For example, buying a home typically involves more than getting a mortgage and hiring a moving van. No matter how much stuff you've accumulated, you inevitably buy more things when you move. Not only do they have a chance to sell you a new homeowners or renters policy, but they can also sell an increase in theft and disaster policies. Every event that presents the consumer with an opportunity to buy is an event that presents you with an opportunity to either sell or refer your products and services. Because lifetime events, however, can often be unexpected, you have to be able to deliver individual campaigns on an ad hoc basis-hitting the customer with an offer when he experiences the event so that he is most likely to buy.
Natural disasters are prime examples of events that occur unexpectedly.
If part of your house catches fire and you still have a living room left, you may need to get the upholstery and curtains cleaned. An insurance company can then refer you to a dry cleaning company that potentially could also give you a discount on cleaning. On the Web, these tools can also link into sales force automation and help desk support tools to trigger responses to other customer-facing service functions, like warranty renewals, customer service calls, and even service referrals. If companies provide service referrals, this technique can be extremely effective in building brand and customer loyalty. The possibilities are endless.