May 27, 2025 | Vol. 97
Take control.
Don’t let your data be held hostage. If your team can’t access it, or if it lives inside a vendor’s walled garden, it’s not serving your business.
Welcome back to Part 2 of our deep dive into data utilization. Last week, we talked about treating data like a strategic asset. This week, we’re taking it one step further: what happens when businesses use that data to make smarter, faster, and more impactful marketing decisions?
The truth is, companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft didn’t stumble into dominance—they had the foresight to treat data as gold decades ago. That early investment has paid off, allowing them to shape the rules of modern marketing.
Today, 99% of marketers agree that data-driven strategy is crucial for success.
That’s not a trend—it’s the new standard.
So what does data in action look like?
💡 When businesses have access to trusted, integrated, and well-managed data, they can:
Identify and locate ideal customers
Rapidly test and optimize campaigns
Make better, faster decisions across teams
Shift spend in real time based on performance
Partner more effectively with agencies and vendors
But to do all this, two foundational challenges must be addressed:
Data Ownership and Access
If your data lives with your vendor or inside a third-party tool you don’t control, it’s not really yours. From day one, ensure contracts guarantee full access and clarity about who owns your data—and how it can be used.
“You can’t optimize what you don’t own.”
2. Data Integrity
Bad data leads to bad decisions. Standardize how information is entered, train your teams, and work with experts to clean and convert your current data. A solid foundation enables confident, high-quality analysis.
“Bad data leads to bad decisions.”
Straight Talk from the Crazy🤪:
It’s not enough to collect data—you need to own it and trust it. Only then can your marketing efforts deliver the clarity, speed, and performance today’s business climate demands.
Until then Expect to Win!
JIM WEBB
P.S. Hey! You made it to the end - Thank you!
If this edition made you think differently about your data—or reminded you of a challenge you’ve been meaning to tackle—reach out. I’d love to hear your thoughts or help however I can. Email, text, call, or drop me a quick message on LinkedIn. Just head to jimwebb.me and choose whatever contact method works best for you.
On a Journey - Chasing Better
#xp2win
