Using Data to Power Your Marketing Strategy

I love a good media theorist quote as much as the next communicator, and grew up on the teachings of Marshall McLuhan and his “medium is the message” concept. In my simple short form, he basically espoused that media is not just about the consumption of content, but instead it is about how the medium, low or high tech, disrupts and shapes our perception of the world.

Forgive me now, while I roll all the way back to the print press which allowed ideas to take shape within communities, that is until television inundated our senses and erased borders. Then social media ramped up fast, moving us beyond mass, and giving rise to the individual voice and personalization. 

Now, data is the disruptor. Pushing us deeper, and challenging us to sharpen our focus further if we want to elevate above the noise, and reveal new ways for marketers to build effective and efficient communication solutions. 

How can a small brand on a tight budget with limited resources, or a big organization with high awareness, and a hefty budget, use data to achieve their goals?   

In my experience, you have to focus your efforts. Have a “BHAG, big hairy audacious goal” and understand you are on a journey to get there. Define what is critical to frictionless progress, and sustainable growth, and make sure to place your audience at the center of every effort, and every conversation. 

Embrace and respect your data, recognize if left unharnessed, it will send you spinning. However, if collected and analyzed methodically with purpose, this incredibly valuable data will create a foundation for success. It will allow you to better understand your audience, and their perception of your brand so you can pilot new ideas, find efficiencies, and deepen engagement. 

It takes a combination of technology and humanity to make it work well. 

The tech side is having the expertise to extract and visualize the data that matters most. Skill in interpreting the data is key. It can tell a story, reinforce a hypothesis, and stimulate ideas and innovation. Be thoughtful and careful. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring inputs like real-world operational factors, front line emotive experiences, and inherent or unconscious biases.

The human side is both fun and complex. It is about people coming together to ideate and discuss how what we learned will power us forward. At Vovia, we believe in the value of data, and the importance of connecting this with people, ideas and outcomes. Collaboration with clients and partners is part of the joy of being in this marketing and advertising game. 

You are not alone on this wild adventure of data navigation. A recent Statista survey among marketing professionals worldwide found that “60 percent of respondents said they used customer data the majority of the time when making decisions.” 

And we’re on this ride with you, over the past 10+ years Vovia has invested in data science technology, people, and resources. We have a human-lead, data-informed culture and feel a sense of duty to encourage our clients to respect, secure, and unlock first-party data in an ethical way so they can continue to adapt and create new opportunities to nurture their audience’s journey.

At Vovia, we link marketing efforts and investment with our client’s business results, all visualized through a tailored real-time dashboard. With this ‘data of value’ at the ready, our priority is to understand your goals, the people you want to engage, and utilize actionable insights to stimulate discussion. This data dialogue helps our clients make informed, strategic decisions that lead to real results; it fuels organizational enhancements, improves marketing and operational efficiency, and creates positive audience experiences. 

McLuhan believed technology is an extension of our human senses and capabilities, and I agree. In many cases, it lurks behind the scenes, quietly transforming the way we interact with the world. But personally, I prefer the human part where we dig in, discuss, debate and deploy to see what amazing things we can achieve together.