Data-Driven Marketing

Where Analytical Thinking Meets Creativity

By Mallori L. Hays*

Creative wizards and data geeks: Unite!

When thinking about data-driven marketing our minds tend to get stuck in the numbers, but it is vital to recall and remember the importance of why. Why did your patients choose you over the competition? Why is it that you do what you do every day? When we get fixated on the data we can lose out on the creativity of marketing, which is often a useful tool to portray the why.

Creating marketing campaigns solely based on creativity alone can seem unruly, yielding ideas and campaigns with no concept of what is working or not. At the same time, looking at data in marketing without any creative energy may produce a campaign characterized as cold, mundane, humdrum, and stiff. Individually, data and creativity are limited in their capacity, but by combining the two, you can elevate your marketing efforts and continue to portray your why in an effective manner. For example, instead of testing only your “best idea,” opt to bring several of your creative ideas for A/B testing to see which ad/creative style performs better. It takes vigor to trust the numbers rather than focusing only on prior experience and knowledge, and this data can allow a more calculated and preemptive effort that is sure to pay off without sacrificing creativity.

Data-driven marketing is about knowing your consumers, heightening performance, and forecasting future behaviors. Knowing where your patients are coming from (Google, social media, doctor referrals, etc.) and who they are (age, gender, diagnoses, etc.) helps to better focus creative efforts when enhancing ongoing marketing efforts. Marketing analytics is not just a collection of fun and fascinating facts—they are keys that can help resolve your core business questions while portraying your image and culture to your consumer.

Marketing Quick Fix: Engage both creatives and data analysts when brainstorming new strategies and tactics, as well as when you’re performing a campaign review. Data can always provide insights into your business practices, fueling creativity and setting the foundation for collaboration.

Mallori L. Hays is the Marketing & Data Specialist for IRG Physical & Hand Therapy in Mill Creek, Washington. She can be reached at Mallori.hays@irgpt.com.