Learners apply data-driven marketing strategies in Cornell certificate program

Marketing can sometimes feel abstract and uncertain, yet professionals in the field must meet the challenge of justifying their expenditures and linking them to key performance indicators each day.

Sachin Gupta, the Henrietta Johnson Louis Professor of Management at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business, shares his statistics-based and data-driven approach to getting outstanding returns in his Demand Marketing online certificate program from eCornell.

Gupta recently spoke with the eCornell team about the program.

How do you embark on the process of data analysis in marketing?

“The data is typically collected in a survey-based setting online where you recruit participants in the study. When we come to the analysis of the data, that’s where the statistics kick in. The analysis is done using a model that is likely to be unfamiliar to most people. In the program, I explain that analysis in some detail. I demonstrate how to use R programming language to analyze data, interpret the findings and make decisions based on the results.”

How can marketing data influence decision-making?

“These decisions might involve product design choices for items like cell phones. Consider battery life as a feature: How should changes in battery life be tailored to meet demand? Similar considerations apply to pricing, which hinges on consumer willingness to pay for enhanced features. For instance, if you offer phones with a 12-hour battery life and phones with a 6-hour battery life, you must assess consumers’ willingness to pay for the extended battery life and use that information to determine pricing strategies.”

How can historical data inform future marketing decisions?

“When focusing on return on investment for your different marketing activities, you have to look back on historical data where you have sold the product, employed some marketing activities and spent money. This approach highlights what worked and to what extent and, therefore, comes up with a measured ROI. That’s a backward-looking accounting perspective from which information can be used to make better decisions in the future.”

What is the most critical information in digital advertising that drives decisions?

“The idea of attribution is pervasive in the industry. It involves analyzing spending on various digital channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and others to accurately attribute or assign credit to the platforms and campaigns that are actively driving your conversions and sales.”

Applying these analytical techniques can assist you in crafting cost-effective marketing strategies that align well with demand. Sachin Gupta’s Demand Marketing certificate program is open to professionals who possess a foundational knowledge of statistics and Excel. Learn more and enroll now.

Master data science programming in R with new certificate program

In a world run by data, the demand for this skill has never been higher. Data analytics is essential to almost every facet of decision-making across any organization. Glassdoor recently named it the #1 job in America, and in the top 3 must-have skills. Cornell’s new certificate program, Data Analytics in R, is designed to help take a fundamental understanding of analytics to a mastery of programming in R.

Ideal for any professional looking to scale their skills and knowledge, this program will teach techniques for understanding, modeling and visualizing data using R, including predictive and prescriptive analytics, machine learning, the Monte Carlo simulation and optimization methods for making both small and large scale decisions.

“The world has really progressed when it comes to data analytics. Today it is being used across all organizations and verticals, be it financial services or consumer goods or travel, to enable informed decisions on a daily basis,” said Chris Anderson, faculty author and Professor at the School of Hotel Administration within Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business. “We’re now at a place where these are critical skills for people who want to set themselves apart.”

The program consists of three three-week courses:

  • Predictive Analytics in R
  • Clustering, Classification, and Machine Learning in R
  • Prescriptive Analytics in R

Upon completion, participants will receive a Data Analytics in R certificate from Cornell University. Learn more about this program by visiting the eCornell website.