For your business, data means two things: measurement of your marketing, and tracking of your leads and customers in a CRM.
This isn't a license to hoover up everything. As Jodi Daniels writes, companies that collect consumer data without permission are "effectively stealing the currency of intimacy."
Step 01
The Myths
"Data tools are far too expensive."
Analytics and native social measurement are free, email tools include their data, and solid CRMs like Pipedrive start under $20/mo.
"There's too much data to understand."
Then you need less data. A 30-page report is impressive and unactionable; a one-page summary that hits what matters is worth far more.
Step 02
The Problems
Attribution is getting really hard
A client found their CPA through a 2015 conference talk, then a podcast, then a blog, then a coaching session — and finally a branded Google search. The data will only ever say "Google."
Last-touch attribution will lie to you
Video, LinkedIn, podcast, blog, contact form — and the blog post takes 100% of the credit. Understandable, and deeply misleading.
Users will lie to you (unintentionally)
The top options in "how did you find us?" always win, and people credit sources they never used — one company's most-picked answer was a channel they had no affiliation with.
Your CRM is Excel, or your inbox
The only thing worse than no CRM is one collecting dust. A system too powerful for your needs goes unused.
"We can't track it"
Kill a great idea in six words: "how will we track it?" Track what you can, but don't let trackability pick your strategy.
Step 03
The Framework
Treat customer data with respect
Collecting everything and adding every address to a list is short-sighted and often illegal. Restraint is a real signal of commitment.
Less data is more
Reports grow by default. Take the opposite approach and remove items until what's left drives clear action.
Step 04
The Proof
Lift versus attribution
A company cut $50k/mo of podcast ads credited with 1.8% of conversions. Google Ads cost-per-acquisition then skyrocketed — the podcasts had been warming everyone up. Rebuilding took most of a year.
Don't hand Google credit it didn't earn
Branded search means people already knew you. Google sat in the middle, but something else created the demand. Find that, and double down there.
Step 05
The Actions
- Don't ignore your data, but don't overanalyze it.
- Get a simple CRM and actually use it to see 6-12 months ahead.
- Set up one basic dashboard that aggregates site, email, and social.