Kenyon Blunt
In Part 1, I discussed the data issues surrounding the integration of online and offline data (fifthgearanalytics.com/1stentry). It’s making it increasingly difficult to get the marketing analytics we need to attribute success to the correct channels. It could be the proliferation of channels, the difference in the data sets, generic vs. complicated data models, or the fact that a great deal of online data resides at third-party providers. So, what do we do about it?
I’ve listed 5 strategies for integrating the new kinds of data flowing out of web analytics tools, social media and offline data warehouses:
- Extend an olive branch to the IT department. Marketers have long sought work-arounds to the logjam in IT. Online marketers have almost completely bypassed their IT areas because they get all the data they could possible need from web analytics tools. It’s time to come together and solve these organizational issues
-
Over-communicate across functional groups. Run monthly meetings with cross-functional teams to communicate on integration problems. This may require identifying one person who understands data and who can lead the charge. To download more information on this strategy go to http://searchmarketingnow.com/optimize-your-marketing-silos-how-to-bring-together-online-and-offline-marketing-4934.
- Increase knowledge of marketing analytics, reporting and metrics. Having a better understanding of what the data will be used for will help teams identify required information versus data that would just be nice to have.
- Make integrated data available to all. Try to get all the data from all sources within your company and make it available to key decision-makers. Try not to get into political battles on where the data is stored, just make sure it’s what you need for implementing multichannel campaigns.
- Demonstrate success with early wins. Nothing will spur the drive to integrated data like showing the CMO or the CFO how it can improve bottom-line results. Until you have all the data you need, this may have to be done with simulations, but should still drive home the point.
When marketers solve these integration issues, we will be able to analyze the effectiveness of our multichannel marketing programs and identify our MVPs (most valuable paths). Clearly, this should be our goal in this new marketing paradigm.
About the Author:
Kenyon Blunt is the CEO at SIGMA Marketing Group. Connect with Kenyon on or follow him on .
Related Articles:
Will Corporate Silos Slow Multichannel Marketing? Part 1: Four Problems With Online and Offline Data
Using data and marketing analytics to define the multichannel marketing mix
Growing revenues with multichannel marketing analytics
{ 2 trackbacks }