14 - Analytics 101 for the Marketeer. Spot & Pool in the SPIRAL Framework

A framework is generally directional in nature and the nitty-gritties of the individual phases are the critical components for ensuring outcomes. I will go through some considerations that marketeers need to keep in mind to manage the S & P phases of the SPIRAL approach while putting your data driven customer-centric approach on track.
S: Spot & Identify “Marketing Aligned” Consumer Information.
P: Pool and manage multiple Data Sources into a single storehouse.
The S & P are probably the most crucial aspects of the methodology since they are really the bread board or the foundation over which the rest of the circuitry can be wired on. The depth to which you get to in designing and thinking through the “SPOT” & “POOL” phases sets the direction in terms of the data elements that are critical to you and how they are structured together as a conceptual data model. Slightly technical aspects, but simple enough when spitballed with a data analyst. Your business acumen and the data analyst's tools need to collaborate for success.

 The "Spotting" Phenomenon:

The infographic above depicts the behavioural aspects of a consumer business that could be of potential interest to a marketer in a consumer scenario. I have taken the liberty of drilling down  into some of the data elements that make up a particular behavior. Some of these are perhaps less pertinent to your business , there are probably others that impact marketing efforts more significantly. The data elements need to be carefully traded off based on the business value each step can bring in vis a vis the investment that is required to get these in place.
It is good to think through the following questions before getting a particular data element on board.
 Where does this data flow in from and why is it important to me?
How can we store it so that it can be accessed on a regular basis?
How can we get to this data at real time?
What is the aggregation mechanism to build intelligence on this data?
How do we effectively use this to “power” our marketing message with relevance and timing?
How does the interplay of different behaviours matter to my business and what does it tell me about a consumer’s mindset?
How do we use this intelligence to be proactive about our marketing efforts?

The "P"OOLING Phase:

Having identified the ways and means of getting the individual data elements in place, the next step is the P or the Pooling phase. The structure in which the data resides is key and the following considerations need to kept in mind while designing the database(s) and integrations. Here’s a quick design check list that can help arrive at a consensus in building the right data structures and zero in on the appropriate technology to employ.  The Swiftest surgery is the least painful and really, if you have picked the most crucial elements and / or behaviors and the simplest approach from the matrix below, quick wins can be  demonstrated before securing investment for a complex & time consuming Data Engineering effort.



Thinks of yourself as a product entrepreneur and use the MVP ( Minimum Viable Product) & FTM (First to Market) concepts to the hilt  for your development approach.  Choose only those options that will provide the maximum business value and build those pieces first to demonstrate viability and indeed improved conversions, before charging at the windmills. I will share some aspects of how the "I" -the integration aspects can be thought through in my next post.