How Teams can Overcome the “Conflict” Hurdle to Make Sound Marketing Investment Decisions

Making effective marketing decisions can be a bit of a puzzle for marketers, thanks largely to hurdles known as the Three C’s: Complexity, Conflict, and Cost. Overcoming these obstacles is crucial for shaping successful marketing strategies. These challenges can often add a tricky spin to the process of making investment decisions that bring about positive outcomes.

In this blog, we will explore the second hurdle, conflict, which arises from the desire for certainty in decision-making. Marketers and analysts often seek certainty out of fear of making the wrong decision. This pursuit of certainty leads to an endless analysis of data and models in an attempt to find the perfect solution. However, this search for certainty can be futile, as perfect data is rarely available and imperfect data can yield biased and uncertain results.

Understanding the “conflict” hurdle in marketing decisions

There are several variables that could create conflict when teams are making marketing investment decisions. Some of these variables include different objectives among stakeholders and varying theories and approaches to marketing. Also, the availability and interpretation of information and the fierce competition for limited resources poses challenges. Additionally, personal objectives and organizational misalignment can contribute to the complexity by creating conflicts and hurdles in consensus building of investment decisions.

Let’s examine each of these variables a bit further to understand why each of these elements can create conflict when teams are marketing investment decisions.

1. Different organizational objectives can lead to conflicts and disagreements regarding resource allocation and priorities. Navigating these challenges requires careful deliberation and compromise to achieve a consensus.
2. Individuals having different marketing theories can be difficult since team members may disagree on the most effective strategies and methods, resulting in conflicting recommendations and challenges in finding a unified approach.
3. Teams having different information can create friction given inconsistent or incomplete data can lead to varying conclusions and recommendations, making it challenging to determine the best course of action.
4. Competition for resources creates complexity as organizations must carefully evaluate competing initiatives and determine the best allocation of limited resources to maximize return on investment and strategic objectives.
5. Personal objectives and individuals that have their own motivations and agendas may not align with overall organizational goals, resulting in conflicts and challenges in decision-making.
6. Organizational misalignment or different departments or stakeholders having conflicting priorities or strategies can lead to challenges in reaching consensus and making unified decisions.

Leveraging Keen for effective conflict resolution

Employing a unified marketing measurement tool is a game changer, making marketing investment decisions clearer in a sometimes complicated world of costs and conflicts. At Keen, the key is not just in building the model, but in realizing how that model can fuel analytical decision-making. We build our models with a sturdy framework, use a Bayesian approach, and AI and machine learning. This strategy helps marketers avoid common mistakes and ensures every dollar spent is an investment for a more successful future. The model becomes a guide, directing marketers to make smarter, more impactful decisions, leading to a brighter and more informed future.

To learn more about the Three C’s and how unified marketing measurement holds the promise of providing a structured approach to tackle these challenges and help you make the best marketing investment decisions possible, go to the “Guide to Decision Making With Unified Marketing Measurement“ blog.