Comments on: Marketing Analysts Take Over Boston http://www.lynneharrold.com/2008/09/23/marketing-analysts-take-over-boston/ A blog about marketing, analytics and strategy Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:11:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Don Ryan http://www.lynneharrold.com/2008/09/23/marketing-analysts-take-over-boston/#comment-17 Don Ryan Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:58:40 +0000 http://www.lynneharrold.com/?p=61#comment-17 As Senior Partner at iKnowtion, I was pleased to read the "Marketing Analysts Take Over Boston" post, which summarized our recent MAX08 forum. This event demonstrated the growing interest in marketing analytics - the forum was sold out and we had great participation by attendees throughout the day across a range of exciting topics. Over 30 companies were represented, spanning a wide variety of industries such as financial services, retail, healthcare, sports, communications, publishing, and technology. A steady drumbeat of questions and comments revolved around what it takes to get a company to move up to a higher level of analytic competition. (A good summary of Tom Davenport's views is presented in his book Competing On Analytics.) This did not surprise us. We expect more companies to invest not only in analytics, but specifically in marketing analytics, as they try to get more out of their marketing investments and produce a larger impact on business performance. Moreover, we think the big winners will be those companies that can get the right talent focused on changing the way insights are developed and decisions are made, whether that talent is grown from within or partnered with from the outside. The deciding factor here may depend on how fast a company wants to move. The bottom line for us is we intend to maintain the dialogue that was started at MAX08 and do what we can to keep the momentum going. Our assertion is marketing analytics will help companies compete more effectively and drive greater business value. But to produce these benefits most fully marketing analytics will, as Tom Davenport aptly stated at our forum, have to "move from the back room to the boardroom." As Senior Partner at iKnowtion, I was pleased to read the “Marketing Analysts Take Over Boston” post, which summarized our recent MAX08 forum. This event demonstrated the growing interest in marketing analytics - the forum was sold out and we had great participation by attendees throughout the day across a range of exciting topics. Over 30 companies were represented, spanning a wide variety of industries such as financial services, retail, healthcare, sports, communications, publishing, and technology.

A steady drumbeat of questions and comments revolved around what it takes to get a company to move up to a higher level of analytic competition. (A good summary of Tom Davenport’s views is presented in his book Competing On Analytics.) This did not surprise us. We expect more companies to invest not only in analytics, but specifically in marketing analytics, as they try to get more out of their marketing investments and produce a larger impact on business performance.

Moreover, we think the big winners will be those companies that can get the right talent focused on changing the way insights are developed and decisions are made, whether that talent is grown from within or partnered with from the outside. The deciding factor here may depend on how fast a company wants to move.

The bottom line for us is we intend to maintain the dialogue that was started at MAX08 and do what we can to keep the momentum going. Our assertion is marketing analytics will help companies compete more effectively and drive greater business value. But to produce these benefits most fully marketing analytics will, as Tom Davenport aptly stated at our forum, have to “move from the back room to the boardroom.”

]]> By: Marketing Analytics » Building on what Seth Godin wrote… http://www.lynneharrold.com/2008/09/23/marketing-analysts-take-over-boston/#comment-14 Marketing Analytics » Building on what Seth Godin wrote… Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:23:42 +0000 http://www.lynneharrold.com/?p=61#comment-14 [...] Now is the time to start a business according to Seth Godin. I was reading through the last several posts on his website and came across this one. I would like to build upon his idea. Now is also the time for strong companies to leap frog over their competitors through strategic expansion and investment. In this market, there are opportunities to purchase undervalued assets. Think JP Morgan Chase’s purchase of Bear Stearns. There are opportunities to strategically invest. I heard Warren Buffett speak 5 or 6 years ago about a decision early in his career to purchase IBM shares at a time when he believed the stock was undervalued.  Since then he had seen an incredible return on his investment. I am betting his investment in Goldman Sachs will also prove his reputation as a savvy investor. By purchasing perpetual preferred stock he receives a 10% dividend.  Don’t forget the opportunities to invest internally. A few weeks ago I wrote about iKnowtion which is investing in their staff and their future. [...] [...] Now is the time to start a business according to Seth Godin. I was reading through the last several posts on his website and came across this one. I would like to build upon his idea. Now is also the time for strong companies to leap frog over their competitors through strategic expansion and investment. In this market, there are opportunities to purchase undervalued assets. Think JP Morgan Chase’s purchase of Bear Stearns. There are opportunities to strategically invest. I heard Warren Buffett speak 5 or 6 years ago about a decision early in his career to purchase IBM shares at a time when he believed the stock was undervalued.  Since then he had seen an incredible return on his investment. I am betting his investment in Goldman Sachs will also prove his reputation as a savvy investor. By purchasing perpetual preferred stock he receives a 10% dividend.  Don’t forget the opportunities to invest internally. A few weeks ago I wrote about iKnowtion which is investing in their staff and their future. [...]

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