In my experience, as an analyst, tool builder, sales person and data visualizer, I have seen this one component make such a huge difference. Information intimacy is the term I use to describe the series of insights (intimacy) you gain from the entire data exploration journey. From data collection, cleansing, organization, observation, analysis, metric development, statistical evaluation, cognitive inquiry to eventual data visualization, this “journey” sets the backbone for a high impact narrative.

Key Learning: Presenting insights from data that your audience is already aware of can initially help your credibility.  It let’s them know that you know a little about what they know.  THAT”S IT!!!  However, presenting information/insight they don’t know  really grabs their attention. People really listen when you say what they don’t expect to hear. Not my quote but incredibly accurate at describing interactions between presenters and presentees.

While you can always take a few select members of your analyst team with you (PLEASE DO THIS), the Sales Person is still responsible to tell a compelling story that keeps the audience engaged, interested and intrigued.  Just as you would not want a traditional sales person running your SPSS or SAS model you probably do not want your analyst talent being your sales person.  

So how do you transfer this intimacy from source to seller?

The model that’s evolving to meet this need is really blurring the lines of traditional roles. I’ve seen analyst/statisticians that are extremely savvy when presenting information to clients and influencing opinions.  Sales people who are not content in being handed a power point  a few days before a presentation.  They will sit with the analyst team and get below the obvious observations and into the information relationships that aid in exploiting the provocative.  Plus the double threat, individuals who have formally held one role then transitioned into another. How many places have you actually seen this happen?

In the opening for this post I mention how important the data exploration journey is in the development of a high impact narrative.  I recently participated in a session at a conference  on “presentation skills using story telling.”  Remember NOT everyone absorbs information in the same way.  Your ground breaking, animated bubble quadrant with live data streaming theme clouds won’t always reach everyone.  But a data visualization with PUNCH, plus a great story creates an ideal landscape for comprehension.