Implementing Marketing Analytics

This note supports cases used in Darden's "Marketing Analytics" course elective. Marketing analytics powered by "big data" holds the promise to shift marketing strategy from an intuitive discipline to a fact-based decision-making process. Based on interactions with more than 100 executives in conferences, executive education seminars, case study development, and consulting projects, this technical note serves as a road map for improving implementation of marketing analytics. Excerpt UVA-M-0869 Rev. Jun. 3, 2014 Implementing Marketing Analytics Marketing analytics powered by “big data” holds the promise to shift marketing strategy from an intuitive discipline to a fact-based decision-making process. Despite its potential, widespread adoption of marketing analytics within organizations remains a challenge. The following road map for improving implementation of marketing analytics is based on our interactions with more than 100 executives in conferences, executive education seminars, case study development, and consulting projects. The starting point for implementation of marketing analytics is top management support and the integration of the marketing analytics function in business processes. Given this launching pad, firms must address issues related to organizational structures, analytics processes, and organizational change to foster implementation of analytics (Figure 1). Within this framework, managers should ask seven key questions to start the journey toward a marketing analytics–driven culture. Figure 1. Road map for implementing marketing analytics. . . .