I have often noticed that not all college graduates with a marketing degree can come up with effective marketing campaigns. I believe the reason is that they get caught up in book-related concepts or evaluate others’ marketing campaigns to the point of confusion or until they feel that they could not come up with similar creative solutions themselves. They need to realize that creative marketing campaigns are inspired by marketers’ intuition. Supported by knowledge, the best marketers apply their intuition to read the situation and come up with an effective campaign solution.
The more you study marketing solutions to determine what worked and why, the more effective your campaigns will be. Not because you have copied their solution but rather because you have studied their approach and the results. The next great marketing solution may be yours if you seek the support of your intuition. It is the keystone of successful marketing campaigns.
According to Kim-Adele Randall, CEO of Authentic Achievements, here is a factor that Randall says played an important part in her latest campaign’s success. “While the data squarely pointed to a direction that was not incorrect, there was more to making the decision than just numbers. Anyone in marketing will tell you that data is critical—that you need to know who your target audience is, what they’re interested in, and how they prefer to consume information. But data can only take you so far. At some point, you need to trust your intuition and go with your gut.”
Robin Landa, Distinguished Professor at Kean University, and a globally recognized ideation expert says. “Trusting one’s intuition means you’re good at certain things, such as pattern recognition, metaphors, having insights into audiences and brands, and being able to deliberate on your thinking.” In the end, it all comes down to what your gut tells you. Not being afraid to trust your instincts while pouring through the data is a winning formula that cannot be discounted.
Randall believes the ideal marketing strategy requires a healthy mix of data-driven analysis and good old-fashioned gut instinct. I believe intuition is one of the most important aspects of marketing and is undervalued today. In a world where data consumes us, it is easy to rely on numbers and analytics to make decisions. But there is more to marketing than just numbers. Intuition allows us to tap into our creativity and come up with truly innovative ideas. It also allows us to connect with our customers on a deeper level. I believe intuition should be valued more highly in marketing. It can be the difference between success and failure.”
Why doesn’t intuition play a greater role with marketers today? One answer could be that business professionals distrust intuition or creativity since it is not always backed by solid facts. While facts should always be identified and justified, the element that pushes campaigns above and beyond is professional marketers’ intuition. This makes business executives nervous, but if you have a good creative team that you trust, allow them to prove themselves.
Forbes summarizes it best by stating, “both art and science bring tremendous value to the marketing table. In order to be successful, marketers need to combine both elements. Unfortunately, this is something that marketers have struggled to balance since the evolution of digital marketing. The synergy created by effectively fusing art and science can exponentially accelerate your marketing results. The best marketing strategy balances creativity and analysis, intuition and data, emotions, and logic. Informed, data-driven marketing can help balance creativity in a way that creates stunning content, whether you’re putting together a new video or developing new blog content. With a blend of science and artistic attributes, you can find the formula for long-term marketing success. Either one in isolation can help achieve a portion of your goals, but when you combine them, you’ll really start to see results.”
Connecting with customers is key. Communicating your story to consumers in a manner that is clear and personal attracts their attention and eases any reluctance so that they can effectively relate to your campaign messaging and consider a purchase. What part does intuition play in developing effective marketing campaigns? According to Forbes (Charlie Grinnell, Forbes Councils Member), “Informed intuition is the holy grail of modern marketing.”
For more information on using inspired intuition to create effective marketing campaigns, contact your Think Patented account executive or call 937.353.2299.