Analytics Magazine Analytics Magazine, September/October 2014 | Page 35

Takeaway: Trusting recall as a research methodology brings with it serious limitations. half.” The uncertainty that comes with advertising will probably never go away. One of the key reasons is the inability to accurately measure priming, in which exposure to one stimulus influences response to another. While the extent of priming is debated, that it exists is not. Our environment influences our subconsciousness through sights, sounds and smells. (Read more.) In addition, the effects of priming can be long-lasting, well beyond what one might expect. (Read more.) Takeaway: The return on some investments is not always immediate, often making short-term measurement a futile task. marketing often track different metrics reviewed in isolation (e.g., sales might focus on funnel activities while marketing might be more concerned with brand and campaign assessment). Common or at least integrated metrics not only align teams but also ensure what’s being measured is most relevant. Strategy and customer experience consultant Christine Crandell recommends three groups of measures including end-to-end conversion, revenue diversity and outcome profitability. According to Crandell, “While there are literally hundreds of sales and marketing metrics that can be used, it comes down to (these) three that measure alignment and frame that all-too critical joint conversation with sales and marketing about what’s working and what isn’t.” (Read more.) Takeaway: Sales and marketing metrics should be shared or at least integrated in order to work toward the same goal and evaluate performance holistically. 8. Sales and marketing metrics are different 9. Sound analytics drive sound decision-making Sales and marketing share the same overarching objective of driving profitable growth. Having common or at least integrated key performance indicators would seem reasonable, but sales and The Corporate Executive Board recently conducted a study of 5,000 employees at 22 global companies and found that just over one-third of participants balance judgment and analysis, 7. You can’t manage what you can’t measure A century ago Lord Leverholm famously said, “I know half my advertising isn’t working, I just don’t know which a na l y t i c s s e p t e m b e r / o c t o b e r 2 014 | 35