Data, in today’s fast-paced business environment, is the backbone of decision-making. Dr. Abiodun Ajiborode, CEO of Brand Management Academy, stated this while highlighting the importance of data-driven storytelling in sales and marketing.
He emphasised that “data is the code” that guides businesses through the complex ecosystem of consumer needs and market trends.
Dr. Ajiborode delivered this insight at the ongoing quarterly virtual summit organised by MARKETING EDGE Publication with the theme: “Navigating the Future of Sales and Marketing: The Need for Data-Driven Storytelling.”
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Interestingly, the summit shared knowledge and insights on navigating industry challenges and exploring opportunities in building brands in the present age and beyond. It attracted industry stakeholders, brand custodians, and marketing and communications students.
Dr. Ajiborode underscored the importance of consciousness and literacy. He insisted that data consciousness and literacy are crucial for business success. He urged organisations to create a data-first culture, where data leads the conversation and decisions rely on insights rather than intuition or ego.
“If there’s a foundation of it, building a data-first kind of culture in an organization, today, we still have companies that are being led by people who don’t buy data,” he noted.
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He outlined a Framework for data-driven decision-making in 10 points:
Data Identification – Determine what data is relevant and required for informed decisions.
Data Sufficiency – Understand how much data is needed and ensure it is recent and relevant.
Data Variety – Ensure collected data is diverse and represents different consumer segments.
Data Segmentation – Segment data to understand consumer groups and tailor marketing efforts.
Data Processing – Interpret and analyze data to extract insights and meaning.
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Data Interpretation – Understand the implications of insights and apply them to decisions.
Data Application – Apply insights using predictive and prescriptive analytics to drive decisions.
Data Evaluation – Evaluate the effectiveness of data-driven decisions and measure performance.
Data Preservation – Preserve data for future use and ensure security and governance.
Tokenisation – Protect sensitive information through tokenisation and enhance trust.
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Dr. Ajiborode emphasised that data-driven storytelling goes beyond presenting data. He explained it involves crafting a narrative that resonates with consumers and influences business decisions.
“Data is the code. It’s what speaks to us if we know how to interrogate it. Most of the time, what we call ‘insight’ is simply the data finally responding to intelligent questioning.”
Dr. Ajiborode called on organisations to cultivate a data-first culture. He stressed that data should be the starting point for every strategic conversation.
“There are still companies today led by people who don’t believe in data. This must change. We must move from intuition-led to insight-led decision-making,” he stated.
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He explained that data consciousness and literacy are now mission-critical. Everyone in an organization, from top executives to frontline marketers, must know how to read, interpret, and apply data in real time.
The brand management expert advised organisations to:
Develop a data-first culture.
Identify key data points for decision-making.
Determine appropriate data sufficiency and recency.
Segment and process data effectively.
Interpret data within the right business context.
Evaluate and preserve data for sustained advantage.
Dr. Ajiborode emphasised a lesser-discussed but crucial point: data governance and tokenisation. He noted that as data becomes more valuable and sensitive, managing it securely becomes a competitive edge.
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“Preserving and governing data isn’t just about compliance it’s about strategy. Tokenisation helps protect sensitive information and allows businesses to retain trust while codifying critical insights for long-term use,” he explained.
By governing data wisely and using tokenisation, companies can avoid breaches, maintain integrity, and ensure long-term growth.
He urged marketers and brand custodians to listen to data, interpret it, and ask intelligent questions to gain deeper insights and make meaningful impact.
“Data-driven storytelling is a critical component of sales and marketing in today’s business environment. By adopting a data-first culture, identifying relevant data, and applying insights to drive business decisions, organizations can stay ahead of the curve and achieve their goals.”
As Dr. Ajiborode asked, “Are we listening to what the data is saying? And more importantly, are we obeying or allowing our ego to get in the way?”
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