Stay in the know. Subscribe to Currents
CurrentMarketing

15 Insights on Leveraging Data for a Competitive Advantage

9 Mins read

Ever wondered how top businesses turn raw data into a competitive edge? Business leaders and FinTech experts shed light on this intriguing question. The first insight reveals how relevant discoveries can be a game-changer in sales copy, while the final piece of wisdom highlights tailoring offerings based on customer patterns and interests. Discover fifteen powerful insights that these industry leaders have to offer.

Incorporate Relevant Discoveries in Sales Copy

As headhunters, our job is to sell our expertise to our client and candidate base to gain potential new business. Incorporating data into sales copy is highly useful when creating pitch decks, prospecting documents, and social media content.

For instance, compensation data is a hot topic for headhunters to speak on.

Since every headhunter usually services a tight niche, their insights are highly valuable as both clients and candidates want to understand: What is the market going rate for XYZ level and/or type of talent in ABC city?

Headhunters can share this type of compensation data in order to showcase their deep insight and pulse on relevant, timely information.

Another example could be past placement data, such as placement percentages by seniority level, average salaries, gender and racial demographics (for DEI-focused agencies), or candidate two-year retention. 

These are all data points that headhunters can find in their systems and integrate into their outreach efforts.

Since agency recruitment falls under the greater category of sales, other sales roles can also leverage similar data points to win new accounts and capture market share.

Dandan Zhu, Founder, CEO, DG Recruit

Use Survey Data for Compelling Sales Collateral

At Custom Neon, the way we leveraged data to gain a competitive advantage was through a survey. We wanted to understand perceptions of signage and its influence on buyer behavior. The results provided us with compelling sales collateral. Seventy-nine percent of consumers believed that signage reflects the quality of a business, while eighty-five percent indicated they were naturally drawn to bright and colorful signage. 

This survey highlighted the value of investing in signage, so we could create a compelling pitch for business owners—signage is truly an investment, not a cost. We shared these stats on our website and quickly saw many organic links to the page. We also collaborated with non-competing signage companies who linked to the post, boosting both our rankings and sales further.

Clare Jones, PR & Outreach Manager, Custom Neon

Analyze Client Usage to Refine Solutions

We’ve leveraged data to gain a competitive edge by closely analyzing how our clients use our products, allowing us to anticipate their needs and refine our solutions.

For example, with our reserved-seating tool, we tracked user behavior and identified challenges event organizers faced with seating optimization. This data-driven insight led us to develop algorithms to avoid orphan seats, introduce season ticket packages, and offer whole-table booking functionality.

These enhancements not only improved the tool’s efficiency but also resulted in higher adoption rates and increased client satisfaction, ultimately setting us apart from competitors in the ticketing space.

Sergiy Fitsak, Managing Director, FinTech Expert, Softjourn

Optimize Campaigns with User Behavior Data

Using data to guide our decisions has changed how we optimize client campaigns. By examining user behavior across different channels, we improved our retargeting efforts to concentrate on the audience segments with the most engagement. For one e-commerce client, we used heat maps and user flow data to adjust product-page layouts, which increased conversion rates by 15%. This allowed us to allocate ad spending more effectively, focusing on what worked and gaining a strong advantage in their market.

Shane McEvoy, MD, Flycast Media

Enhance Conversion with Segment Insights

I’ve leveraged data to significantly enhance our marketing strategies and customer engagement practices. One example is when we used predictive analytics to identify patterns in customer behavior, which helped us refine our promotional efforts. By analyzing this data, we discovered that specific customer segments were more responsive to personalized communication channels, which increased our campaign conversion rates by 25%.

Through insights gained from data-driven analyses, we tailored our offerings and timing to meet the exact needs of our audience. This strategy not only amplified customer satisfaction but also resulted in a noticeable uptick in customer retention and lifetime value. The outcome was a more engaged clientele and sustained revenue growth, helping us stay ahead in the competitive market.

Valentin Radu, CEO & Founder, Blogger, Speaker, Podcaster, Omniconvert

Allocate Marketing Budgets Using CDP Insights

Using a customer data platform (CDP) transformed how we allocate marketing budgets. One example is when we noticed a significant drop in traffic from a high-performing campaign, reported by Google Analytics. 

After cross-verifying with our CDP, we realized Google was under-reporting conversions due to privacy restrictions and blocked tracking. Our CDP, however, captured the entire customer journey and revealed we were still driving high-quality traffic and conversions. This insight allowed us to confidently increase our investment in that campaign, which led to a 30% increase in conversions and more accurate ROI tracking.

Mike Zima, Chief Marketing Officer, Zima Media

Expedite Shipping with Data Analytics

At Stallion Express, utilizing data has been essential to preserving our competitive advantage in the quick-paced logistics sector. For instance, we’ve employed data analytics to expedite our cross-border shipping procedure.

We determined peak shipping times and adjusted our operations by examining cargo statistics, client preferences, and delivery schedules. During the holidays, we observed a 25% spike in demand for shipments from the United States. We responded by changing the number of employees and re-routing goods to ensure speedier arrival.

This data-driven choice enabled us to manage increasing shipping volumes without sacrificing service quality, and it also helped cut delivery times by 15% while increasing customer satisfaction. Data enables us to make faster, more informed decisions than our competition, stay flexible, and satisfy client needs.

Jen Seran, Director of Operations, Stallion Express

Forecast Inventory Needs 

When I started my business, I relied on gut feelings and experience. But let me tell you, adding data to the mix? It’s like giving yourself x-ray vision. I’ve seen our company profits soar since we started letting the numbers guide us. Take our inventory management, for instance. We used to play a guessing game, but now? We can forecast what will fly off the shelves before it reaches them. It’s saved us a fortune while also making our consumers happy.

This approach resulted in a 30% reduction in the cost of inventory management and boosted customer satisfaction by 15%. The real magic happens when you use data to reallocate resources. It’s like having a financial GPS. So, in today’s market, if you’re not letting data drive your decisions, you’re basically driving blindfolded. And trust me, that’s not a race you want to be in.

Khunshan Ahmad, CEO & Founder, EvolveDash

Automate Customer Support

In a past position, I observed that our customer-support staff was overwhelmed with repeated questions, which not only hindered response times but also degraded client satisfaction. In order to address this issue, I analyzed our customer interaction data to identify the most frequently asked queries and concerns. This study revealed that we could classify a significant number of questions into a limited number of primary subjects.

Equipped with this realization, I worked with the team to build a thorough FAQ section and put an artificial-intelligence-driven chatbot on our website. This fix gave quick responses to frequently asked inquiries, freeing our customer-support agents to concentrate on more difficult problems. Response times and customer satisfaction ratings thus showed a clear increase.

This event underscored the necessity of implementing targeted solutions that enhance efficiency and enhance customer experience, utilizing data beyond merely identifying problems.

Alex Ginovski, Head of Product & Engineering, Enhancv

Pinpoint Deterrents in the Buyer Journey

It seems we’re living in a time where data is king, so it’s really important we stay on top. The insights we can get from data have helped us to stay ahead, particularly detailed customer-behavior analysis. By doing a deep dig into our clients’ campaigns, we’ve been able to identify data trends and patterns that help to inform our strategies. 

For example, we work with a lot of e-commerce clients. When they notice a significant drop-off at the checkout stage, for example, we can analyze the data and pinpoint what the problem is. In one case, we determined that shipping costs were a major deterrent. With this information, we were able to advise the client to offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount. This led to increased purchases and boosted the company’s overall revenue.

Esther Buttery, Director, CLIQ Marketing Content

Optimize Production Processes 

We’ve been hard at work using data to evolve our company and stay at the front of the web-manufacturing game. For example, we learn a lot about how our customers’ production processes are performing, and this allows us to pinpoint issues they may not even know about. You can’t only look at broad trends—you also have to dive in and find out what machine failures, scrap, or even temperatures might bring about in the end product. Our customers have been able to boost output or reduce costs by offering them solutions based on this data.

Definitely one of my favorite projects is the time we leveraged data to automate a client’s paper-creation process. Watching and tracking their production-line information, we identified an issue that persistently surfaced with waste at a specific point of production. From there, we went out to configure their machines and optimize things, reducing waste by 15% and saving them thousands over the long run. 

For us, the numbers were not a mere set of numbers but a means of getting our client tangible, quantifiable results that separated them from their competitors. It’s the kind of thing that keeps us in the business of putting data to real-world, practical use.

Alex LaDouceur, Co-Founder, Webineering

Adjust Services Based on Location and Weather Trends

We’ve leveraged data analytics to gain a competitive advantage by using it to understand pest trends, customer preferences, and service performance across different markets. By tracking and analyzing data on pest activity, customer feedback, and service effectiveness, we’ve been able to proactively identify emerging pest problems and adjust our service offerings accordingly.

For example, in the Seattle area, our data showed a rise in moisture-related pest issues during the rainy season. We used this insight to develop targeted marketing campaigns and specialized moisture-control services, positioning ourselves as the go-to solution for these concerns. As a result, we saw a 30% increase in new service requests for moisture-related pests and a boost in customer retention during this period. Leveraging data in this way allows us to stay ahead of our competitors and provide solutions that directly address the unique challenges our customers face, giving us a strategic edge in the market.

Faith Rock, Marketing Specialist, Alta Pest Control

Track Customer Movement for Resource Allocation

One of the most valuable data sets we collect tracks customer movement patterns, including where people move to, from, and how often. We analyze trends like high-demand moving destinations during certain seasons or shifts caused by factors like housing market booms or job growth in specific regions. By tracking this, we adjust our marketing and resource allocation, making sure trucks and staff are in the right places at the right times. 

One key example of using this data was during a surge of relocations to a suburban area. We noticed a 20% increase in move requests to that area, especially from a nearby city. By spotting this trend early, we pre-positioned our resources—including trucks, labor, and storage facilities—closer to that area. This lowered our operational costs (less travel time and better scheduling) and helped us respond faster than our competitors, greatly improving customer satisfaction. Meeting demand quickly led to a 15% increase in customer bookings, boosting revenue and reducing downtime for our crews. 

We went further by comparing this movement data with storage needs. People moving to the area often needed temporary storage before fully settling in. By offering custom storage solutions based on this data, we saw a 10% increase in storage-unit occupancy, adding another revenue stream. Combining predictive insights with proactive resource management continues to set us apart in a competitive industry.

Margarita Hakobyan, CEO and Founder, Movers Corp

Strengthen Regional Ties to Customer Base

In selling equipment like the BF-Rhodo XL, I leveraged data and analytics to uncover a significant movement of dermatologists and physician assistants (PAs) in Southern New Jersey. After taking over the territory from a previous rep, I analyzed historical patterns and discovered that South Jersey Dermatology—a major practice with multiple locations—had recently closed. This practice had been a strong proponent of our therapy, so I used LinkedIn insights and historical purchasing data to track where these professionals had relocated.

By pinpointing their new locations, I was able to identify an internal champion within one of the new practices and began working closely with them. Currently, I am in the process of helping these relocated practices adopt our therapy and get up and running with the BF-Rhodo XL. This data-driven approach has not only opened new opportunities but also strengthened our presence in the region.

Chris Pinadella, Medical Device Territory Manager, Biofrontera

Tailor Offerings Based on Interest and Patterns

We’ve leveraged data analytics to understand customer behavior, giving us a competitive edge. For instance, we identified a rising interest in personalized social-media products and templates by reviewing and evaluating purchasing patterns and website interactions. This insight allowed us to tailor our offerings and marketing campaigns to those preferences. As a result, we saw a 30% increase in sales and boosted customer satisfaction.

Kristin Marquet is the Founder, Tech/Analytics/PR Expert, Academic Finance Background, Marquet Media

Brett Farmiloe is the founder of Featured, a Q&A platform that connects brands with expert insights.

Raw data stock image by TierneyMJ/Shutterstock

Related posts
CurrentMarketing

The Impact of Professional Photo Editing on eCommerce Sales

4 Mins read
For businesses striving to stand out and stay profitable in the competitive eCommerce landscape, product photo editing has become not just an…
CurrentStartup

Three Reasons Why Alumni Travel is the Industry’s Fastest-Growing Segment

4 Mins read
Travel is back with more ways than ever to experience the world. One of the fastest growing sectors of the industry is…
CurrentTechnology

Leveraging Government Cybersecurity Frameworks for SMB Protection

3 Mins read
We read too many stories today about data breaches involving millions of data records and ransomware attacks that bring down large corporate…