Optimove, which selects customer treatments based on movement between lifecycle stages, has expanded its scope to include acquisitions as well as existing customers. The new feature uses look-alike modeling to assign new Web site visitors to segments and then selects the most appropriate treatment for each segment. The company says that combining acquisition and retention marketing will yield an average 25% lift in conversion rates. If you’re keeping track: Optimove builds a unified, accessible, persistent customer database, making them a Customer Data Platform.

When it comes to picking ad buying systems, the software is less important than the data it can access. That’s the moral of this Digiday report that Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP) is now tied with Google among ad buying agencies. Amazon’s software isn’t especially great but it has exclusive access to Amazon’s data on individual consumers’ shopping history. Low price and self-service options also weigh in Amazon’s favor.

It’s all surveys today, Dear Reader.  Marigold reports that consumers are eager for personalized content, with 79% saying they’re likely to engage with a personalized email tailored to their interests.  Sadly, 33% feel their needs are unmet by current brand messages.  Discounts and coupons (95%) top the list of what they want in exchange for personal data, followed closely by loyalty rewards at 94%.  Content is last at 61%.