A successful marketer, or marketing team, needs to stop thinking in terms of being left- or right- brained and start thinking about how to become more  “whole-brained.” In the following pages we’ll discuss the strengths of the two sides of the brain. We will look at five significant attributes of both - explaining what they are, how to recognize these characteristics among your team, and why they are important to generating revenue and results for your organization.

1. Driving Revenue
Using Both Sides
of Your Brain
10 Attributes You Need on Your Marketing Team Presented by

2. Introduction
One-sided Thinking The Attributes that Drive Revenue
“Right Brain vs. Left Brain,” the idea that different sides of the In the following pages we’ll discuss the strengths of the two
brain control different ways of thinking is not new. “Left-Brained” sides of the brain. We will look at five significant attributes of
thinking is logical, analytical, sequential and objective. “Right- both - explaining what they are, how to recognize these
Brained” thinking is creative, random, visual and strategic. Often, characteristics among your team, and why they are important
people are said to be one or the other, and are thought to gravitate to generating revenue and results for your organization.
towards particular professions based on their mode of thinking. IT
departments are full of left-brained people, while Marketing
houses the right-brainers.
“No problem can withstand the
Revenue Creation Requires Integrative Thinking
What is new is how quickly the boundary between the two thinking
assault of sustained thinking.”
styles is blurring. In marketing departments everywhere, things
like mobile technology, search engines and cohort analysis are - Voltaire
rapidly invading the space of writing, design and graphics. There is
an urgent need for faster implementation, a deeper analysis of
buyer behavior, and greater pressure for measurement. Marketing
folks are being forced to quickly adapt the skills of the left brain
while retaining the attributes of the right, and incorporate both into
their work. A successful marketer, or marketing team, needs to
stop thinking in terms of being left- or right- brained and start
thinking about how to become more “whole-brained.”
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3. Are You a Lefty or a Righty?
The following are ten significant characteristics found in left- and right-brain thinking. People often possess at least
one attribute from each side, but will lean more one way or the other. Ideally, your marketing team should possess a
solid balance of the two. Think about your marketing team. Are these attributes adequately represented?
Left Brain Right Brain
Analytical Creative
Numbers & Metrics Visual
Technical Conceptual
Data-Driven Messaging & Meaning
Tactical Strategic
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4. Left Brain: Analytical
Features
“Analytical” is the classic way to describe someone who is
left-brained. They see things in a systematic, linear way, and
they prefer to learn in a sequential format, breaking a problem
into pieces and solving it step by step. They use a
methodology in their approach and rely on facts and logic to
find solutions.
Why It’s Important
Technology is integral to marketing, making modern-day
marketing as much a science as an art. Search engines,
SMS, marketing automation and conversion metrics are now
central to any marketing campaign, and to be implemented
effectively you need team members who are logical,
systematic, process-oriented and fact-based in their thinking. "No way of thinking or doing, however
ancient, can be trusted without proof."
How to Recognize It
Someone who thrives on details, processes and minutely-
- Henry David Thoreau
detailed instructions has an analytical mind. The analytical
marketer will skip the lofty ideas and vague creative briefs
and give specific details to support their position.
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5. Left Brain: Numbers & Metrics
Features
Numbers and metrics are central to a left-brained mind.
Unlike their right-brained counterparts who think in images
and big ideas, their quantitative minds need specific, detailed
facts. Dashboards, spreadsheets and other reporting tools
are central to their work, where everything is measured.
Why It’s Important
Numbers are vital for measuring performance results, and
assessing the return on marketing investments. Marketers
need to be able to quantify their contributions to the
organization’s success to justify their project and department
budgets. Their value must be measurable, ideally in the form
of revenue and pipeline creation.
• Uses multiple analytics tools such as Google
How to Recognize It Analytics, KissMetrics or MixPanel
A marketer with a preference for numbers and metrics is one
• Responds to new ideas with “Let’s test it.”
seemingly obsessed with spreadsheets and dashboards,
constantly assessing the data to find out what works and • Can teach your finance guys a thing or two
what doesn’t. Instead of long paragraphs explaining their about Excel
work, you’ll get graphs and charts. In their eyes, the numbers
speak for themselves.
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6. Left Brain: Technical
Features
The technical member of your marketing team is essentially your
“Marketing CTO.” They understand the various technological
systems needed to build out the marketing infrastructure of the
organization. They can interact well with your organization’s
technical resources and thus bridge the divide between the
marketing and IT departments.
Why It’s Important
The dominance of digital media makes it imperative to have
team members with technical skills to help with solution selection
as well as implementation. As technology and marketing merge,
you need someone on your marketing team who can understand
the priorities of each and speak both languages. You often don’t
have time to wait for IT to solve a problem.
“I do think it's better to think of this
How to Recognize It capability holistically as marketing
A technical marketer will not hesitate to try new technology and technology, rather than breaking it
systems, and will implement those systems on real projects.
down into separate specialties.”
They are familiar with technology blogs and are up to date with
industry trends and developments. They can explain how a
technology choice may open up new possibilities for your team - Scott Brinker in www.chiefmartec.com
or cause problems later on.
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7. Left Brain: Data-Driven
Features
Similar to a numbers and metrics-oriented person, one who is
data-driven is consumed by facts, and able to analyze large
amounts of information. To them, the more information the better.
They can create meaningful lists and segmentations within your
customer and prospect populations. They have a high level of
comfort with databases and CRM systems.
Why It’s Important
Databases are key to knowing your customers and prospects,
and thus central to your success in marketing. If a sales lead is
not in a database, how does it get tracked and measured? Lead
sources from marketing campaigns must be continually tracked
or your marketing dollars could be wasted.
How to Recognize It
• Customizes Salesforce.com to fit your process
A data-driven marketer is one who uses marketing automation • Leverages marketing automation systems like
obsessively, to make processes automatic and repeatable. They Marketo, Pardot, Eloqua, Act-on or HubSpot
can follow a lead and find its place in the pipeline at any • Finds new ways to segment your database
moment, allowing them to quickly see which messaging and
• Ensures every lead has an associated lead
marketing efforts work and which don’t. A data-driven marketer is
continually searching for new ways to refine your company’s
source and campaign
understanding of customer demographics and behavior.
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8. Left Brain: Tactical
Features
A tactical team member is one who is willing and able to
introduce and implement new technology. They are interested
in running experiments and moving quickly on new ideas.
They are "doers" who can roll up their sleeves, implement
new technologies and launch new campaigns.
Why It’s Important
Tactical team members have a strong bias toward action.
They integrate all the disparate pieces of your marketing
efforts to create an effective system.
How to Recognize It
“More doing, less hand-waving” is a tactical person’s motto.
They are excellent project managers who can execute a “A good plan violently executed
marketing campaign effectively from start to finish. They are
interested in experimentation and implementation, and strive
now is better than a perfect plan
to get results quickly. executed next week.”
- George S. Patton
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9. Right Brain: Creative
Features
Mention the term “right brain” and people think, “creative.” A
creative person thinks in pictures and big-picture concepts.
They value the “why” more than the “how" and think in
broader terms than their left-brained counterparts. In
approaching problems, they begin with the general concept
and follow with the specifics.
Why It’s Important
Their fresh approach and ability to see problems in new ways
make creative marketers such an integral part of your team.
They take a holistic, global look at the issue first, and work on
the details later. This broad perspective is key to assessing
problems and finding innovative solutions.
“Creativity can solve almost any problem.
The creative act, the defeat of habit by How to Recognize It
A creative marketer is a big-idea thinker. They have a bias
originality, overcomes everything.” toward prototyping and are willing to try new things. Their
innovative perspective will keep you from doing the same
- George Lois things over and over, getting the same results.
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10. Right Brain: Visual
Features
There is still an art to marketing. No matter how many
changes occur in the world of marketing, visual imagery will
remain a central element. Images have the ability to evoke
emotional responses, convey information quickly and
communicate meaning.
Why It’s Important
Humans respond to visual imagery. To capture attention, it’s
important to incorporate images in every type of marketing
content created. Infographics can convey a lot of information
in a simple, easy to digest way. Data and content
visualization can quickly relay a more specific point. Pictures,
video and slideshows can liven up websites and blog posts,
• Loves whiteboarding and usually has a marker and font design and page layouts can help make a page of
in their hand during brainstorming sessions information more eye-catching.
• Improves your customer experience by
How to Recognize It
including informative diagrams
A visual marketer is one who thinks in pictures and
• Avoids spreadsheets but gravitates toward data understands the impact of images. White boards and mind
visualizations maps are among their favorite tools, and they are constantly
striving to include more visual content.
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11. Right Brain: Conceptual
Features
Conceptual thinking and innovation are keys to successful
marketing. You need to constantly try new approaches, make
changes, and innovate quickly to learn how to best
communicate your message. A conceptual thinker can look at
marketing data and numbers and derive new insights from it.
Why It’s Important
Conceptual, innovative thinkers know how to connect the
dots. They can take the data and disparate information
derived from your reporting and measurement and go one
step further, giving all that data meaning. They can create
powerful campaign themes and content that generate action.
• Crafts stories and larger themes for your campaigns How to Recognize It
and programs Conceptual thinkers are able to anticipate trends as they
emerge. They see what is coming and know how to use that
• Finds interesting juxtapositions that others miss
in their work. They are innovative and non-linear in their
• Recognizes patterns and trends ahead of the crowd thinking, and can combine resources to get things done. They
thrive on pattern recognition.
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12. Right Brain: Messaging & Meaning
Features
Once your top-flight marketing system is in place, it needs fuel. A
continual infusion of new content and fresh ideas is needed for
your marketing to take off. Not only do you need your team to
provide an abundance of creative, innovative content, they must
also understand the system and how it behaves to create content
that increases lead flow and grows the pipeline.
Why It’s Important
You need to find the “why” that motivates your prospects and
customers to take action, and build your campaign messaging
around that. Customers must be able to relate to the messaging
and meaning within your content and campaigns. Good storytelling
is key to creating messaging that resonates with the customer, and
prompts them to take the next step in the sales process.
“The root of great companies is How to Recognize It
make meaning vs. make money.” A marketer who can create good messaging has strong empathy
for the customer. They can see the customer’s perspective and
understand how they would like to hear the message. They use
– Guy Kawasaki personas to shape the company’s understanding of key audiences,
and seek powerful, qualitative insights from in-person interviews.
They can create compelling stories that motivate action.
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13. Right Brain: Strategic
Features
A strategic thinker is one who can think beyond marketing, to the
role marketing plays in the larger organization. They take a
longer term view and can see the implications of their marketing
efforts on the overall organization. They anticipate the reactions
of competitors and the second order impact of plans and
decisions.
Why It’s Important
Strategy is fundamentally about resource allocation: what you
will and will not do. Marketing teams rarely have an abundance
of time, money or people to implement all of the potential
activities requested of them. A strong strategic thinker can keep
the team focused on the activities that will maximize the desired
results.
“Plans are useless, but
planning is everything” How to Recognize It
A strategic marketer is one who can prioritize and allocate
resources effectively. They have a broad perspective and can
- Dwight D. Eisenhower understand how marketing fits into the larger organization. In
addition they are skilled at communicating the priorities to their
team, keeping everyone on track and striving for a common goal.
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14. WholeBrain: Integrating Both Sides
In no other area of business is there a stronger need for an integration of right- and left-brained attributes than in
marketing. From visual content creation to data analytics, technology has made it imperative that marketers employ
the attributes inherent to both sides of the brain to achieve results and generate revenue. Both sides are equally
important - the data must be given meaning, the concepts must deliver measurable results. It is the fusion of the
two sides that creates successful marketing, and drives revenue and results for your organization.
Analytical Creative
Numbers & Metrics Visual
Technical Conceptual
Data-Driven Messaging & Meaning
Tactical Strategic
www.wholebrain.com

15. Build Your Revenue Engine
Additional Resources
Marketo infographic on Right Brain v. Left Brain Marketers
Eloqua’s Topliners community
Get a Free Review
Econsultancy on digital talent
www.chiefmartec.com
Daniel Pink - A Whole New Mind
Find new opportunities to generate revenue
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About WholeBrain
We provide marketing automation and demand generation
consulting. Think of of us as a marketing CTO or demandgen
mechanic, giving you a high performance revenue engine. We
help implement and tune your marketing systems and programs
to improve lead flow and drive revenue growth and predictability.
We boost the capabilities of your team through training and
process improvement, leaving you with a more effective and
efficient marketing organization.
www.wholebrain.com