Skip to main content

Visit My Featured Affiliate

Follow Me on Bluesky

Always cite your statistics

Last month, I was surprised to run across this on a sales page: “With 8 of 10 Canadians doing the majority of their shopping online these days...”  

Statistics slipup #1: No source was listed.

Since I knew the person behind that page, I emailed her asking for the source of that data. She sent a link.

Statistics slipup #2: She'd misconstrued what she read.  

The study cited in that link reported that 79 percent of Canadians have shopped online. That is, 8 out of 10 Canadians have at some point bought something online—a far cry from 8 out of 10 doing most shopping online.

Statistics slipup #3:  The error was not corrected.

Although the woman I emailed graciously acknowledged that she had misinterpreted the survey, three weeks later the error remains. Isn't that marketing malpractice?  She is now knowingly misleading readers for her company's profit.

Numbers from reputable studies are a key persuasion tool in marketing. But always tell people where your numbers come from. Make certain you're accurately reporting the study results. And post corrections right away if you made a mistake.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Read This Week

The Impact of Buyer Personas

Imagine you’re building a house. You wouldn’t just start hammering away without a blueprint, right? The same goes for building your website. You need to know who you’re building it for. That’s where buyer personas come in. Who is Your Ideal Customer? A buyer persona is like a fictional profile of your ideal customer. It’s not just a random person you pulled out of thin air; it’s based on real data and research about your existing and potential customers. Think of it as a story about your typical customer. What’s their name? What do they do for a living? What are their greatest challenges? What are their hobbies? What are their goals? Why Should You Care? Knowing your buyer persona helps you make smarter decisions about your website: Targeted Content: You can create content that directly addresses their needs and interests. Effective Messaging: You can use language they understand and connect with. Better Design: You can design your website to be intuitive and easy for them to use. Opti...
Post a Comment
Read more

Don't Be Afraid of Data Analytics

The world of data analytics is not as scary as it sounds. Think of it as a treasure hunt, where the treasure is valuable insights about your business. Don't Be Afraid of Data Analytics In today's business landscape, data is king. Web analytics, social media insights, CRM data, and even financial analytics all provide a clear picture of how your business is performing. They act like a detailed report card, showing you what's working, what's not, and where you can improve. Why Data Analytics Matters Why should you care about all this data? Well, it's simple. Data tells you things like: Website Conversions: Are people actually buying what you're selling? Lead Generation: How many potential customers are you attracting each month? Social Media Engagement: Do people like your content? Are they interacting with it? Financial Health: Are you spending more money than you're making? These are crucial questions to answer if you want your business to thrive. In fact, a...
Post a Comment
Read more