Data can seem unsexy and to creatives, not our forte, but the reality is that marketing and PR pros can leverage data to show the indispensability of the work we do. We heard from Flaunter’s Claire Deane and Shane Allison, founder of Public Address, to understand why marcomms pros need to make better use of data to earn a seat at the boardroom table. Check out the recap for tips on how to win more clients by demonstrating your data skills, what kinds of data modern-day brands are looking for, where to get it and how to interpret it. 

Key takeaways: 

• Why data? Because brands want you to prove you can generate ROI 
• PR can offer much more than just a number of press hits or column inches
• Think beyond measuring activities and measure results. It’s not about the number of emails you sent to press! 
• To see what’s working, keep a log of what images editors are requesting when they email you - and what they *aren’t* requesting. Stay on the pulse of both what's working and what's not working
• PR is a top of funnel activity; taking ownership of traffic spikes from PR activity cements our place in the marketing mix
• It’s crucial that brands understand the data that's being used to judge your PR success
• Data can help you win more clients as it positions you as an expert and a strategic partner 
• The difference between structured data and unstructured data is your decision to capture it
• Goals & benefits of structured data: all engagements and interactions are captured, analysis picks up unseen links / outcomes, plus predictive capabilities are generated from these links 
• Demand more access to data because that’s how PR moves up the value chain