How do you translate “marketing speak” into “software speak”?
Marketing requirements can be tricky to pin down. One of my favorite ways to approach requirements is to first create a general description of the campaign or audience, then distill that down to determine what data, logic, and timing is needed to segment, personalize, and make decisions. I prefer to do this through an interview process with the marketer. For example, a campaign requirements conversation usually goes like this:
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Me: Tell me about this marketing effort.
Marketer: We’re targeting people who have purchased product XYZ in the past, but not recently. We’re offering a promo code!
Me: Nice! Who do you want to include in this marketing effort?
Marketer: I want to include anyone who purchased XYZ product previously, is over 25 years old, and who is opted in for marking
Me: (writes down): Purchased XYZ, opt in status, current age (over 25)
Me: So you would need to know who purchased XYZ, what their opt in status is, and what there current age is, right?
Marketer: Yep! And I want to exclude anyone who purchased recently.
Me: Okay. Anyone who purchased XYZ product, or purchased anything? And how recently?
Marketer: Hmm, purchased anything in that product category within the last 6 months.
Me: (writes down): Last purchase date for product category, product category of XYZ
Marketer: Yes, that looks right.
Me: Thanks, let me see if I have this right – Identify everyone who is opted in that has purchased XYZ product but has not purchased that product category in the last 6 months.
Marketer: Yep!
Me: Great! Next, once you start marketing, how do you know when to stop? What is considered a success, what is considered an exit, what is considered engagement?
Marketer: Ooh, great questions. When they purchase in that product category, or really if they purchase anything using the coupon code, that would be the success. If they opt out, that would be an exit. Engagement would be a trip to the website to browse.
Me: (writes down) Success = purchase date in product category, use of coupon code. Exit = opt out, Engagement = website visit
Me: Is there anything you would need to know to personalize their marketing experience?
Marketer: I’d like to show a picture of product XYZ, include a coupon code, and know which channel they prefer.
Me: (writes down): Product XYZ image, coupon code, preferred channel
Me: Thanks! This gives us a great start to figure out data to support this effort.
Me: (Compiles whiteboard data into a summary):
Include anyone who is opted in, is under 25 years old, has purchased product XYZ previously but has not purchased in that product category in the last 6 months. Exclude anyone in this audience that purchases or opts out. The success of this campaign will be determined by the number of recipients who purchased using the coupon code or a tracking source.
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Oftentimes I see the marketer coming up with the requirements themselves. This can work, but I don’t recommend it. Here’s why: when the marketer is focused on logical thinking (specific data points, timing), the customer experience can easily get forgotten. By asking a marketer to describe the audience and the experience, a good marketing technologist can elicit data and logic requirements without requiring the marketer to have data and logic expertise.
Today’s marketing automation platforms are designed for marketers to use with limited development skills – low-code or no-code systems. While a marketer doesn’t need to know how to code, they still need to translate “marketing speak” into “software speak.”
What do you think? Do most marketers need a translator? What are some of your favorite questions to elicit requirements? Tell me about your approach in the comments below.
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