Welcome Samuel Hess, Chief Experimentation Officer at DRIP Agency, shares insights on AI’s Impact on Creativity, Data-driven Marketing, and Tech Adoption as part of the MarTech Thoughts series.

How do you describe your job to a 5-year-old?

I optimise online shops. This means I help online shops sell more stuff! Basically, I make sure more people buy things, and they buy more when they do.

What is the one marketing platform/app/solution you can’t live without? Why?

Google Analytics – without it, running an online shop is like flying blind. It gives you the data to know what’s happening.

What will be the next evolution in marketing technology that we can expect in the coming years?

I believe technology will empower marketers to become even more creative. AI will play a huge role in enabling this, making it easier for us to test new ideas and innovate.
With AI and big data, we’ll likely make more accurate predictions and base our decisions on real insights, rather than just assumptions. The future of marketing will be a blend of creativity and precision driven by data.

What are the key challenges when implementing new technologies or platforms for the first time in your company, and do you have any suggestions for making the process smoother?

The hardest part is getting people to experiment with new tech during their regular work hours. New technologies require time to explore, and the biggest challenge is finding that time. Most employees are swamped with daily tasks, so they don’t have much room to experiment.
My suggestion? Dedicate 4 hours per week for employees to try out new tools—no overtime required—and make it a priority by blocking this time on their calendar.

What challenges do you see in processing data coming from different sources? How to overcome?

I don’t see it as a challenge—I see it as a massive opportunity. The real question is how to format and connect all that data. We’re entering an era of unlimited data, so it’s less about the technical hurdles (which are minor) and more about the insights you can derive. Many people are still scared of data, but even basic AI models like GPT-3.5 Turbo can help make sense of it. For more advanced tasks, we use GPT-4.

What data enrichment strategies can you suggest that work effectively from your experience?

Look at where your customers spend their time—whether it’s social media, blogs, YouTube, or Reddit—and scrape that data (ethically, of course). From there, you can better understand their motivations and behaviours.

What’s the best approach/tools to understand customer pain points? Especially when the survey response rate is low.

As I mentioned earlier, the best customer insights come from multiple sources. Your customers are constantly sharing opinions and experiences on social media, blogs, YouTube, Reddit, and other platforms. It’s about identifying where they spend time and extracting insights from a large volume of data.

How do you tackle department silos when it comes to looking into CX proactively?

Get everyone in the same room, literally or virtually. Silos between CX, UX, UI, and CRO teams are unfortunately common, but the solution is collaboration. Regular meetings and discussions help break down these barriers.

How do you measure brand love?

It’s tough to measure, but I think repurchase rate and word-of-mouth sales are key indicators. You might have a high NPS, but does it actually lead to more sales? People often say one thing but act differently, so real actions, like repeat purchases, matter more.

To build experiences that convert, personalisation is key. Then how important is segmentation to your personalisation strategy?

Honestly, it’s overrated if you haven’t even mastered the basics like regular A/B testing and user research. Many companies try to jump straight into personalisation by copying competitors before they’ve laid a proper foundation. Master the basics first, then dive into personalisation.

What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?

You can learn something from everyone, and nobody likes a show-off. Also, just be kind to people—yes, work is about performance, but there’s no need to be an a**hole.

Any fun facts about yourself that you want to share?

I have “Less Ego, More Data” tattooed on my right forearm.

Are there any questions you’d like to ask to other MarTech enthusiasts?

What scares you about AI in marketing, especially with advancements like Neuralink? What do you fear could happen if everyone had chips and smart glasses? And, where do you see opportunities?

A big thank you to Samuel Hess, Chief Experimentation Officer at DRIP Agency, he shares his expert insights on AI’s Impact on Creativity, Data-driven Marketing, and Tech Adoption. If you want to connect with Samuel, feel free to reach out via LinkedIn!

See more MarTech Thoughts interview pieces here!

Last updated: September 2024