How To Use Data Even If You’re Not a Data Person

Data is arguably the most important and versatile business asset available to companies today. It can have unrivaled impact on a business’ revenue, especially when presented in an easily comprehensible way. It can also help increase engagement with customers, make you more valuable in the eyes of a prospect, and even establish a level of trust that will lend you more favorable ears.

And yet, data is an often untapped resource. For many, the word “data” carries a heavy, anxiety-ridden aura, often stirring feelings of fear. The thought is that “big data” is reserved for the statisticians and data nerds of the world. But you don’t have to be a “data person” to harness the power it holds. Data can be easily integrated into your everyday routine, better informing your business decisions and having a real impact on revenue, by approaching it in a different, non-scientific way:

Create Visuals.

Data can be overwhelming to the non-data person simply because of its size and form. Sorting through spreadsheets and rows of information can not only be daunting, but incredibly exhausting. Instead, look to visuals to display data. It is much easier to digest massive amounts of information in visual form as opposed to numbers in a table. And, it’s a much more universal form of communication. Visuals are able to communicate to the masses. Spreadsheets filled with numbers tend to only work with data scientists. But one graph or map, like a picture, can say a thousand words.

Tell a Story.

There is a systematic method to sort through data: hypothesize, test and adjust accordingly. To those untrained in this practice, the process can be tedious and off-putting. Even more so for those not used to working with large data sets. To simplify the process, focus instead on trying to tell a story. This approach frames data within the skeleton of an over-arching story. Once the storyline is crafted, it must be tested to ensure the data supports it.

Consider an example: ice cream sales at a local candy store must increase 400%. Why? Where? Who cares? To make the argument most convincing, it needs to be framed within a story: we’re introducing a new flavor, in the location across from the elementary school. It will be introduced the Friday before the holiday weekend with in-store promotion and direct mail coupons to the zip codes served by the school. The resulting story takes one static number (400%) and creates a narrative around it that the least quantitatively inclined will grok.

This is easily the most important process when mining data. The story is the foundation that holds up the entire house – without it, we just have bits and pieces of information. By connecting the dots, the information is much easier to comprehend and make actionable.

Experience Makes Perfect.

As with most things in life, the more you do something the easier it gets. The same holds true for using data. The more it is incorporated into everyday work, the more comfort will come with using it. And, the process of uncovering and identifying key insights will become more seamless.

Try and create a system (or use a tool) that makes using data easily repeated and highly adaptable. That way, no matter the data set, there’s a process in place to analyze it with ease and confidence. This may not come easily, and may take several tries, but once in place, its impact will be tremendous.

The point is anyone can use data and you don’t need a statistician on payroll in order to use it. It’s simply a matter of willingness to roll up your sleeves and dive in. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes – the beauty in using data is that there really are no mistakes, only different ways of looking at it. Data’s potential impact is universal and taking the time to harness its power is a small investment when you consider the promise of its massive return.

How To Use Data Even If You’re Not a Data Person