Data: Businesses that have successfully integrated creativity and analytics have grown twice as fast than those that haven’t. (McKinsey)
A majority (70 percent) of integrators employ advanced analytics for consumer insights, compared with only 40 percent of companies with average growth. And 65 percent of integrators use customer-journey analytics, versus 50 percent of average growers.
Raising the Bar from Brands to Experiences
We know that it takes more than a stellar value proposition and consistent branding to market yourself effectively. Emerging technology has raised the bar significantly higher with consumers expecting content on-demand and consistent omnichannel user experiences.
Today, not only does our content need to be compelling, it should tell a story and be tailored to our customer’s micro-moments and everyday experiences.
But without data and audience insights to guide us, it’s difficult to identify the type of content we’ll need to attract the right customers.
The Need for Context-Based Storytelling
There is no shortage of channels by which we can tell and share our stories today. But delivering these stories consistently according to the context by which these stories are viewed or read from mobile to website is crucial to a seamless user experience. According to Salesforce —
- Customers expect connected journeys and are 3.7x more likely to view seamless transitions between channels as important
- 70% of B2B customers say connected processes (such as seamless handoffs or contextualised engagement based on earlier interactions) are very important to winning their business
For effective and consistent storytelling, we must create and design content that adapts to the changing customer context. But it can be difficult to achieve this without data and audience insights, which help inform us of the kind of stories that resonate the most with our customers to make an impact.
Creativity without data will not make much of an impact to customers. In the same way, acting on data alone without a rich narrative and creativity’s emotional appeal will not be memorable or inspiring enough to stand out.
It takes marrying both data and creativity — logic and magic — to enhance the customer experience, build lasting connections, and create valuable content that delivers great results.
