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The Importance of Field MarketingThe web has transformed how people purchase goods and services. Customers can research, compare products, and buy almost anything without leaving their living room. This shift in consumer behavior has prompted companies to focus their marketing budgets on digital marketing channels.

However, there are still many industries that utilize field marketing to manage and implement business development and marketing plans at a regional and local level based on tastes, desires, and needs of those specific locales. These industries include:

• Pharmaceutical• Food & Beverage• Restaurants• Tobacco/Alcohol• Retail

Whether reps are giving out product samples, collecting CPG data, distributing marketing copy, or selling to distributors, utilizing field marketing gives companies the ability to translate top-level marketing strategies into real-world actions across geographic locations.

Additionally, field marketing is an effective way to eliminate snags or bottlenecks that can arise in the sales cycle. It’s the field marketing managers and reps job to know what is happening and what is working for their region.

But because field marketing is done across multiple geographic locations with many people, there is an inherent challenge collecting and getting feedback from field-level data.

This guide will help Field Marketers to avoid common pitfalls associated with collecting field data and save time analyzing the marketing data.

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Standardize Field Data FormatsHaving consistent data across all regions is a great start to effectively analyzing a company’s field marketing activities. Inversely, when each region has their own way of recording and reporting their activities, it can become a nightmare to aggregate that data.

It is important to standardize what data is collected, as well as how it’s collected.

First, define which data every region is expected to collect, then standardize the actual fields and columns collected to ensure consistent formats.

Everyone knows that field reps hate data entry, it’s just one more thing on the list to get done. So empower your team with tools that make collecting data from the field easy and insightful.

Define exactly what information every region is expected to collect, down to the column names and formats. 3

Avoid Sharing SpreadsheetsMany companies and departments still rely on spreadsheets to collect or report on field data across multiple locations and people. In fact, according to a 2008 University of Hawaii study, almost 90% of spreadsheets contain errors. These pitfalls include:

• Lock Outs – Only a single user can access a shared spreadsheet at once.

• Lack of Version Control – When reps save local copies of their information, the master file becomes outdated.

• Hidden Columns – Users may hide columns to clean up their view of information that pertains to them, leaving hidden information that the next person may overlook or replicate.

• Inaccurate or Missing Data – Having to merge columns, rows or entire spreadsheets can introduce errors or leave out information.

• Inconsistent Data – Effective reports rely on accurate, consistent data. When reps use inconsistent formats or data values in their spreadsheets, it takes extra work to clean the data.

“Every study that has attempted to measure [spreadsheet] errors, without exception, has found them at rates that would be unacceptable in any organization.”-University of Hawaii

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When field marketing managers and reps constantly have difficulty inputting data or wait to access a shared spreadsheet, their time is being wasted on logistics rather than high-valued activities that can impact the bottom line. That frustration can even lead to incomplete data if they decide to completely give up.

Make data collection convenient. Make it available on the devices your field uses (laptops, tablets, and smartphones) so that field reps can input their data instantly. In addition, a less cumbersome process will greatly enhance the probability of rep adoption and compliance, resulting in complete, standardized, and timely data.

If reps know exactly what data to collect, and can do it efficiently from the field, the clean, centralized data will result in a faster reporting cycle.

Simplify Workflow for Those in the Field

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All of the format inconsistencies and separate files from field marketing reps can lead to multi-day or week long reporting cycles. And once the first report goes out, the work doesn’t usually stop there.

Often times the process needs to be repeated to accommodate various degrees of permissions or different internal audiences.

This can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive task for Field Marketers.

If data is updating in real-time, reports should too. Utilize software designed to make reporting instant.

Look for software with security features that allow for sharing reports so that field managers aren’t left re-creating reports over and over to ensure different reps or partners only see what they are supposed to see.

Create an Efficient Reporting Cycle

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Because each territory can be viewed as its own marketing ecosystem, differences in target audiences, customer behaviors, and marketing mix become valuable data points to corporate marketing teams.

For companies to get the most from their field marketing, reps and managers need the ability to provide timely feedback and collaborate with those crafting overarching strategies that impact their business.

If done efficiently, this feedback can improve overall marketing and sales performance by giving management the information and time needed to adjust strategies for maximum success.

Both corporate and regional field managers should get feedback from what is happening across all marketing efforts. This allows regions to benefit from the insights and successful strategies learned from other field teams and regions. Send bottom-up information, but also provide top-down feedback.

Promote a Culture of Collaborative Communication

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Give Finance Easily-Digestible Marketing DataWhen it comes time to create a marketing budget, or forecast for next quarter, you need both historical and real-time data that is accurate and easy to access.

Often times, Finance works in a different “language” than Marketing. Creating specific budgets, or forecasting for a channel can become difficult if the financial system doesn’t have any connection/relationship with the marketing system.

Make it easy for both Finance and Marketing by matching marketing campaigns or activities to Finance’s GL codes. This ensures that marketing data integrates into Finance’s system easily and accurately, and will result in an easier, more accurate budgeting process for both departments

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Reps gather information from the field based on standardized

formats and processes.

Data is compiled into a single system with consistent formats and reports are generated using

real-time data with minimal effort.

Field Marketing Managers have access to instant reports and can

share with their teams and adjust strategies based on real-

time data.

Corporate offices receive feedback via rolled-up reports

and can integrate field data with other marketing data to get a

holistic view.

Corporate provides top-town feedback and implements

marketing and sales strategies based on all of the available

information.

The Ideal Field Data Collection & Reporting ModelIn a perfect world, field marketing data collection & reporting would include:

• Standardized data-collection processes and workflows

• Alerts for incomplete or inaccurate data

• Consistent data formats

• Instant access to data and real-time reports

• Sharable reports to collaborate with field teams, corporate, or other regions

• Integration of field data with all other marketing data

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Field Data Collection & Reporting with UQube’s Field Marketing Tracker• No More Shared Spreadsheets – UQube’s cloud-

based grids allow multiple field reps to enter & edit data, and view reports simultaneously. Data is accessible on laptops, tablets, and phones –anytime!

• Standardized Data –When inputting data, users must use standard column names and data formats to ensure consistency.

• Role-Based Permissions – Field Marketing Managers can lock down data on the row and column level to prevent reps from editing others’ information.

• Instant Reporting – When field data updates, all reports and dashboards instantly reflect the changes without any extra effort. With multiple widgets to choose from, dashboards can be changed in seconds to get a personalized view of the data.

• Shareable Reports & Dashboards – Field Marketing managers and reps can easily share dashboards & reports with individuals or entire groups with access restrictions already applied. No need to create reports for each audience!

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