An analyst in digital may not be an analyst at all. He debugs counters, sticks together numbers and graphics into smart dashboards. He is a good developer, but not an analyst. Worse, if he, like a squirrel in a wheel, simply sends reports.
We are not surprised that the developer writes the code. It is valuable because they improve the product. Analytics should not be valued for being certified by Google Analytics or graduated from a mathematical university. It is valuable because together with the team it improves the product that brings the company money.
Ask yourself a difficult question: “What benefits does your work bring to the company, as an analyst?” You try to avoid this question. He raises the bar, makes him get out of a warm cocoon and start acting. If the analyst adds money to the company, then he is an expensive specialist. Before that you need to grow, but you can start small.
Start with goals and benefits.
The analyst is revealed when he solves useful problems, and does not dump the data thoughtlessly. Useful tasks are those that help accomplish the goals of a business and fulfill its mission.
Do not reach the big goal in one step. To help a business make money you need to improve what makes money. The company receives money for a valuable customer product. Do not stare at the reports, but break your head how to make more registrations in the service, newsletter subscriptions or requests for exit from the wizard.
Such improvements do not bring money here and now, but they can be assessed, for example:
For what price you subscribe to the newsletter of this site mel.fm. Right now. You can not unsubscribe and need to view at least one letter per week. Suppose that for 300 rubles. And if you just subscribe and forget? Then enough 100 rubles. Imagine that it dawned on you how to improve the subscription form and the A / B test showed plus 1000 subscribers per month. You have added value from 100 to 300 thousand rubles.
Evaluate your work this way, check yourself, but at the end point, always strive to improve obviously monetary metrics: CLV, ROI, average bill.
Turn your thoughts towards a useful result in each current task. Be persistent in this. Sketch the main business idea on paper in simple and understandable words. Talk to colleagues. Do not work thoughtlessly.
So you want to stay in your comfort, in your codes and big data, only in analytics there is not much romance. All of these Python, SQL, BigQuery shoots when the analyst tunes into the wave of business.
Some technologies may simply be superfluous. Without goals, Google Analytics is boring sources, sessions, device types. I want to connect something else. The whole analytical brain will close 90% of the tasks with this free tool.
Analysts improve the product. They do not drown in technology, but they think why these technologies are needed. Look beyond the horizon. Create opportunities to earn or save.
Distinguish knowledge from dry facts.
The young analyst takes the numbers and dry facts for knowledge. The boss asks how many booked quests in May. It is a trap. The executive analyst sends a table with numbers and gets a mountain of questions.
In fact, in May they handed out flyers at a discount and wanted to understand what it brought. The chief silently accepts the table and leaves to draw conclusions himself. Over time, the "analyst" burn out, he is bored. And the manager does not understand why he pays his salary.
How to distinguish knowledge from ordinary numbers? The numbers are dead and boring:
For example, the site received 500 thousand unique users per month. This does not mean anything. What would have changed if 200 thousand had arrived? Nothing.
The numbers come alive with conclusions and recommendations in living circumstances:
It turned out that marketers were expecting 600 thousand users this month, since they allocated 100 thousand rubles for advertising. Sharp plot. Where have lost 100 thousand users? Where have spent 100 thousand rubles?
That you have to tell the boss, in addition to the figure itself. We'll have to work as a detective.
The analyst is an adviser. Advisor helps decision makers. So he should know more about the leader and not be afraid to state and defend his ideas. This barrier is difficult to overcome, but there can be no compromise.
Think like an entrepreneur
Someone close math and algorithms. Someone is doing research, but is afraid of codes and databases. Someone breathes with counters and tracking systems. To have a focus is correct. But you need to go beyond.
The analyst overcomes the sound barrier when he recognizes a business and absorbs its values. He knows what directors, project managers, marketers live with. Communicates with them and already feels that it is important and what is not. Does not perform, and offers. He is a little director, manager and marketer.
You need to be able to combine technical knowledge with business thinking. It is difficult to say what is more important. The analyst-developer does not need to distance himself from the business and go into himself, and the analyst-marketer does not need to be afraid to go into the code. You can not lock yourself in your shell.
You need to be versatile and well-read. Without this, you cannot build a clear thought and convince. Learning and knowing is not a hobby, you get paid for it. Learn the method of flash cards. Memorize facts and memorize knowledge. The card of your skills should be in the shape of the letter "T". If you are an in-depth expert in statistics and ML, go through the evening “Marketing from A to Z” by Philip Kotler. It is not necessary to dive.
Be a leader. Even if you are hired for a lot of money, nobody cares about your offers. Ideas need to be sold and brought to the point, as a manager.
To think like an entrepreneur and a developer at the same time is a difficult task. You need to have eyes on the back of your head. This is the only way to make changes that help a business to make money.
Take with you
- Analyst in digital brings money and helps to save. Beautiful tools, technology and data - just a means, not an end in itself.
- Refresh school and university. Love to learn, accumulate knowledge.
- Be strong in technology and business. No need to hide behind inclinations or preferences.