally turning them into lifetime loyal supporters of our brand and advocates to their friends, peers and colleagues.

This article was written for Forbes Agency Council by Greg Kihlström. With a fiercely competitive field of options for customers, simply offering a high-quality product or service is often no longer enough to set your brand apart. To truly stand out and build lasting relationships with your customers, you need to create an emotional connection that resonates with them on a deeper level.

A key factor in achieving this collaboration is the use of data-driven experimentation. Data-driven experimentation allows companies to gather insights and make informed decisions based on real-time data. It provides a framework for testing and optimizing strategies, enabling companies to identify what works and what doesn't.

This article was written by Greg Kihlström for CustomerThink. Simply offering a high-quality product or service is no longer enough to set your business apart from the rest. In fact, according to Salesforce, almost 90% of customers value the experience of buying and using a product or service as much or more than the product or service itself.

AI buzz continues, but 2024 shifts focus from playful exploration to tangible results. Join us as we delve into “The Great Reconciliation”: standardizing tools, integrating AI into processes, and demanding proven ROI.

Product leaders need customer empathy in order to build more customer-centric experiences. This means understanding the actual problems that customers are trying to solve and ensuring that the products being built address those needs. It also involves considering the global economic trends and technology changes that may impact customers and incorporating innovation into products.

The following was written by Greg Kihlström for CXO Magazine. As an advisor and consultant to enterprise organizations, I have seen firsthand the importance of customer journey governance.