Remember pilots? Those trusted people navigating the skies, sometimes blindfolded by nature. They’ve got two flight tools: Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). VFR is the easy, clear-day navigation. But IFR? That’s about trusting cold, hard instruments when every gut feeling screams the opposite.
Now, let’s talk marketing. Are we on VFR or IFR? Sadly, many are cruising on misguided instincts rather than data-driven directions.
Here’s the crux: our marketing world overflows with data from CRM, website interactions, and more. Yet so many marketers think they can sideline this goldmine for what “feels right.” Just as a clueless pilot might disregard instruments, marketers brush aside data that doesn’t suit their preconceived narratives.
Why?
- Overwhelm: Too much data? Deal with it. It’s the digital age. Start small.
- Inertia: “Always done it this way”? Time for a wake-up call.
- Fear of Misinterpretation: Nervous about reading data? Learn or find someone who can.
This blind trust game is a one-way ticket to irrelevance. Just as pilots can crash without their instruments, marketers will nosedive without data.
My challenge to you? Stop the complacency. Let’s do this right:
- Invest in Analytics: No excuses. Equip your teams. Period.
- Reviews & Recalibrate: Check strategies. Adjust. Repeat.
- Data-driven Culture: Intuition’s great but data doesn’t lie.
- Continuous Learning: Train. Adapt. Grow.
Today, our marketing dollar must be accountable and provide a return on investment. Intuition has its place, but it’s 2023. Data is the compass every marketer needs. So, are you ready to fly right or ready for a hard landing?
But that’s just my opinion.
Scott Gray
Executive Vice President
Speak with Mitchell, start with Micro Data, and build from there.
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