Let’s make a plan!

Here is the 5 step plan you can take to improve your business

Let’s make a plan!
Here is the 5 step plan you can take to improve your business’s relationship with its data
1. Define what matters most
2. Collect the information we need
3. Transfer data for storage and transformation

4. Store data for easy access

5. Transform data into action

Overwhelmed? We’re here to help!

Step #1 - Define What Matters Most

Every data solution starts with a clear objective tied to your mission and bottom line.

Ask:

  • What drives revenue or impact most?

  • What can I measure to track performance?

These are your KPIs or Key Performance Indicators—and they live in a hierarchy:
Your North Star - Your bottom line, your community impact
Your Primary KPIs - Total Revenue, Total Expenses, Conversion Rate, Customer Churn
Supporting Indicators - Total number of clients, Cost/revenue per project, Website Traffic

Rule: Every metric and tool must ladder up to your North Star. Chase what’s meaningful, not just interesting.

Pick Smart KPIs

  • Aligned with goals

  • Actionable

  • Specific

  • Limited (3–5 max)

Too Long; Didn’t read?

Name your main objective + 2–3 supporting goals. Everything else flows from here.

Step #2 - Collect the Data

You likely already have data — it’s just scattered. Find it, digitize it, connect it.

Audit Existing Data

  • Paper files? → Scan & OCR (Adobe Scan, Google Drive)

  • Excel sheets? → Upload to cloud (Google Sheets, Airtable, Sharepoint)

  • Emails, CRMs, invoices? → List every source

Capture New Data Reliably

Collect data you don’t have using Google Forms for simple, free surveys and Zapier to automatically route responses into your CRM, spreadsheet, or analytics tool.

Step #3 - Transfer the Data

Move data automatically and securely — no more manual CSV files.

Tools we use:

  • Zapier – Connect apps with simple APIs (no coding)

  • Google Apps Script – Custom automation in Google Sheets/Forms

  • Azure Data Factory – ETL for large-scale, scheduled data pipelines

Step #4 - Store the Data

Centralize it. Secure it. Keep it accessible.

Pick a home for your data that fits your current size and needs:

  • Small teams → Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion

  • Growing businesses → CRM, basic data warehouse

  • Enterprise → Cloud data lakes, Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)

Step #5 - Transform Data into Action

Turn data into dollars — fast, no-code wins for SMBs.

  • Dashboards

    • Google Looker Studio (free): Live KPI views

    • Power BI (free): Auto-updating charts

  • Automations

    • Zapier + Klaviyo: Recover abandoned carts

    • HubSpot + Apps Script: Auto-tag & notify leads

    • WordPress + Logic Hop: Show VIP offers

  • Segment & Target

    • Mailchimp/Klaviyo: Behavior-based emails (30–50% better results)