Closing the gap that currently exists among data analysts, brand teams and corporate sales is a near-universal challenge in enterprise businesses. In a perfect world, consumer data analysts deliver actionable details to marketing and PR pros, and outreach efforts strategically support sales. But the reality is that these groups often work in isolated silos and don’t make it to the proverbial table to collaborate and share resources.
A new ebooklet, Be a Big Data Marketing Hero, explains how internal coordination can help enterprise marketing teams improve internal coordination, operational efficiency and profitability. The content includes actionable ways for you to improve the quality of your company’s cross-team communication.
If you’re a social marketer who’s struggling to develop compelling messaging for your target consumer groups because you aren’t getting meaningful data from your analyst team, here are three small things you can do to improve your working relationship with your company’s consumer data gatekeepers.
1. Improve Internal Networking
Take a good hard look at how you’re networking within your organization. Consider the level of service you’re receiving from your internal teams and how their competencies and insight are reflecting on you as a communications pro. You might find that your internal access issues can improve dramatically by improving the way you interact and communicate with data gatekeepers. Seek out high-performing people in other departments and talk with them about the work each of you are doing. Find common ground and initiate collaboration that can benefit you both.
2. Assess the Value of the Market Data you’re getting — then Adjust and Repeat
Performance expectations for marketing teams have changed as a result of the real-time digital culture. As resources shrink and the volume and variety of consumer data reach historic highs, brand managers and others who rely on timely market research to develop compelling communications are overwhelmed with the amount of incoming information coming their way. Few people have the time to sift through data and consider its potential implications. There are just too many balls in the air. So, try to identify what data points are helping you move the dial and which ones can fall by the wayside. After all, the true test of value for market data is how useful it is when making decisions. Do what you can to make sure that your company’s analysts are spending time on gathering and evaluating the information that’s most important and help them avoid wasting effort on dealing with data that doesn’t really help you connect with customers.
3. Set up a Time to Touch Base Regularly
If marketing, PR and sales people — and the other departments and agencies that support those teams — look to consumer data to get an edge over competitors and make smart decisions about outreach and promotions, then make sure that analysts know what you’re trying to do and why. Schedule a time to sit down with the analyst team on a regular basis and loop in the departments that also have a stake in data collection and reporting processes. If analysts know what you need to accomplish, they may be able to offer information you didn’t even know existed.
Given the round-the-clock real-time expectations of modern consumers, you need to make sure your data analysts understand the one-to-one marketing approach you’re using to build your brand. Set them up to help you strategically address how to approach, message and implement programs designed for specific audience groups, including the rules, tools and channels that resonate best. Sure, this may seem like a tall order; but clear and regular communication between marketing and analyst teams can go a long way toward building a strong working relationship that benefits everyone and boosts company profits.
