One of the biggest things that companies of all sizes struggle with today is getting a handle on data. Most have more data than they know what to do with. Yet breaking it down, filtering out the noise, segmenting what you need, and figuring out what delivers value from the crap – that’s no easy undertaking.
Another huge problem is that the marketing department hasn’t evolved and budgets haven’t yet grown to accommodate the specialized skills that marketers need in order to deliver real value. Case in point, we see marketing job postings on a regular basis where companies are looking for someone who is a brand strategist, with top level skills in email, data analysis, and marketing automation. Those are four different specialties, not one. Until marketers get the budgets and the specialized training they need to integrate data into their marketing operations, they’re going to be scrambling behind the eight-ball.
IBM’s Watson: Analytics For Free
So, the problem is not enough resources, not enough training and not enough budget. Yet data drives (or should drive) everything we marketers do. What’s a business to do? Well, IBM is using Watson with a goal of creating kind of a crystal ball for companies, with the goal of helping businesses take a look at their data and better utilize it in planning and strategic development.
Launched Tuesday, the new Watson Analytics tool is available at no charge for companies to upload data to; and in return, receive insights about where your company is headed and what may be in store for the future. The idea behind the project is to offer companies without data analysts on staff a comprehensive solution that works for them.
Whether you’re looking for information on what sector will be busiest in the coming months, what deals you’re most likely to convert, or a host of other things that your data might show, I would bet that Watson Analytics can probably deliver some valuable insights. This initiative is specifically designed to give smaller companies the opportunity to utilize the power of Watson for data analysis without breaking the bank. IBM’s goal here is to create an ecosystem of new customers who normally aren’t doing much with their data. I would guess that this is a smart business move for IBM, and a way to court the small to midsize business sector fairly effectively. Think about it: once you rely on them for their data insights, it’s easy to make a decision to move IBM into the “trusted vendor” category and begin to explore and utilize their other business offerings.
You’ll be able to find sample data on the IBM Watson Analytics site, which will help users get started, and you’ll also find tutorials and guides, with a commitment to update the tools on a continuous basis.
IBM hopes to launch Watson Analytics to the public by the end of November.
Want to Check It Out?
If you’d like to receive more information or be notified when Watson Analytics tool becomes available, you can sign up here.
We are definitely going to take a look at our clients’ needs and see if it makes sense to point some of them in this direction. It could be a really interesting experiment and potentially deliver a wealth of valuable information.
Speaking of the new Watson Analytics tool, IBM is hosting a “crowdchat” about the launch this coming Thursday, September 25 at 1:00pm EST. If you’re interested in knowing more, join in the discussion this Thursday on Twitter. Look for the #ibminsight hashtag and come join in.
More resources on this topic:
GigaOM : IBM goes freemium with new natural language analytics service
Forbes: IBM Hopes To Lure New Data-Hungry Customers With Freemium Watson Analytics Tool
Watson Analytics
photo credit: justgrimes via photopin cc
Simplifying The Data-Analysis Process for Untrained Businesses is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency
