Data plays a critical role in any marketing mix. Data drives campaigns, jumpstarts new initiatives, and gives us all a sense of comfort in a marketing world full of guesswork. If history has taught B2B marketers anything, we can all agree that the B2B landscape in 2013 will be packed full of changes and that most of those changes will be driven by the massive accumulation and deployment of big data, usually in real time.
Preparing for and taking a strong stance in 2013 will fall largely on the shoulders of the B2B marketing team. In fact, many predictions stress the importance of hiring a data-driven marketing team which understands the significance of using analytics to solve problems, make decisions, and drive sales. Even the best set of metrics will fail in the hands of a poorly formulated marketing team. However, hiring the right skills and creating a culture of analytics will prove to set your organization apart from the pack when it comes to 2013 B2B activity.
As consumer expectations continue to challenge B2B companies, those which can stay in the game will utilize real data to formulate various ways of meeting consumer demand. The B2B competition will remain tough for those who can react quickly and efficiently to changes in the market, most of which are consumer-driven, even in the B2B space. Data has proven time and time again that numbers do not lie. Taking data from your target market and extrapolating it to meet current demands will play an essential role in the 2013 marketing mix.
In fact, this year