5 principles for a smoother, more successful CDP deployment

Setting proper expectations is an important part of any technology deployment. Customer data platforms (CDPs) are no exception. 

At the fall MarTech Conference, Kristina Kalpokaite, head of strategy for technology and data at independent consultancy firm Leap Horizon, spoke about setting expectations and setting your team up for success with its CDP deployment. 

CDPs are all about “data in,” or data ingestion from various sources, and data transformation within the platform, Kalpokaite said. Over the past 10 years, the CDP sector has grown to include more than 200 platforms. A wide variety of new modules and capabilities are available, making the choice of right platform more complex.

The common drivers behind deploying a CDP in your business can range from leveraging your first-party data and helping you move away from third-party cookies, to driving personalized and consistent  customer journeys, Kalpokaite said.

In this clip, Kalpokaite shares data that demonstrates the success businesses see when they take the steps to properly set expectations and successfully deploy a CDP. 

Dig deeper: The hidden reasons your CDP project is failing

Where and how do you set your CDP expectations? 

Kalpokaite said a helpful place to start is with five simple principles. 

Your CDP is just a piece of software

Your CDP is powerless by itself. It needs to be integrated. Your surrounding martech tools can drive context and help you understand the type of CDP you need. 

The need for reliable data

What goes into your CDP is vitally important. Reliable data requires people and processes, Kalpokaite said. Businesses that plan in advance can halve their time to ROI.

How will you ingest, transform and activate data?

These are important questions. 

• How are you ingesting your data? 
• What are you going to do with the data inside the CDP? 
• How will you activate the data? 
• Who will you need to do this? 
• Where is your data coming from and going to?

When we discuss data in the CDP journey, Kalpokaite said, we mean your data readiness and sources. Then, you choose the exact data points you need and where to find them. 

Your broader martech stack

Kalpokaite said the other tools in your martech stack will drive your CDP integration. Supplementary platforms will dictate what CDP modules you need. For example, you might not need one inside your CDP if you have strong journey orchestration. 

People and processes

• Who is going to work on your ingestion? 
• Who’s going to determine what transformation is done inside your CDP? 
• How will you activate your data? 

Dig deeper: What the composability revolution means for CDPs

Knocking down silos and building in flexibility

In this clip, Kolboketian discusses the importance of reducing silos, understanding identifiers and thinking about flexibility in your CDP plans.

Kalpokaite said businesses that have successfully deployed and implemented a CDP see a phenomenal impact on their business, driving competitive advantage and changing how they serve their customers. 

The key to their success is often planning well and properly setting expectations for what a CDP can do for their business.