Inman

4 ways to use Google and your consumer data to drum up business

Henry Williams, Google senior account manager, at ICSF. Credit: Scott Chernis/Inman

Every agent and broker customer relationship management system (CRM) is full of a valuable asset: consumer data. On Tuesday at Inman Connect San Francisco, Henry Williams, senior account manager at Google, gave attendees four tips for how to take advantage of that asset to drum up more business.

1. Leverage your data across the web

That means reaching out to the people in your CRM through social networks and targeting custom audiences through Google AdWords campaigns.

Source: Google

“The difference between the people that are winning to their fullest capability and those they aren’t are those that are [are] taking advantage of the tools that are available to them. Your data is a tool available to you. To not use it is crazy. Use your data,” Williams said.

2. Connect prior to the audience being in-market, anticipate your consumers’ needs

Marketers talk about people being higher or lower in “the funnel,” with those lower in the funnel more ready to transact. Businesses always ask, “How do we reach the people that are lower funnel, the in-market people?” Williams said.

But the people who, as Williams put it, “win” are those who connect with consumers well before they are in-market, he said. Google now offers a “Life Events” targeting feature through AdWords, allowing agents and other business people to target consumers going through a major life event such as a graduation or a new baby.

Source: Google

3. Re-engage when ready to buy

Yes, every marketer reaches out when consumers are in-market, Williams said, but the few ads that will really resonate with consumers will be those from agents who took the time to reach out to them before they were in-market.

Source: Google

4. Reach a niche audience

An example of a niche is senior housing. Those in search of such housing would likely type certain keywords into Google, such as “local assisted living,” and visit certain URLs, such as After55.com, Williams said.

Source: Google

Agents can reach those audiences by targeting consumers who use those keywords and URLs via Google AdWords, according to Williams.

Source: Google

“If you do all four of those things, I guarantee you will maximize your data and reach your target audience,” Williams said.

Email Andrea V. Brambila.

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