Blog | Take Advantage of the Summer to Strenghten Your Marketing Data

Clean Your Marketing Data for Better ROI

Take advantage of the summer

Many marketing teams experience a seasonal shift at this time of year as they close out their Q1 or H1. The summer months are often quieter and present an ideal opportunity to step back and assess the foundations of your marketing processes and performance.

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One of the most critical, yet often overlooked, foundations is your data. Reliable, unified data is essential to power AI initiatives, deliver meaningful personalisation and track marketing performance effectively. Yet data fragmentation, duplication and poor hygiene continue to compromise outcomes for even the most advanced marketing teams.

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If you have recently implemented a new system or process, now is the perfect moment to reflect and review. A proactive data audit can help you unlock greater value from your technology investments and prepare for stronger results in the second half of the year.

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Here are six steps to guide your marketing data review.

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1. Audit Your Data Sources​

Map out all the data sources feeding your marketing activities. Include CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, analytics tools, third-party data providers and even spreadsheets maintained by individual teams. Identify overlaps, gaps and any sources that may no longer be relevant.

This visibility is key for understanding where fragmentation exists and where integration could improve efficiency.

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2. Assess Data Quality​

Data quality issues such as duplicates, incomplete records and outdated information undermine your ability to personalise programmes and make informed decisions. Use this period to run data health checks. Look for:

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• Inconsistent formats (e.g. phone numbers, job titles)

• Duplicate records

• Relevance of fields being collected

• Missing fields in critical records

• Records not updated in over 12 months or more

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Cleaning your data will improve your programme performance and reduce wasted spend later.

3. Evaluate Data Governance Practices​

Reliable data depends on consistent processes. Review how data is captured, stored and maintained across your organisation.​

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• Do you have clear owners accountable for your data accuracy?

• Are marketing and sales aligned on data definitions and usage?
   

If a new system has been implemented, ensure governance practices support it with updated policies and clear accountability.

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4. Strengthen Integration Across Systems​

Disconnected systems create silos and block the creation of a single customer view. Assess how well your marketing platforms integrate with CRM, sales enablement tools and analytics systems. Look for opportunities to streamline workflows and automate data synchronisation.

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Better integration allows AI tools and analytics platforms to operate from a single source of truth.

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5. Plan for Ongoing Data Maintenance​

But a one-off clean-up is not enough. Build a plan for regular data maintenance including periodic audits, automated deduplication and workflows for updating records. If you have not done so already, consider appointing a data controller or using external partners if internal resources are limited.

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This will help you maintain high data quality as your database grows and customer behaviours evolve.

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6. Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration​

Engage with key departments that use or contribute to data, such as sales, customer service and finance. Share insights and invite queries:

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• Is the information collected still relevant?

• Can we optimise customer profiles using data from other teams?

• Are there additional fields that would provide greater insight and move faster to business' goals?
   

Collaborative data management helps create a more accurate picture of your customers and prospects.​​

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Final Thought: Position Your Team for a Strong H2

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Reliable data is no longer a nice-to-have. It is the foundation of modern marketing success. By taking time this summer to review and strengthen your data, you will position your team to get more from AI initiatives, personalise at scale and demonstrate marketing’s impact with confidence.

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Summer may be quieter operationally but it can be the springboard for smarter, faster and more effective marketing in the months ahead.

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To learn how we could help your organisation and team, contact us.

July 2025​​​​​​​