Many organizations may think they are data-driven because they collect and report the data they have. But, being an effective data-driven marketer means operationalizing your data management.
To do that, we have developed a data implementation road map. It’s a process we use at MSIGHTS that takes our clients from square-one to fully operational data-driven organizations in a way that meets their specific, strategic goals.
Step one of the process is understanding these three truths:
1) The work to become more marketing data-driven is not a project.
Being an effective data-driven organization goes beyond adopting a project. It’s a major change in how marketing is organized, how it operates and how it is executed. It will require a clear plan for integration and transformation, and a shift in mindset moving forward.
2) Great marketing results start with having great data.
Many companies may think they need more data. You probably already have an abundance of data from a variety of sources, including digital, social, search, offline, lead gen, direct mail, media plans, and sales. What you need is to have quality data in one place. That leads to great analysis and insights.
3) Developing a data strategy takes time, budget and internal equity.
This is a high-risk and difficult initiative that will require time, budget and spending of internal equity. It involves creating teams and aligning personnel to operate effectively to implement the strategy. A lot of companies maintain the status quo and don’t take on this complex transformation. But for those who do this high-risk work, it has a high payoff and ROI.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we continue to share with you our proven roadmap to data implementation. In case you missed it, take a look at “The Mistake Nearly Every Data-Driven Marketer Makes.”