What are some examples of effective data-driven communication strategies?

In my Management 101 Courses at University I learned something that has stuck with me throughout my career. The 5 P’s of management - proper preparation prevents poor performance. It always reminds me to prepare myself for meetings and presentations. Know your audience, know your product, know your competition. Data driven communications is a superpower to reach your audience and to measure your KPI. Great way to prepare for success!

Alan Weiss once said, "Logic makes people think. Emotions (and ego), make them act.". Data is best utilised to 1. understand the target consumer or audience, and 2. in instances where sharing the data will trigger an emotion that compels action. It is best to be very selective about the use of data, as too many numbers, can intimidate/overwhelm particular audiences. Less can be more. Ofcourse if you are talking to your CFO :), don't hesitate to share as much data as possible to demonstrate positive ROI projections of a particular initiative!

Only if a company captures and makes use of their customer’s data can a marketing strategy be data-driven. For example, if you have an online business or own an ecommerce store and see a customer has repeatedly visited a product page but hasn't purchased that product, a data-driven marketing strategy is to track all behaviors and actions (including no action) to learn how to understand and meet the customers needs; a corresponding tactic would be to alert the customer when the item they’ve been considering is on sale.

Putting aside preconceived notions and ideas can be challenging when developing a program of action based upon data driven findings. These notions or ideas can be subtle and attractive in that they often involve stepping away from the norm. But they often offer us needed, but challenging action steps that reward us for our decisiveness. As leaders and managers we often act on “gut” reactions that are comfortable and easy to achieve. Fortune and success is often found in taking bold and decisive steps that our data tells us are needed. In the final analysis, if we have a system in place that provides us reliable and unassailable data we should have the confidence in our people, our systems, and our ability to adapt and change.

Numbers are informative but the data most critical to understanding your audience are the needs they have that are not being met. If your communication can fill one of their information needs, then you position your organization or company as a solution. You also need to know how they get and consume their information. Meet them where they are--not where you want them to be.

As a marketing leader, I often get asked how to get buy-in for everything from budgetary needs to tactical team support. My answer is always to tell a complete ‘story’. Both qualitative and quantitative. But that information is not the same for every audience. Your CFO cares about a different story than your Head of HR or your CEO or your BODs - because their stories are all uniquely impacted by your activity. Here’s the real crux though, this often means editing down your data. Too often, people present data to one audience and then just add other data to the original data for the next audience. Unnecessary data confuses or disengages your audience. Choose the right data for your audience in order to tell the right story.

In strat-com, choosing data is significant and needs planning and thoughts to compose even if it's qualitative or quantitative data. Let's not forget about analytical data instead of clutter.

I believe that content and context at the right moment can shape your messaging. By choosing the right data, you can influence your audience, building trust and confidence along the way.

Choosing the right data is like crafting the perfect dish. Your main message is the recipe, and data are your key ingredients. Just as a chef selects elements that complement each other, you pick data that supports your message. Reports, studies, and databases are your pantry basics, and experts add that extra credibility. Accuracy is your taste-test; you want your data to enhance, not spoil, your message. It's not just about having data; it's about having the right data for a flavorful communication dish.

As previously mentioned more analytical data, needs to be in the form of graphs, pie-charts, and info-graphics. Which are more catchy and easy to get an idea about the progress of the communications.

You should always check your numbers and calculations before creating a chart. I believe in visualization, but I prefer a simple and clean style, providing enough information for easy interpretation.

Think of visualizing data like adding color to a black-and-white photo. It's about turning raw information into a vibrant story that grabs attention. Imagine you're a storyteller, and your data is the plot. Data visualization is the art of illustrating that plot with graphs, charts, and maps – it's like turning your words into a visual novel.

In my experience with data-driven communication, storytelling is key. It's not just about presenting numbers; it's about crafting a narrative that resonates. This narrative is key to transforming complex data into clear, understandable stories. More than just conveying information, a well-crafted data story has the unique power to inspire and motivate action. It's about elevating data from being merely heard to being inspirational.

To effectively communicate our message, we must provide the answer to the question, "What's in it for our audience?" This is achieved by using appealing headlines and titles and presenting the information in a clean and straightforward manner. Additionally, visuals are used to enhance understanding and engaging.

Storytelling is marketing in its most simplistic terms. Words are incredibly powerful. Depending on the product or service, create a compelling narrative that shows that the product or service will improve, enhance or make the life of the consumer easier or more pleasurable.

So now it's more about the story comprising of analytics. People love to hear about the story and communications or data can be integrated or embed into story-telling tactic.

Storytelling is the secret sauce of effective communication because it taps into the heart and mind simultaneously. It's not just about relaying information; it's about creating a memorable experience. Stories engage on an emotional level, making data relatable and memorable. They provide context, turning dry facts into a vivid picture that sticks in people's minds. A well-told story captures attention, fosters understanding, and inspires action. In a world inundated with information, storytelling is the beacon that guides your message through the noise, leaving a lasting impact on your audience.

Always remember to test the data or communications with a focus group first before pilot or implement the whole communications or the campaign/ project.

Think of testing and optimizing your data message like tuning a guitar for the best performance. Your message is the melody, and testing is adjusting the notes for a seamless experience, just like refining a song during a concert. Use feedback, analytics, and experiments as your musical score, listening to the audience's response to fine-tune your message. Variables like headlines, design, and format are your musical elements—experiment with them like adjusting instruments. Refer to best practices and benchmarks as your guide, ensuring your data communication hits all the right notes in the audience's ears. It's not just a technical step; it's the art of crafting a message that sounds great to your audience.

*Winners & Losers* If your strategic communication is not presenting your side as "the winners" to your target audience you are losing an important opportunity to have your audience commit to the objective/product/leader. To illustrate, in an Apple vs Samsung matchup Apple has the image of a winner even though it sells far fewer units. Second, In the current American political scenario even though Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by a huge margin; and every honest observer agrees that President Biden has been a very effective leader not only for USA but for the world; still, we see the difference between hesitant supporters of Biden and virtually fanatical supporters of Trump and cannot but conclude that the difference is in communication.

10 data commandments to help create and sustain a culture with data at its core: -Data-driven culture starts at the (very) top. -Choose metrics with care – and cunning. -Don’t pigeonhole your data scientists within silos. -Fix basic data access issues quickly. -Quantify uncertainty; make proofs of concept simple and robust. -Offer specialized training where needed; use analytics to help employees as well as customers. -Be willing to trade flexibility in programming languages for consistency in the short term. -Get in the habit of explaining analytical choices.