Small (Business) Data: How to Use It!
Many small and mid-size businesses, particularly retailers, are tapping into customer histories and using social media reports to discover buying trends when planning their holiday marketing strategy. Although the term “big data” might seem daunting, there is plenty that small businesses can do with their data to increase productivity and sales! Even if your company has only been in 
business for a few years, tapping into the data history of repeat customers can be a valuable and useful asset.
Analyzing your company’s data can tell you which marketing strategies have been the most effective, which products or services your customers are most interested in, and can help you estimate what kind of inventory to stock.
Here are a few tips for how to use your “small” business data this holiday season:
- Email Reporting: If you are sending out email blasts, use the reports to see what topics/subject lines got the most opens, as well as when the emails were sent – the time of day and day of the week the email is sent does matter! As you notice trends, your email data will help you know what to send and when.
- E-commerce: Whatever software you use to manage your e-commerce site should be able to provide you with data on when people are buying, the navigation for how they got there, and statistics on abandoned carts. Use this data to improve your website navigation, recover potentially lost sales, and increase advertising/campaigns on hot items.
- Social Media: Make sure to post often to your social media accounts – and track the posts! Look for trends in topics that receive the most interaction/attention, and try to increase the number of those types of posts in the future; as you test new campaigns, be sure to track them to understand what works best with your audience.
Take advantage of your small business’s data and develop a compelling holiday marketing strategy that is fun, cost-effective, and successful!
Contact S. Walter Packaging for help in meeting your holiday packaging demands.