Mapping for Business

Mapping analysis, or "Business Geographics" involves looking at the spatial patterns of your data. Most data has a geographic component so this can be one of the best strategic planning tools you can use. Some examples of how you can use data mapping include:

  • Identify where your customers come from, then target your advertising to those areas using media most likely to reach your customers.
  • Look at sales trends by area to determine where to focus your efforts.
  • Optimize or balance sales territories.
  • Develop efficient delivery routes.

We help organizations of all size get insight from the geography of their data, from quarterly sales tracking to service area optimization. We are happy to talk with you to see if you can benefit from a geographic analysis.

Using MS Excel

Microsoft Excel may be the most overused and misused software available, but that is because you can do so many things with it. Some examples of things we have helped people do...

  • Compare data in two different files and list the items that do not match,
  • Summarize a set of staff timesheets,
  • Compile quarterly summaries, with charts, from Quickbooks exports,
  • Identify new and "lost" customers from sales data,
  • Create a product data sheet template, complete with picture,
  • Use a series of linked data sheets for a proprietary technical analysis,
  • Use a dynamic chart for easy analysis of large data sets.

Contact us if you are looking for some help with an Excel application, or need help analyzing some data.

Small Business Websites

Almost every small business or organization can use a web site to explain what products or services they offer, provide 24-hour a day information on these services, and tell interested people how to contact them. More people browse from their phones than computers now, making an online presence as important as ever.

We advise small businesses about simple websites they can manage themselves, with a limited budget. These sites have your own name, email@yourname, and use the popular WordPress content management system. There is LOTS of information about websites online, and we encourage you to investigate those if you have the time and interest. Here are the basic steps involved:

  1. Define the key purpose of your site (business card, catalog, education, data collection, etc.),
  2. Develop your preliminary "storyboard,"
  3. Decide how you will manage your site (yourself, staff, contracted firm),
  4. Get your dot-com name (if you don't already have it),
  5. Arrange for hosting (the server where web site runs),
  6. Setup email and user accounts,
  7. Design the "look and feel" of your site (or pick an available template),
  8. Add-in functionality you need,
  9. Promote and grow your site.

Here are some reference documents (PDF) to help you get started:

You can get affordable domain names and hosting with 24/7 tech support here.