We’ve spent this month extolling the virtues of data and encouraging marketers to give data a central role in informing decision making and strategy development. But on a practical level, the stream of data coming from your website, social media and CRM can easily become an overwhelming tidal wave of data that multiplies daily. How are companies supposed to keep up?
This question is intimidating, especially because marketers know that using data to its fullest advantage is key to generating growth. Data can play a role in every decision. The best way to handle your data will vary depending on your company’s specific needs, but companies of all sizes can get a handle on the day to day management of their data with these three strategies:
With data coming in each day it can be easy to get caught up in tiny details and interactions, whether you’re tracing all of your referral traffic or crafting thoughtful responses to social discussions. Putting energy into these day-to-day activities is, of course, time well spent, but bi-weekly check-ins will help keep your entire team focused and on the same page. Use this time to compare notes and see if you’re picking up on trends, whether it’s a burst of similar inquiries or promising interactions.
The analytics tools available are constantly growing in power and complexity and the full potential of your data may be difficult for a non-specialist to realize. Data specialists are individuals whose extensive training and exposure grant them a unique ability to identify patterns and recognize actionable insight from the large amounts of data you’re gathering. This insight often makes data specialists worth their weight in gold!
Of course, not all companies are in a position to add a data specialist as a full-time team member. Businesses of all sizes can gain that expertise by retaining the service of outside consultants or firms with data insight capabilities. Outside experts can ensure that your data is measuring engagement and that you have the insights you need to make informed decisions.
Photo credit: Sonny Abesamis via Flickr Creative Commons
(Click here to expand)
