Hey, it's complicated!

Reading the most recent blog post by James Kobielus, my mind is spinning from the array of options that you might want to use to differentiate on Analytics. And, as James aptly points out. none of these technologies are designed for use by the masses, let alone executives.

With analytics technology spend increasingly being spread out to the "masses" (departments, even end users), how can you get projects off the ground? It seems to me:

• Start big, or start small, but don't start in the middle. Presenting a radical transformation can get you in the door with executives. From there, you might scale down to a piece of the puzzle that's practical to implement. Or, you can find a small, high-value problem with a defined solution for a quick win. From there expand into other advanced analytics areas (land and expand isn't dead). But going somewhere in between seems too complex for the return -- keep your big vision big, or your small project in scope until the deal is won.
• Know your customer. And I mean really know your customer, and everything they do. This is a little more than perusing the website and listing to the earnings calls. Understand their industry, culture, vision, and competitors. That business context is the only way to sell something this complex.
• Dig in for a long ride. These technologies aren't getting simpler. While there's potentially massive value to be had, it will take time, as will your sales cycles.

Define Your Analytics Priority

I've read the recent IBM and MIT research report, and I think it's worthwhile reading for organizations building their analytics strategy. There's some great advice:

• Start with questions, not data.
• Embed insights to drive action.
• Top performers view analytics as a differentiator.
• Analytics are important for both operational and strategic initiatives.
• Information must become easier to understand.
• Analytics initiatives will not be delivered by IT

I take issue with a couple of points in the study. I think the definition of "data visualization" in the report is too loosely defined -- especially given the "easier to understand" directive noted above. And I strongly disagree that there are "standard tools" to enable the transformed organization, nor should that be the focus.

The digram below does a nice job showing how the priorities in analytics are changing, and can help guide your investment and priority (with the Analytics Quadrant, of course).

"There is no Silver Bullet"

I find myself uttering that phrase a lot lately. Maybe it's because business hasn't quite rebounded, despite modest improvements over last year. But everyone seems to want an easy fix -- especially in technology, where boom times are simply expected, and often not earned.

Pipeline is the lifeblood of any sales organization, and Jeff Ogden hits the nail on the head in his recent blog entry on SandHill.com

I don't know Jeff, but three cheers for sanity.

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...But to become the best, you need to make a BIG commitment. You need to invest serious sweat and patience in the foundation of demand generation:

• Value proposition development—Specific business outcomes that result from the use of your products and services
  
  
• Ideal customer profiles—Who are the best prospective customers for us?
  
  
• Buyer personas—What makes them tick? What do they really care about? Where do they turn for information? (See Personas are critical, Mr./Ms. CEO for more)
  
  
• Problem to Solution story-telling—How can we tell a story about their problems and keep their attention as we show them how to solve their problems? As Ardath Albee said, "We need to answer theWhat's In It For Them? question." You also need to leverage Catch Factors to get attention and use Cliff-Hangers to hold attention (editor's note: Credit Ardath for these terms) (See How to Use Great Story-Telling for Lead Nurturing as well as Ardath's great book eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale for more.)
  
  
• Great Content mapped to Buyer variables—Content that is brief, interesting and
  • Right format
  • Right person
  • Right time

Only by really working hard on understanding buyers, their issues, their problems, etc. will you have the insights to craft a world-class demand generation program. Don't short cut this process. Nothing in life is easy.

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