APRIL 2018CIOAPPLICATIONS.COM9· Prototyping and learning "on-the-fly"· Integrating a new breed of talent (dubbed: Marketing Engineer) brands can pivot and get ahead of their competitionAfter all brands equity is evaporating quickly. The new strategic asset is in fact the data brands possess to understand their consumers, make smarter decisions and measure success to optimize their strategy. There are several ways to structure a better use of D&T, below is a list 3 considerations:1. Clearly define your D&T organization model: a. Center of Excellence, strong leadership in place to manage a unified versatile teamb. Hub and Spoke, centralized strategy and roadmap with localized executionc. Federated, localized execution with deep expertise of the local requirements and needs2. Pick wisely: Build, buy or rent. Determine the right technology and software fit for you organization. Depending on the type of business you manage the wrong procurement selection can have significant negative implications.a. Build the technology and software to support unique use cases. While building may provide a differentiation in the marketplace it can also require continues support and upkeep to stay competitive.b. Rent, license services based on estimated use and the possibility of a switch if things don't work out. Lowering the level of decision-risk certainly has immediate benefits and allows you to test before your commit, with that said it could slow you down and disrupt your workflows by keeping partnerships dynamic.c. Buy, commit to a long-standing relationship with a technology and/or software provider(s). Making a commitment allows you to galvanize and train your organization to maximize the use of a technology and software long-term, albeit the marketplace is dynamic and you need to ensure you make the right choice.3. Commit to D&T: "Nobody has ever gotten fired for sticking with data". Transform your Marketing Managers to Marketing Engineers and assign your strategic initiatives and investments decisions to people with strong analytics bent. Analytics people continuously triangulate data, run simulations, and are closest to your business metrics. This constant data training enables them to be quick, calculated and decisive in solving challenges beyond just data assignments. The most successful brands know this and make data talent the center of how they make decisions. The reality is that more planning does not reduce the risk of failure in today's marketplaceMichael Kaushansky
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