We all know that 2020 was no ordinary year and there were plenty of challenges to businesses both large and small. We have gathered up our most popular articles of 2020 for a review of what our readers thought were some of our best bits of advice.

Before the era of big data, business decisions were driven almost solely by instinct. Now that solid conclusions can be gleaned from compiled data, you would think business owners would be able to abandon their gut instincts for something more reliable. The truth is, old habits die hard.

Data helps businesses increase sales, retain customers, manage inventory, and market more effectively. Unfortunately, many businesses still fail to act on it. According to business analytics and marketing experts, this is a common occurrence and stems from a lack of trust.

This week we start with a long read from the WSJ about the psychology of reviews. Worth digging into and comparing to how you approach reviews and thinking about how your buyers might match or differ. We have a young McDonalds McFlurry fan who hacked the McDonald’s app for the benefit of McFlurry lovers everywhere. We found it irresistible to read through a detailed set of examples illustrating Google’s ever changing search results and how it’s impacting consumers. Finally, we have a gobbledygook press release which reached into my brain and tickled the right spot. Enjoy!

data matrix

Data allows businesses to understand exactly who to target when it comes to selling its products. Data also lets them know which products this target audience is most interested in buying. And that is just the beginning. Are current marketing efforts working? Is a business spending too little or too much on these campaigns?