- June 16, 2016
- 0
- Email This Post
- Print This Post
How “Little Data” Gives SMBs More Actionable Customer Insight
Sick of hearing about Big Data? Many integrated marketers are. That’s because mining Big Data calls for Big Dollar platforms and special expertise today’s smaller firms often can’t afford.
But does that mean little guys are doomed to be the data have-nots? Some experts say no.
Leveraging Little Data
As we’ve been reporting, small and mid-sized businesses have plenty of data to tap into that comes from everyday sources, such as dark data, unstructured data and others.
Writer and analytics exec, Santiago Becerra, also recommends exploring your firm’s “Little Data,” which he says can be found in the most familiar places.
“It’s the “Little Data” at their fingertips that holds the most promise,” Becerra observes.
“Google Analytics, Excel spreadsheets, CRM systems, LinkedIn, email [all] collect and use information that is easily overlooked and underutilized because of misperceptions that data is only useful in larger-than-life amounts.”
Data scientist and SMB consultant Jerry W. Thomas agrees with the claim.
Writing for MarketingProfs.com, Thomas says, “The…solution to marketing and business problems—and the identification of strategic opportunities—often lies in the realm of Little Data [like surveys and small-scale market research] not Big Data,” colorfully adding that “You don’t have to boil the ocean to determine its salt content…or eat the whole steer to know that it’s tough.”
Unleash the Power
After identifying the key business objectives any new Little Data should solve, Becerra says you can unleash that data’s power and insight in the following ways:
Focus on relevant issues–providing quality, relevant content, for example; knowing how users get to your website and behave once they arrive can provide insight that guides improvements in content, usability and SEO, which can ultimately improve conversions and the user experience; the free tool, Google Analytics, makes this data yours for the taking.
Make Little Data accessible–reliable access to CRM and other customer data outside the office gives your mobile workforce a competitive edge, Becerra says; for example, using real-time customer data can help personalize a sales call, while relevant, up-to-the minute stats and metrics can pump up a presentation and help close an important deal.
Use Little Data for customer service–when you give customer-facing reps insight into Little Data, such as product or contact preferences, or frequently purchased items, you empower them to deliver a higher level of personalized service, which increases loyalty and repeat purchases.
You don’t need Big Data if you leverage the data you already have. Review our previous posts to get a leg up, such as how to Get Your Marketing Data House In Order, Telling Your Brand Story with data, and using it to Visualize Your Content Strategy.