Telling The Story With Data

In the world of data and insights, the difference between impactful research and a missed opportunity often comes down to how well the data is translated into a compelling story. For senior decision makers, it's crucial that these stories not only inform but drive action.

But how do you decide what the story should be, what metrics to include, and how to ensure that the insights are applied to real business decisions?

We discuss these questions below.

Deciding What the Story Is

The first step in crafting a data story is deciding which story to tell. The goal is not to summarise all the data available, but to focus on what truly matters to the business at this moment.

To determine the story:

1. Start with Business Objectives: What is the business trying to achieve? Are you looking to improve customer loyalty, grow market share or fine-tune product positioning? The story should always align with the strategic goals of the organisation.
2. Identify Key Trends or Anomalies: Review the data to spot significant patterns, trends or outliers that relate to these objectives. For example, it might be a sudden shift in customer preferences or could be a surge in negative sentiment around a specific product feature.
3. Ask ‘Why’ and ‘So What’: Every story should answer not just what is happening but why it matters to the business. If the data shows a decline in customer satisfaction, explore the underlying reasons and link them to broader business implications.

The most compelling stories come from a balance of understanding the data and connecting it to the bigger picture that resonates with decision makers.

Choosing the Right Metrics

Choosing the right metrics is crucial for telling a story that is both compelling and actionable. Not every data point needs to be included; only those that contribute meaningfully to the narrative.

Here’s a guide to help select them:

1. Focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Start with the metrics that are directly tied to the business’s KPIs. These are the numbers that decision makers care most about because they reflect business health, for example  customer retention rates, net promoter scores or sales growth.
2. Use Diagnostic Metrics for Depth: KPIs alone don’t always tell the whole story. Include diagnostic metrics to explain why a KPI has changed. For example, you might pair sentiment or satisfaction scores with associated brand attributes or key themes to explain why a product has received more negative reviews.
3. Avoid Data Overload: Senior leaders don’t need to see every number. Be selective and ensure that the data you include directly supports the story. Too much detail can obscure the key message and dilute the impact of your insights.
4. Contextualise the Metrics: Numbers are more powerful when framed within a context. Benchmarks, historical data or industry comparisons provide the context needed to make the metrics meaningful. For instance, if your market research shows a 10% dip in customer satisfaction, how does that compare with competitors or to the previous year’s results?

Ensuring the Story Drives Action

Once you have the story and the right metrics, the next challenge is ensuring the insights are actually used to drive business decisions.

Here are some pointers to making sure your story leads to action:

1. Involve Stakeholders Early: Get input from key decision-makers early in the process. Understanding their priorities and concerns helps shape a story that’s relevant to them. This makes it more likely that they will engage with and act on the insights.
2. Tie Insights to Business Impact: Always connect the story to tangible business outcomes. Rather than just presenting data, explain how taking action on these insights will affect the business. For example, “Improving our customer support experience based on this feedback could boost retention by X%,” provides a compelling reason to act.
3. Create Clear Next Steps: Make sure your data story ends with actionable recommendations. These steps should be specific, achievable and directly linked to the insights. This gives decision makers a clear path forward, making it easier to turn insights into strategies.
4. Follow Up on Implementation: Ensure that the insights don’t just sit in a report. Schedule follow-ups to track whether the recommended actions are being implemented and assess their impact. This reinforces the value of data-driven storytelling and strengthens its role in future decision-making processes.

Conclusion

Storytelling with data is more than just a reporting exercise; it’s a strategic tool for driving business decisions. By carefully choosing the story, selecting the right metrics and ensuring actionable insights, data can become the cornerstone of business strategy.

For senior decision makers in brands, it’s not just about what the data says—it’s about how that story drives meaningful, measurable change.

Get in touch if you'd like some free advice about telling your story.