In today’s competitive marketing world, 70% of marketing leaders are struggling to connect with their target audiences. That’s right—despite an abundance of marketing technologies and a seemingly endless array of tools at their disposal, most marketing teams still can’t achieve seamless, meaningful customer engagement. But what if there’s a way forward?
TransUnion’s newly commissioned research by Forrester Consulting sheds light on why marketing teams are failing to connect with audiences and offers a clear path to overcoming these challenges. Through identity resolution tools, organizations can break down the barriers of fragmented data and unlock the ability to connect with customers across multiple touchpoints.
The Reality of Marketing Fragmentation: Challenges That Can’t Be Ignored
According to the Q4 2024 Identity Resolution Survey, which surveyed 325 martech decision-makers, 70% of marketing leaders say they struggle to identify and reach their audience effectively. This fragmentation in their technology stack is making personalized marketing strategies and connected customer experiences increasingly difficult to achieve.
This research highlights a few critical points for marketing teams grappling with complex tech stacks:
- 16+ martech solutions are being juggled by two-thirds of organizations, adding to the complexity and difficulty of reaching marketing goals.
- Personalization across the customer journey is impossible without integrating data from multiple platforms.
- Scaling efforts, effectively onboarding AI, and minimising wasted marketing spend are just a few of the hurdles faced by marketing teams.
As Matt Spiegel, EVP at TransUnion, explains, “It’s not about changing your stack but leveraging identity and data tools to connect these disconnected tools. Without that connection, inefficiencies become significant concerns.”
These challenges are a wake-up call for marketers—especially those in large enterprises—looking to gain a competitive edge.
The Power of Identity Resolution Tools: Unlocking the Potential of Your Data
So, what’s the solution? The answer lies in identity resolution tools—technologies that connect disparate data sources and offer a unified view of customers. By leveraging these tools, marketers can overcome the barriers posed by their fragmented tech stacks.
The benefits are clear:
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Improved Customer Experiences: Marketers who use identity resolution report that they are meeting or exceeding their customer experience and understanding goals—93% of them, to be exact. This unified view of customers ensures that interactions are more relevant and personalised, leading to stronger customer relationships.
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Better Customer Insights: 88% of marketers are achieving their goals related to customer insights and understanding by employing identity resolution. With a clearer understanding of customer behaviour, preferences, and needs, businesses can make data-driven decisions with confidence.
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Increased Decision-Making Agility: With accurate, integrated data, marketing teams are better equipped to make data-driven decisions. 79% of organizations using identity resolution tools reported improved decision-making and adaptability, key components for staying ahead in a fast-paced market.
Why Marketers Can’t Afford to Ignore Data Fragmentation
The results from the Forrester survey underline just how critical it is to address data fragmentation head-on. Without it, marketers are stuck working with disjointed information across multiple platforms. This leaves them with incomplete views of their customers and makes it harder to create targeted, relevant campaigns.
Consider this: A marketer who is using 16 or more tools in their martech stack has to manually pull together data from each system, often leading to inconsistencies, errors, and missed opportunities. This scattered data also impacts their ability to personalise communication, scale efforts, and ultimately increase ROI on their marketing spend.
The reality is clear: Identity resolution is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. For businesses looking to future-proof their marketing strategies, it’s time to invest in tools that offer holistic views of customers and allow teams to work smarter, not harder.
The Clear Path Forward: How to Leverage Identity Resolution for Success
To put it simply: when marketing teams are able to connect their fragmented tools and data sources, the results speak for themselves. Businesses that leverage identity resolution solutions see measurable improvements in their marketing outcomes. This process is about more than just cleaning up the data—it’s about creating personalised experiences that lead to stronger customer loyalty and business growth.
Here’s how it works:
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Data Integration: By using identity resolution tools, marketers can link customer data across platforms. This means that when a customer interacts with a brand through email, social media, or their website, marketers have a full picture of that customer’s journey, preferences, and interactions.
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Personalization at Scale: Armed with integrated data, marketers can deliver tailored content and offers to customers. Personalized marketing is no longer an afterthought; it becomes part of the core strategy, making every customer touchpoint more meaningful.
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Reduced Wasted Spend: With clear, accurate data, businesses can allocate their marketing resources more effectively. Instead of spending on ineffective campaigns, marketers can focus on the channels and tactics that resonate most with their target audience.
Case Study: The Impact of Identity Resolution
A large retailer recently adopted identity resolution tools to integrate its fragmented data. Within six months, the company reported a 40% increase in customer engagement and a 25% reduction in marketing spend. By connecting the dots between various data sources, the retailer was able to personalise offers and drive more meaningful customer interactions.
Takeaways: Making the Connection with Your Customers
TransUnion’s research offers valuable insights into how identity resolution tools can help marketers break down the barriers of fragmented data and start connecting with their customers more effectively. The key takeaway is simple: When you have a unified view of your customer data, you can create better experiences and make smarter decisions that drive results.
As Matt Spiegel said, “When you connect the dots between systems, you’re creating better experiences for people. And that’s what drives results.”
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