Imagine the following: you present a new idea to your team. Something bold, something new. And the response? “Do we have any data-based evidence that this will work?” If not, it can all go into the gutter. Sound familiar? Then you probably came across this phenomenon when the world of marketing becomes way too data-driven, stealing the spotlight from intuition, experience, and creativity.
This article isn’t about being anti-data. Data-driven marketing is useful, and we would even go as far as to say it’s an indispensable service. But if we don’t leave room for the human factor, marketing will simply lose its soul.
Why do we love data so much?
Data-driven marketing comes with many advantages:
- We know what works and what doesn’t.
- We can measure the return on investments.
- We can confidently decide when to close a campaign.
The logic behind it is very simple: numbers don’t lie. Evidence-based decisions prevent distortions. In theory this works just fine, but oftentimes it’s quite different in practice.
The dangers of data-driven marketing
1. Blind spots and tunnel vision
We only see what can be measured, while not acknowledging the things that can’t be quantified. This way it’s easy to leave out important but hard-to-quantify factors like emotions, moods, and contexts.
2. The lack of relationship with the customers
Many teams no longer talk to customers. They think: “The numbers speak for themselves! Why should we chit-chat?” However, the real insight comes from having conversations, not studying spreadsheets.
3. Analysis paralysis
If you have to look through 10 reports before every single decision, that will slow down or stop the progress entirely.
4. Underestimating intuition
Experienced professionals can recognise decade-old patterns. However, if data-driven marketing becomes the sole truth, then these internal maps disappear.
5. Chaos among data
Different definitions and inconsistent KPI interpretations – this way the strategy will be unstable.
6. Cold numbers
The numbers will show you what happened but won’t tell you why it happened. And numbers won’t be of any use when you have to sell an idea in an inspiring way.
7. The AI paradox
Fast analysis, but surface-level conclusions. Artificial intelligence often leaves out critical thinking.
And what about intuition? It’s not just a feeling, but experience
A marketing intuíció nem puszta érzés. Ez egy kifinomult mintafelismerés, amely sokéves tapasztalaton, kampányokon, ügyfélbeszélgetéseken alapul.
Intuition in marketing isn’t just a feeling. It’s a sophisticated way of pattern recognition that is based on years of experience, campaigns, and conversations with clients.
If an experienced professional says: “This doesn’t feel right”, then in reality he or she puts together a bigger picture from many small signs.
The real solution: be data-informed
Not data-driven. Data-informed. The difference is very important in marketing as well.
A good strategy:
- Numbers provide guidance but don’t make decisions for you.
- Numbers complement intuition, instead of replacing it.
- Numbers help to reinforce creative ideas or help fine-tuning them.
How can you do it right?
1. Unify your data
Uniform metrics and clear KPI definitions (e.g., MQL = ?). Make sure that all teams use the same definitions.
2. Talk to people
Interviews, questionnaires, and reviews. The numbers will show you what happened, but people will tell you why it happened.
3. Test small
Pilot campaigns, A/B tests. Fast learning with a small risk.
4. Mix teams
There should be an analytical and creative thinker in the same workspace. Especially when building your strategy
5. Leave room for intuition
The best ideas often don’t come from reports but from a good conversation, or from a recurring pattern, or maybe from a sentence that somebody just “felt” somehow.
We think that this could be the new balance for marketing
Data helps, but if we only look at things we can measure, we will miss out on many opportunities.
Oftentimes there are no spreadsheets behind good decisions, just experience. No dashboard, but a conversation. Instinct instead of reports.
The best marketers don’t just blindly follow data. They use it wisely while still listening to their intuition.
