If you're launching a new program, it's essential to keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to generate revenue. Even more important than top-line revenue, though, is profit (what you have left after paying your expenses)! One way to achieve this is by using data to guide your decisions and make informed choices. Specifically, looking at your launch data can help you double your revenue in your next launch.

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of assuming that if they work harder and put in longer hours, their business will succeed. Friends, let me tell you that this is just not true. You can have a successful business without running yourself to the brink of burnout, wondering when you will ever be able to come up for air.

There are 3 specific mistakes that can make or break your business success. Do not panic, though. The good news is that you CAN avoid them. It’s all about awareness and not letting those messy corners of your business get out of control.

I know that a lot of business leaders love to dream about new ideas. However, dealing with the tiny details behind these big ideas (think numbers, systems, processes, deadlines, measurements, indicators, spreadsheets…) doesn’t feel as exciting.

Here’s the truth, though: what got you to the level of business growth you are at now will not get you where you want to go. Whether your goal is more freedom and vacation time, increased monthly revenue, or a business that runs without you being present, a shift is needed and it requires you to be accountable.

I know that this advice seems seriously simple and obvious, but surprisingly, it is one of the things I see business owners doing the least. Many are creatives and get in a pattern of wanting to create that next idea for their customers. Others get caught up in following the latest trends and jumping on the next bandwagon of success.

However, I believe the real reason business owners don’t follow this advice is that they don’t have a really simple, straightforward way to figure out what is really working for them.

Running a business can often feel like running on a hamster wheel if you’re not paying close attention to your productivity. I can imagine that when you started your business, one of the things you were looking forward to was freedom — time freedom, financial freedom, and opportunities to find your own fulfillment. However, many business owners feel that their lives became more overwhelming, unsustainable, and unfulfilling after they started their businesses.

If you’re not getting to enjoy the life circumstances that you hoped for when you started your business, I want you to know that it doesn’t have to be this way. The road to transformation starts with your productivity.

As we are in quarter 4 of 2022, I have been doing some reflecting on my own business as well as my clients’. One thing that keeps coming to mind is what our most valuable asset is as a business owner: time. We all get the same 24 hours in a day, and we need to be as efficient and productive as possible while still having that elusive work-life balance.

Regardless of business niche, all business owners face the challenge of time management at some point or another. There can sometimes be a never-ending list of to-dos, and the thought of gaining control of your schedule can seem impossible.

Measuring profit is one of the most important deliverables I have when working as a strategic partner with business owners. Of course, profit is tied to revenue, but don’t blindly assume that more revenue means more profit; it goes much deeper than that.

I like to approach this from a strategic level. Before I even think about building a dashboard for a client, I want to be able to nail down what they want and need to see based on their business goals for the next 6 to 12 months.

Today, I'm going to tell you all about my 4-step framework for helping my clients track their profit.

A lot of online business owners like to spend some time at the end of each quarter looking back and reflecting as well as making plans and setting goals for the next 90 days. It is a good time to pause and check-in and evaluate how you are meeting your goals.

When you start to analyze the previous quarter and decide on goals for the upcoming quarter, it is vital that you review your KPIs and metrics. Remember, friends, that data does not lie. You no longer have to guess or use your subjective feelings to know where you are at meeting your targets; simply analyze the data and the answer will be right in front of you.

Always keep your eyes and your mind open to the possibility of “bad” data. New research from Experian Data Quality shows that inaccurate data has a direct impact on the bottom line of 88% of companies, with the average company losing 12% of its revenue.

Misleading data has become commonplace for entrepreneurs as data becomes easier to collect and more necessary to utilize. Our online business world relies heavily on analytics, but like any other area of life, errors can happen. It’s important to be aware of this fact and to keep our eyes open for misleading data, even when you think your data collection methods are foolproof.

When you use data to make decisions, they are based on facts rather than biases. Data is objective and therefore remains fair and balanced, as opposed to your gut feelings which are subjective and biased. Data-driven decision making should be a vital part of your business strategy. Remember, the data alone is not transforming your business or propelling you forward. It is the actions you take based on the insights gathered from the data that make the difference.

Are you interested in being 19 times more profitable or being 23 times more likely to acquire customers? Who doesn’t want these kind of growth opportunities for their business? Experience and instincts are valuable, of course, but research confirms that businesses that base decisions on data rather than instincts or experience are likely to be way more profitable. Data-driven businesses are those that make their decisions using data to drive outcomes their business wants (i.e. objectives and goals).

Google Analytics’ Acquisition Report is designed to help you track where your website traffic is coming from. It helps you make important decisions like where you should spend your efforts and marketing dollars – so you don’t end up wasting your time, energy and resources on platforms that don’t drive traffic and business to your website. 

How many people are landing on your website in a month? Did your traffic increase over the last quarter compared to the quarter before? Which countries are the visitors to your website coming from? What devices are visitors to your website using most? The answers to all these questions can be found inside the Audience report in Google Analytics.

Google Analytics is your data collecting tool! This powerhouse tracks activity on your website and organizes it so you can gain more insights. Today, we are going to move into part 2 of our deep dive into Google Analytics and go over the highlights from the Realtime Report. At first glance, you might feel that the information on this report is not that useful, however, I am here to prove you wrong.

If numbers, data, and analytics are outside your comfort zone, and you are just about ready to close this page, hold on. Understanding your metrics does not need to be painful or hard. A dashboard will give you valuable insights into your marketing funnel from start to finish, your sales by product over time, your website traffic, the actions people are taking on your site, and much more!

With an analytics dashboard, you can take advantage of your data without the hassle. You’ll be able to make strategic, data-based decisions using a real-time, all-in-one tool that shows you only what you need to know.

Misconceptions about your analytics tracking system can be an issue. They can certainly change your perspective and could even cause you to make poor marketing decisions. So what do you need to learn (or unlearn) about tracking to make the most of your analytics? Today, I want to go over 3 common myths or mistakes I see when working with clients.

When you’re getting your website and business started, tracking metrics can seem like an impossible task. One look at the vast amount of Google Analytics reports, features, and buttons can send you spiralling.

However, tracking your metrics allows you to recognize opportunities for growth. Starting to do this sooner rather than later will put you on the right track early on. While there are many analytics tools available, you can’t go wrong with Google Analytics.

How often are you using your traffic data to guide your marketing strategy? Do you regularly look at this data to gain insights into what your traffic is currently doing? If you are like most business owners I work with, the answer to that question is no.

When you make smart data-driven marketing decisions, you will know that you are creating the right content for the right audience at the right time. That sounds sweet, doesn’t it? You can use data to up your marketing game. By learning and understanding more about your customers, you can give them the content they desire.

Every business should be tracking important metrics; however, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to follow. The metrics you should track depend completely on the strategic objectives for your business. I suggest mapping out the customer journey or user experience to determine where to start.

IT IS IMPORTANT that you keep track of each step of the experience or action you want the customer to take. This data becomes so vital when looking for opportunities for growth and improvement in your funnel. Measure, change your actions, and measure again.

Google Analytics is extremely helpful in tracking the behaviour and actions of users on a website. However, it is also very confusing and almost incomprehensible to the average online business owner. With hundreds of different metrics available to you, along with endless options to click, trying to gain insights into your web traffic from this tool can be overwhelming, to say the least.

Remember, you only need to track the metrics that will show you how your website is performing. Here are the 5 most important metrics to measure your website’s success.