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CRM, lifecycle marketing and AI search glossary
26 terms in plain English. Short definitions you can use and quote.
- A/B test
- A controlled experiment that shows two versions of a message or page to similar groups, to learn which performs better.
- Activation rate
- The share of new users who complete the first key action that predicts they will stay, such as a first order or first deposit.
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
- Making your content the direct answer that search engines and AI assistants use for a question. Be the direct answer.
- Churn rate
- The share of customers who stop using or buying from you in a given period.
- Cohort
- A group of customers who share a starting point, such as the month they signed up, tracked together over time.
- Control group (holdout)
- A small group deliberately not messaged, used as a baseline to measure what a campaign really added.
- CRM (customer relationship management)
- The system and practice of storing customer data and using it to manage relationships, segments and communication.
- Customer journey
- The path a customer takes from first contact to loyal customer, including every touchpoint along the way.
- Customer lifetime value (LTV)
- The total value a customer brings over the whole relationship with your business.
- Customer segmentation
- Grouping customers by behaviour, value and lifecycle stage so each group gets messages that fit.
- Funnel
- The series of steps people move through toward a goal, such as signup, verification and first purchase, with some dropping off at each step.
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
- Making your brand the one AI tools actually name when they write an answer. Be the brand the AI actually names.
- Lifecycle marketing
- Planning communication around each stage of the customer journey: onboarding, activation, retention and win-back.
- Marketing automation
- Software that sends messages automatically based on rules and customer behaviour, such as triggered journeys.
- NPS (Net Promoter Score)
- A survey score based on how likely customers are to recommend you, from detractors to promoters.
- Omnichannel
- Planning communication across email, push, SMS, WhatsApp and in-app messages so channels work together.
- Onboarding
- The path that takes a new customer from signup to their first real result.
- Personalisation
- Tailoring messages and offers to each customer using what you know about their behaviour and preferences.
- Push notification
- A short message sent to a customer’s phone by an app they have installed and allowed to notify them.
- RCS (Rich Communication Services)
- A richer form of text messaging that can include images, buttons and carousels.
- Reactivation (win-back)
- Campaigns that bring back customers who have gone quiet.
- Retention rate
- The share of customers who are still active after a set time, such as 7, 30 or 90 days.
- RFM
- A way to score customers on recency, frequency and monetary value to find your best customers and those slipping away.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Improving a website so search engines can find, understand and rank it for relevant searches.
- Time to first value
- How long it takes a new customer to get their first real benefit from your product.
- Triggered campaign
- A message sent automatically when a customer does, or does not do, something specific.
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