Hands off my data!...

Who should take charge of marketing data when everyone wants a piece of it? 

We’re always hearing about the value of data and how unwise it is not to make the most of it. IDG research revealed that the average SMB stored nearly 50TB of data in 2015 and expected this to more than double within 18 months. Where we are now is anybody’s guess. Even taking into account the potentially constraining effect of GDPR on data collection, sophisticated web tracking and analytics along with highly interactive online channels make it easier than ever to collect data about consumer and professional behaviours and preferences. Data storage facilities are getting bigger and cheaper to meet demand.

So when someone in sales asks for access to your marketing data, surely it’s a good thing to make better use of it for your organisation? But if that’s the case, why do marketers react so defensively to the request?

Are we power-crazy data hoarders, desperately guarding the goose that lays the golden eggs of insight informing our incredible marketing campaigns?

Power-crazy or risk averse?

Maybe some of us are… but generally speaking that’s not the reason. And it certainly is great to make full, cross-functional use of the data we acquire for our organisation, further strengthening the return on investment in collection, storage and analytical technology.

But – crucially – we do need to make sure there is control over who uses data and what they do with it. Without this there’s a risk of mixed messages, over-communication or a conflict of approaches that will turn customers and prospects away, to everyone’s detriment. 

When marketing and sales collide

For example, your marketing team may be conducting a long-term campaign that targets buyers with known characteristics and habits that suggest a propensity to buy a service. You’re establishing thought leadership by sharing insightful blogs and content across a variety of relevant channels, you’re issuing event invitations, you’re encouraging engagement and staying in contact, with the goal of leading the right prospects to enter the sales funnel willingly, when the timing is right for them.

Meanwhile, your sales team is approaching the end of a tough quarter. They need some quick wins to hit target. Where can they find some low hanging fruit to hit hard and reach the bottom before month-end?

Your database looks good to the sales manager. He/She wants in. But what about those carefully nurtured relationships? What about the growing but not yet fully established brand credibility you’ve been incubating through specialist topics aligned to stages of buying cycle/personas...? 

What do sales want to talk to them about? How can you stop them crashing in with a hard sell and alienating the people who were just coming to like and trust you? How do you stop the conversation being all about fast decisions and proof of concepts on sales’ flavour of the month product or service – regardless of the potential longer-term value of other offerings better suited to these prospects’ future needs?

Using shared resources responsibly

They’re all valid concerns. But you both work for the same organisation. It doesn’t seem right that one function can dictate how and when customer data is used, when everyone’s trying to achieve goals that contribute to overall performance. 

It’s not about empire-building. It’s actually about understanding and communication – and using a shared resource responsibly. Marketing and sales should be working closely together, using data insight to create an extended pipeline that attracts and engages prospects. And segments them and targets them in the most relevant ways and makes direct contact at the point of need, when the customer’s situation and requirement is well understood, supported by consistent and useful messaging, information and collateral.

The reality is that many sales and marketing departments operate in silos. A lack of trust and communication keeps valuable prospect and customer data isolated from people who could make good use of it. 

Two ways to break up the data power struggle

Championing collaboration in joint sales and marketing planning and practice is one way for marketing leaders to tackle this challenge. Marketing and sales initiatives and targets should be interlinked and interdependent, forming a single, powerful plan. 

But who owns the data? Who’s in the driving seat? Do we empower data scientists and analysts to be the custodians of data? Who is managing it for the overall good of the organisation? They need to be senior, experienced managers who can take a business-level view and help sales and marketing share data and gain best insight from it, combining and prioritising their customer-facing activities for an optimal prospect and customer experience. 

I think that crossover roles like these will become increasingly important – to protect your brand reputation and promote responsible, customer-friendly data usage as well as compliance to internal and external policies and regulations.

IBM have recently pointed to the 'Director of Marketing Data' as ‘hottest new role’ - I agree with you @simondaniels @mktginsightguy its questionable to whether its new, but its definitely needed to help balance the power struggles across business.

Natalie Edwards - Head of Marketing CACI