B2B

How Well Do You Know Your Customer Data?

Headshot of Ruth P. Stevens
By Ruth P. Stevens

Some marketers seem to keep their distance from customer data. When I ask what kind of customer information they are working with, I hear things like, “Oh, Mary is in charge of our data. I leave it to her.” This is unfortunate. I realize that the marketing profession may attract people who prefer to focus on “softer” functions like research, competitive strategy, and value propositions. But these days, it’s a real disadvantage, professionally and personally, to shun data.

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

To Read the Full Story Become an Adweek+ Subscriber

View Subscription Options

Already a member? Sign in

Headshot of Ruth P. Stevens

Ruth P. Stevens

Ruth P. Stevens consults on customer acquisition and retention, and teaches marketing at companies and business schools around the world. She is past chair of the DMA Business-to-Business Council, and past president of the Direct Marketing Club of New York. Ruth was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Business Marketing by Crain's BtoB magazine, and one of 20 Women to Watch by the Sales Lead Management Association. She is the author of Maximizing Lead Generation: The Complete Guide for B2B Marketers, and Trade Show and Event Marketing. Ruth serves as a director of Edmund Optics, Inc. She has held senior marketing positions at Time Warner, Ziff-Davis, and IBM and holds an MBA from Columbia University.

Ruth is a guest blogger at Biznology, the digital marketing blog. Email Ruth at ruth@ruthstevens.com, follow her on Twitter at @RuthPStevens, or visit her website, www.ruthstevens.com.

Recommended articles