As we demonstrated in our last blog post, many marketers are falling behind in their personalisation efforts, despite it being a proven tactic to increase retention, engagement and conversions.
The primary challenge keeping marketers from achieving successful personalisation, according to our research, is accessibility of customer data, followed closely by a technology deficit and insufficient customer data.
When we look at the sheer size of the customer data platform (CDP) landscape – technology that should theoretically unify customer data so that it’s accessible for marketers, enabling cross-channel personalisation – it becomes clear that there isn’t a lack of technology on the market. So, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that the current technology on the market is simply failing marketers.
Let’s dig into this notion. What data do marketers need to make their personalisation efforts more sophisticated, and what should they be looking for in the technology they’re investing in to leverage it?
As you might have gathered by now, we’re all about first-party data at Plinc, and it plays a huge role in personalisation, so it’s a logical place for us to start.
First-Party Data and Personalisation
First-party data is the information that a business collects directly from its customers, such as purchase history, demographic information, digital behaviours, preferences and more. Unlike second- and third-party data, first-party data is gathered and owned by the brand itself, generally making it the most valuable and reliable.
Data is the key to unlock the power of personalisation. With unified and accessible data at the ready for each individual customer, marketing teams can curate compelling and individualised experiences that keep customers coming back for more.
In our next blog entry, we’ll be highlighting a few personalisation use cases – watch this space.
Blog posts

Using Real Time Personalised Content for Customer Retention
As personalisation moves from a nice-to-have to a growth driver, real-time content has become essential for keeping customers engaged. This article explores…

CDP vs. CRM in 2025: Choosing the Right Customer Data Management Tool
With evolving tech and tighter marketing demands, understanding the roles of CRMs and CDPs has never been more critical. This guide breaks down the key…

From Execution to Influence: The CRM Shift That Starts with One Small Step
CRM teams are full of strategic potential. This series recap shows how ten small shifts – from insight to influence – can help CRM earn trust, drive value,…

Measure What Matters: From Campaign Lift to Long-Term Customer Impact
CRM teams won’t earn strategic influence with click rates alone. To drive investment and impact, reporting must shift from campaign metrics to customer…

Lead the Brief: How CRM Becomes a Strategic Voice in Trading Decisions
CRM teams often arrive too late to shape strategy. Showing up with live insight repositions CRM as an contributor to commercial planning , not just the…

Connect the Journey: Building Real Omnichannel Intelligence
Disconnected journeys limit CRM’s impact. When CRM connects cross-channel behaviour into a clear customer view, it drives smarter personalisation,…