Issue 1

FCC Flexes on Telecoms & Consent Farms
ICYMI, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau had words with the voice service providers in December to make sure that everybody is on the same page regarding robocall traffic from Urth Access. Meanwhile, lawyers from the FTC and FCC are currently reviewing lead generators that leverage “consent farms” to capture prior EWC. While we’re here, did we tell you that the FCC’s Karen Schroeder, Associate Division Chief, Consumer Policy Division within the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau is going to be speaking at LeadsCon in March? Please make sure you register today!

Loyalty Programs to Drive First-Party Data Efforts in 2023 & Beyond
A new report from Gartner predicts that more and more marketers will turn to loyalty programs to boost first-party data capabilities. While loyalty programs are basic table stakes in hospitality, travel, and retail sectors, only 36% of the companies in Gartner’s study actually had these programs in place in 2022. The report also includes interesting predictions around data privacy and ethical considerations around AI.

Navigating Martech in Uncharted Waters
Marketers might be spooked by inflation, recession fears, and changing consumer behavior, but Matthew Lieberman, PwC’s Chief Marketing Officer says now is not the right time to skimp on your martech investments. Lieberman has some helpful guidance for marketers looking to navigate today’s reality. He also cites an encouraging study from Statista that notes the U.S. martech market will hit $27B by 2024 (up from $18B in 2022).

Chatbots Finding Footholds for B2B Lead Gen
A new study from Botco.ai found that 83% of B2B marketers deploying demand gen programs say that chatbots have boosted their company’s lead generation efforts. A more surprising figure from the report noted that 85% of the 1,000 U.S.-based respondents said they were currently using chatbots for demand gen efforts. AI and martech innovation is expected to continue to thrive in 2023. If you’re interested in what developments are on the horizon for chatbots and conversational AI, CNBC has an interesting forecast here.

Insurance Insights & A LeadsCon Preview
Want a sneak peek at the type of insight that we will be showcasing at LeadsCon in March? Check out the latest episode of the LeadsCon podcast. Karl Renelt is the Director of Marketing for VisitorsCoverage, an award-winning, leading-edge insurtech company in the travel insurance industry. Karl talks about why it’s so hard for most marketers to make an honest assessment their own lead generation capabilities.

Hotels Realizing Benefits of First-Party Data
As the sun sets on the use of third-party data, the hotel industry appears to be evolving and meeting the moment. A recent survey from Sojern found that of the 61% of hotels that pivoted to a first-party data strategy, 81% of them have realized a revenue boost. This is an encouraging indicator for marketers who are still looking to make the transition.