5 Advantages Of Using Data For Driving Growth

Introduction

• Are you a small business owner looking to drive up your revenues and profits?
• Do you want to make your organization leaner and fitter in terms of output?
• Have you explored other areas of reducing wastages and duplication of work?
• Is there a way by which you can take your business to the next level?

As an entrepreneur, if you are asking yourself these questions, then congratulations, you have landed on the right article. As an entrepreneur, if you have always wanted to scale your business, you need to look at ‘Data’.

Many make the mistake of thinking that working with data is only the privilege of the bigger companies. This is not the case. You do not need huge investments or an advanced technical team to start working with data.

Data: Meaning and Introduction

Any information, record, number of figure, which can be collected, analysed, processed and fulfil in answering a core requirement of a business can be termed as data. It is understood, that data is always useful when it is in structured form.

Human beings and businesses have been collecting data from time immemorial. We have been maintaining journals, registers, diaries with numbers, addresses, purchase information, etc. However, the advent of information technology and computers has taken data to the next level.

Data helps every department in your organization optimize their performances. We are talking about the Marketing, Sales, Customer Relationship, etc. Every department can use the right kind of data to grow their vertical. If every department is doing the same, the company stands to benefit in a cumulative way.

5 Advantages of using Data for Small Businesses: The List

In this section, we are looking to see how the right use of data can help small businesses in a major way.

1. Explore New Markets and Launch New Products-

Every small business wants to expand and reach newer markets. However, the costs, planning and the risks for the same are enormous. This is where data can help give you an accurate picture. It can help provide information on the consumer buying patterns, competitor analysis, and other crucial information.

2. Streamlining Internal Operations-

Every small business has a team or vertical, which is sub-optimal in performance. If you have the right data at your disposal, you can pin point the problem areas. You can identify what is going wrong, when is it going wrong, and why is it going wrong. This can help you take the necessary steps to check the turn around the situation.

3. Reducing Wastage and Duplication of Work-

Data is very good as it sets the framework and shows the path. It outlines what each team and individual needs to do to improve performance and contribute to productivity. This helps in avoiding duplication of work and unnecessary wastages. Everything is accounted for and there are very few things, which slip by.

4. Predicting Business Growth-

Every business wants to know what happens next. This means that everyone wants to know where we are heading. Having the right data can tell you which areas the company is growing in. It can also tell you what the areas that need improvement are. Together, it helps in analysis, predicting future growth, projections and trajectories.

5. Giving the Company a New Outlook-

Being a data driven organization has its own rewards. It shows that a company is willing to step into the future. It also shows that the company is innovative, modern and has a forward-looking approach to business. This can help you get more business, improve your credibility and elevate you to the next level.

Conclusion

According to Gartner MDM, small businesses are unaware of the right processes when it comes to data. They think that data solutions and services are expensive. In reality, they are not. Small businesses can also go for enterprise level data solutions.

If an entrepreneur is looking to take their business to the next level, he or she cannot do it without using data. Do you think using data is necessary for all businesses? Let us know in the comments section below.