Customers now demand great products and interactions that are personalized to their individual needs - not the old-school "spray-and-pray" model that pushed the same message to thousands of customers. But, all is not lost for marketers and retailers. The golden ticket in this customer-centric world is connecting data to insights and insights to action.

Customer data, including demographics, behaviors, attitudes and emotions, offer brands a way to remove the guesswork from the process and help better predict the needs of the individual. With data as their secret weapon, marketers can now send personalized fly fishing promotions to Al in Montana instead of fashion blogger Jenna in New York City. This new precision will paint a clearer picture of each customer allowing marketers to serve up better experiences, drive purchases and build a loyal band of customers.

While data is clearly a recipe for success, there are some common mistakes marketers make that are derailing their attempts to cook up the ultimate customer journey.

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