What is data modelling in customer communications and marketing?

Data modelling describes the information an organisation holds and how it is connected. In marketing, this can include relationships between customers, purchases, consent and recorded actions.

When combining CRM, e-commerce and other sources, teams must establish how to identify the same customer, which fields to use and what the information means. A data model is therefore also an agreement on terminology between business functions.

An audience combining purchase history and loyalty status requires those details to be linked to the correct customer. Event-based communications also require the relevant event to be recorded and transferred. A data model does not itself establish a lawful basis for using the data.