Expect to guess wrong

The “very best” way to organize your data will depend a lot on how you're going to use it.

Reporting and segmentation are some of the most high-value uses of your CRM. Obviously you're not just tracking and entering all this data just for fun.

You want to be able to examine it later and use it to advance your mission.

Naturally you’ll want to store this data in a structure that's going to be most useful when it comes time for reporting an analysis.

The reality, though, is that you won't always know all of the ways this data can be used later on.

Sooner or later, you’ll look back and say, “I wish this data were organized differently.”

The future is hard to see. Sometimes you’ll guess wrong.

But here’s the thing:

When that time comes, when you realize that the data has been stored in a way that's hard to use for one need or another, all is not lost. You can restructure it.

You, or your staff, or some expert that you bring in can reorganize that data.

Don't let that stop you from collecting the data in the first place.

A little forethought is helpful, but don’t let “analysis paralysis” create needless delays.

When a new needs arises, or your insights become clearer, your effort can be well placed in light of your new strategies and understanding.

All the best,
A.