How To Use Business Intelligence In Your Online Business

If you would like to improve your business in the future, it is important that you create a plan that will help you make use of information you have freely available to match the needs of your customers better and plan ahead. Business data and intelligence is one of the fastest growing areas, and you no longer need to get an expensive market research company to complete the analysis with the latest programs and software, you can now turn business intelligence to your advantage. Find out how below.

Data Analytics

No matter if you own a business big or small, you will be collecting various data without noticing it. From customer information to website usage and popularity, there are many numbers that will help you improve your processes and make them more effective in the future. Advanced data analytics tools are not too expensive these days, and you can find out where your industry is going in the next few years or which areas of business you should focus more on.

Surveys

You can, of course, also conduct your own surveys and collect information from your target market or existing customers. Many companies have turned customer intelligence into assets in the past, and politicians are using the same methods to identify the messages their target population is likely to react to. If you would like to use this tool ethically, you might want to fist find out more about the threat of social engineering to small businesses and reverse the effect of other companies’ and groups’ activity on your venture.

SEO

One of the most useful and most practical analytics you can use in your digital marketing is search engine optimization. While Google Analytics gives you a lot of information about what your visitors are clicking on and how they land on your website, but the data will be limited. Thankfully, there are several advanced search engine optimization tools that allow you to customize your platform and see the SEO data that really matters in your business.

Customer Research

When you are planning on introducing a new product or service, you will need to predict how your potential clients and your niche are going to react. This is an important step to take and it can help you prevent losing money invested in product or service development. You will have to understand your customers if you would like to tailor your tone and messages to their specific needs and preferences.

Product Development

Having a good idea is not abundant to achieve success. You will need to see through your project and understand what customers are looking for. At the same time, it is also crucial that you develop a product that will help you fill a gap in your market. From the design to the description, the functions and pricing, you can use business intelligence to improve your strategy and make the most out of your resources.

Industry Dangers

There are plenty of dangers companies face today, but most of them are called risks. No matter what you call them, they can jeopardize the future of your company. You need to keep an eye on the regulations and the operational environment of your industry, or you might face regulatory challenges or even risks that will cost you a fortune to manage. From customer trends to competition information, there are various data you should collect if you would like to manage the risks in your company and survive the turmoils of the economy.

Spotting Trends

The best way to spot trends in your market is to engage with your customers. It is crucial that you keep an eye on the market, the latest technology, and customer preferences. This will help you take advantage of new trends and developing markets, instead of following the trend. In case you would like to become the leader in your industry, instead of the follower, you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the market and your industry and gather, analyze, and make use of business intelligence.

Competition Research

When you are running an online business, you might feel isolated, not knowing what other companies out there are doing. This will make you less informed and more likely to make mistakes. What was the last time you compared your prices to your competitors’ and focused on your price advantage or adding value? Do you know what the unique selling proposition of your main competitors are and who they are? Collecting this information is simple if you are able to sit down and spend some time on collecting measurable data.

Financial Planning

Data analytics

Data analytics is also important for planning your budget and finances. If you are in a seasonal business, or your customers’ decisions are made at a certain time during the month or in the year, you will need to plan your budget and your marketing accordingly. Gather all the financial records, the average order size, the customer value, and identify the most profitable projects, groups, and markets, so you can improve your business without having to shoot in the dark.

Profit Margins

The ultimate goal of your business is to make money. If you fail to analyze your profits and your your value proposition, you will fail to generate enough money to invest in improving your business. Make sure that you use advanced financial analytics tools that allow you to work out how productive each of your employee is, how simplifying and automating some of the processes can help you achieve your goals, and maximize your profitability. There are some great simple calculators that help you calculate your regular and variable expenses and your material or human resource costs.

Running a business is not rocket science, but if you ignore data and the facts, you will have a lower chance to succeed. Make use of business intelligence in every area of your your business, and you can make continuous improvements that will help you achieve your long term goals and targets.

6 Comments

Unknown 6 years ago

Love this. I do think spotting trends is one of the keys to success in business
Kristine Nicole Alessandra 6 years ago

I worked a corporate job for two decades and I found out the importance of having real time analysts in the team. They monitor trends and do business forecasting. This is one of the vital factors to take into consideration if you want your business to thrive.
Nina 6 years ago

Agreed, keeping an eye on the trends is one of the ways to success !
Eugenia 6 years ago

I agree engaging with your costumers is a vital business objective, the more you engage them, the more likely they buy your product promote it to their friends or relatives!
LiveLoveAndAdventure 6 years ago

Thanks for this, such an important post. I still struggle with the best ways to handle SEO and am learning more and more all the time. It's important to keep up on the trends since anything digital can change so quickly.
Unknown 6 years ago

Not knowing risks in the industry is one of the most dangerous things! You just need to know these things if you want to be successful.
Elizabeth – Tired Mom supermom

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