what data are you processing in your small business?

Who remembers when GDPR came in and everyone lost their shit about their email lists and how they were storing other peoples data.

Ah sweet sweet memories.

I find it funny how we all of a sudden got motivated to sort out our systems in case we got in trouble for mismanaging other peoples digital information…and yet so few business owners EVER really do anything with their own data.

What do I mean?

Well, how do you know month on month how your business is doing?

Do you set targets? Do you collect qualitative and quantitative data to assess the reasons why your targets were hit or not? Are you able to drill down and see what’s going on, what the patterns are, what the trends might be…the direction of travel?

No? Maybe? You think so?

Now I am not coming in here to shame anyone, because it took me a few years to see the value, and to get over my resistance to tracking stuff in my business. I was OK at setting goals…but that was about it, I never knew if hitting those goals was a fluke or directly related to the tactics I was delopying in my business, and when I didn’t hit the targets I simply made it about me not being good enough.

Sound familiar?

Look even if you are not in the habit of beating yourself up about missed targets, if you don’t have a process for tracking the data relating to the metrics that matter to you then you are leaving money on the table pure and simple. The data never lies…but our narratives sometimes do, “Oh it’s the summer, nobody buys in the summer” “Oh there is a cost of living crisis” “the alorythm hates me” now all of those could be true and none of them could be, but without some data for me to dig into neither I nor you can really pin point whats going on.

So what we do?

1. First we have to work out what we should measure, and that will very much depend on the kind of business we are trying to grow…but there are some data set points which most businesses should include

2. Then we need to set a baseline and have somewhere to store this information month on month

3. Then we need to set a time each month to collate and review this information, so that we can make decisions based on what we find

Sound like a ball ache? Sound tedius, techy, boring?

You know what isn’t a ball ache? Being able to pay for a family holiday from the proceeds of your business.

You know what isn’t tedius? Being able to confidently share your stats with anyone who is supporting your business growth without having palputations cos you don’t even know yourself

You know what isn’t techy? Having a simple to use, fill in the gaps template that literally prompts me to do the work every damn month.

You know what isn’t boring? Being able to track month on month the tactics that are working so that you don’t waste time on the ones that are not

The fact is being a successful solopreneur (and let’s face it most small business owners are) is not about vision boards and posting shiny photos of yourself online…despite what a lot of business coaches will tell you.

If you want to have a business not a hobby, a profitable venture not a loss leading noose around your neck…then you my dear (uurgghh don’t you hate it when folks use that while having a rant) need to put on your CEO pants, and do some CEO type tracking of data.

Or you can carry on winging it.

So here are some ways I can help

1. Fill in my What Kind of Business Am I REALLY Running Audit...this should help you get a good picture of where your business is
2. Ask me about my Solopreneur Success Roadmap which starts in September….there is a super affordable beta round price available for just 3 more people
3. Ask me about my CEO Dashboard, Monthly Tracking Sheet and Digital Audit Bundle…the tech I use each month…I am testing this at the moment at a super affordable price of £25

Look you might be off enjoying your summer knowing you need to ramp things up in September.

But what are you going to ramp up? What’s working? What’s not? How will you plan for success?

Measure the Metrics That Really Matter is number 9 of my How NOT to be Broke Manifesto…which will feature in my new up and coming book. Preorder the ebook here? but here’s the thing…this isn’t just about making more money in your business, it is about giving you back your life, it is about you spending more time with your kids, your business, your fav box sets.

It is never too late to get this shit in place.

Just because you have had some success without it, and prefer to work more intuitively doesn’t mean this won’t change your life…I have undiagnosed ADHD and over and above anything, putting these systems in place for myself…and not relying on a VA or someone else to be responsible for it has helped me step things up in my business.

Go get that data…collect it, collate it, celebrate or commiserate over it, and then either way strategise off the back of it to get more of what you want.