Intuition, a good idea & the right data: the secret sauce of marketing success

Acquiring good customer data is only

one ingredient in “the sauce” for successful marketing, but you need to realize that it is just the base ingredient. Through surveys and demographic data, you can gain the foundation that will allow you to make informed decisions on which direction to go with your marketing strategies. However, savvy entrepreneurs and other business professionals understand that they need to trust their instincts and creativity to develop a successful and effective marketing strategy.Taking a chance on your intuition or gut instincts can feel risky, but it has been part of the recipe for success since people realized they could sell or barter their goods and services. Throughout the last century there have been entrepreneurs and business managers who have based their decisions on intuition and it has paid off in spades.Consider business people like Sam Walton and Bill Gates. They saw an opportunity and let their intuition lead the way for success. In the beginning, no one thought people would abandon the “mom and pop” stores for massive markets that offered production line items at a fraction of the cost or that everyday individuals would need access to computers that were user-friendly and didn’t require a degree in computer science to use. However, their ability to trust their gut and follow their intuition led the way for success.Basing your marketing strategy on intuition and acquiring good customer data is not enough to develop a successful marketing strategy though. Good ideas that are innovative and “outside the box” grab the attention of the masses and lead to your company’s success. People get tired of seeing the same products, services, and advertising. They crave something new that will make their lives more interesting and better.Why do you think technology has taken off like wildfire and has been the primary focus for innovation? It’s new and has the ability to change and develop based on good ideas. Technology as a product is convenient; however, as an advertising tool to create successful marketing it is flexible, convenient, and mandatory for reaching your prospective audience. Finding new ways to reach your audience through technology will catapult your marketing strategy and increase success.Acquiring good customer data is only one component in developing your effective marketing strategies. Successful entrepreneurs know that they also need to rely on intuition and good ideas to create a marketing strategy that works.What’s yours?