4 Steps To Make Sense Of Your Data
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We’ve got data, but we don’t know what it’s telling us. Every dashboard is full. Every platform has its own metrics platform. Every campaign spits out charts. And somehow, instead of getting smarter, we just get… stuck. Too many teams are drowning in data and starving for insight. Here’s how to fix that: Start with the question. Before you look at a single number, ask: What do I actually want to know? Look for signals, not noise. I used to love launching a new product and watching the numbers in real time. This is NOT a habit I suggest forming. It’s not helpful to react to every dip (or spike) in traffic. Instead, find the consistent signals—what formats outperform, what channels convert, what topics create real engagement—and tune out the rest. Share what it means. Stop packing decks full of stats and try to tell a story with the data instead:
Every time I do a data presentation now, I first write out the narrative of what’s happening first. Then I choose charts that illustrate it. It’s how data becomes memorable, and a decision-making tool, not a reporting burden. Share what it means—with everyone. Share what you’re seeing with your team and anyone else who has a hand in bringing your strategy to life. If everyone’s empowered by the same insights, your entire team and product gets stronger. Data isn’t valuable until it drives a decision. It’s time to throw out data for data’s sake and start using it to strategically learn, communicate and grow. I’m curious: What’s the one question your data needs to answer this week?
P.S. This is the end of our first newsletter mini-series. I hope you found something useful in it—and if you missed anything, it’s all available here. |
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