Research Guides Inspiration

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Research: Insights for Data-Driven Marketing

  • Qualitative

    Good Questions Beat Good Answers

    After learning everything we can about your brand from your plans, web, search, social and PR, we hold one on one interviews with stakeholders. We make no assumptions and ask questions that internal teams may be uncomfortable asking. We listen for the nuance and insight that allows us to find the diamonds in the rough.

  • Benchmarks

    Legs Under Our Intuitions

    Elliance team tests assumptions, biases and myths against numbers we glean from toolkits provided by search engines, social media companies, PR2.0 players, and data aggregators. We hunt for opportunities for low-hanging gains, signs of legacy at risk, and momentum. These give us the confidence to put together solid plans.

  • Quantitative

    Unearthing Surprises

    For sure, quantitative reduces the risk of major investments. Remember you can only measure what exists, not what doesn’t exist yet. Also, quantitative may point to challenges, which may require extraordinary courage. The road to riches is not an easy one. Elliance team will report the results, but also challenge you to rise to the challenges.

  • Key Performance Indicators

    Ultimate Measures of Success

    Every business has KPI's; for instance, for higher education, it is the enrollment, reputation and giving KPI's; and for manufacturers, it is the sales funnel. Getting a handle on the KPI's enables us to detect problems, provide wise counsel and shape our plans to impact the underlying KPI's.

Recent Blog Posts

  • Daniel Pink on communication and symphonic thinking

    April 20, 2020

    Communicating before, during and after a capital campaign requires the kind of symphonic thinking that author Daniel Pink explores in A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age. Strategic visions and campaign priorities can quickly deconstruct into campaign inventory and itemization — losing all connection to a larger and more […] Continue reading

  • Amazon Advertising is Changing the Battle for Consumer Attention

    August 10, 2019

    Until recently, the battle for consumer attention on digital devices and platforms was led by Google, Bing, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter – and to a lesser extent by Pinterest and Snapchat. The entry of Amazon dramatically changes the dynamic of online advertising. It is now the third largest digital advertising platform in the US. […] Continue reading

  • What my three teens and their friends have taught me about Gen-Z?

    April 14, 2019

    I have read dozens of reports on Gen-Z (born between 1996 and 2010) including those from Pew, HubSpot, SHRM, and other credible sources. But watching my own three teens and dozens of their friends has given me a nuanced understanding of Gen-Z. Here are my observations:     They are race-blind, faith-blind and gender-blind As […] Continue reading

  • Brand Discovery: How to Design for Signal Over Noise.

    December 19, 2018

    As revenue pressures grow across higher education, so do board- and cabinet-level imperatives to “define the brand.” Easier said than done, true. But also worth every ounce of effort. At its best, a brand discovery should yield an authentic and durable brand position (with a 10-year shelf life). Better yet, a brand discovery (well planned […] Continue reading