How to Use Data to Improve Sales Pitches

Your execs don’t hate data...they hate how you present it 73.5% of managers and executives at data-leading companies say their decisions are always data-driven (Passive Secrets, 2025). But here’s the kicker: ↳ Many execs in YOUR company probably still roll their eyes when you bring up data. Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t understand what you’re saying. I know this because I’ve been on both sides. I’ve been the data analyst, the one diving deep into numbers, and I’ve also been the executive, the one making business decisions. And let me tell you: the gap is REAL. Data isn’t the problem. The way you deliver it is. If you want execs to beg for insights instead of avoiding them, you need to ditch the tech talk and start playing smarter. Here’s how: 1. Speak their language (ditch the jargon) ↳ If you start talking about “regression models” and “standard deviations,” they’re already tuning out. 💡 What to do instead? Translate it into business value. Better yet...tie it to THEIR interests. Try starting with: “Here’s how this impacts your bonus...” Watch their ears perk up. 2. Deliver quick wins (make data the hero) ↳ Executives don’t have time to sit through a 50-slide presentation on why your dashboard is revolutionary. 💡 What to do instead? Solve a tiny but painful problem FAST. Show them that data = speed, not headaches. 3. Keep it short (serve data like espresso shots ☕) ↳ You wouldn’t chug an entire pot of coffee in one sitting, right? ↳ Then why are you flooding your execs with 20-page reports? 💡 What to do instead? Give them one stat, one insight, and one action. 4. Tell a story (make data stick) ↳ Facts fade. ↳ Stories stick. 💡 What to do instead? Frame your data like a narrative. Use “you” 3x more than “data.” Make it personal. 5. Let them ‘steal’ the Idea (It’s psychology, not ego) ↳ Execs love their own ideas. ↳ Make them think they came up with yours. 💡 What to do instead? Ask: “What’s your gut feeling?” before showing the data. Now they’re invested. Now they want to see the numbers. 6. Address their hidden fears (Data = their safety net) ↳ Every exec has an unspoken worry...missing revenue goals, losing market share, failing to impress investors. 💡 What to do instead? Position data as their insurance policy. 7. Leave them hungry for more (The curiosity play) ↳ Want them to start chasing YOU for insights? ↳ Don’t dump everything at once. 💡 What to do instead? End every conversation with a question. ✔️ Data isn’t boring. ❌ Bad delivery is. What’s one data insight you WISH your execs would get excited about? Drop it in the comments. 👇 ♻️ Repost and tag someone who needs to hear this today. 📌 Found it helpful? Save for later. 👉🏻 Follow Glenda Carnate for more tips on Data/AI! #analytics #executives #entrepreneurship #innovation #data #ai 

I used to struggle with getting my tech projects approved until I learned to present their benefits as an irresistible offer. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀? - 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱: Using data means you're 23 times more likely to get customers, 6 times as likely to retain them, 19 times as likely to be deliver a profitable result. (McKinsey) - 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀: Top teams - who finish >80% of their projects on time, on budget, and meeting original goals - are 2.5 times more likely to use quantitative management techniques. (PMI) - 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Clear numbers and ROI make 60% of stakeholders more confident, leading to faster approvals and more robust support throughout the project lifecycle. (Gartner) What steps are you taking to demonstrate the value of your tech project? I've got a 5-step plan that'll make your project impossible to refuse. 𝟭. 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 📌 What makes your project shine? List every benefit. Increased revenue? Cost savings? Improved efficiency? Group these gems into clear categories. 𝟮. 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 🔍 Collect data that will make your pitch rock-solid. Internal reports, market trends, industry benchmarks - get it all. Relevant, fresh data is your best friend. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 🧮 Time to flex those analytical muscles. ROI, NPV, payback period - calculate it all. Solid financials turn skeptics into believers. 𝟰. 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 🛡️ Every great plan needs a reality check. What could derail your project? List potential risks. Then, craft strategies to neutralize each one. 𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 💼 Package your project in a compelling presentation. Use clear visuals and concise explanations. Make it so convincing, they'll wonder how they ever lived without it. 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨: - It transforms your tech vision into a business essential. - It shows you've considered every angle and potential hurdle. - It gives decision-makers the hard data they need. In the world of project approvals, vague ideas are like trying to pay with Monopoly money. But a well-prepared, data-driven proposal is gold. What's your top tip for creating an irresistible project proposal? Share your wisdom below!

Spend time teaching your team to think with #data! 📊 It’s one of the best investments you’ll make as a #founder. Here’s how I’ve approached it with my team: Focus on purpose. Before diving into data, we always start with one question: “What are we trying to answer?” For example, when optimizing #GoogleAds campaigns, we ask, “Which keywords drive the most #conversions?” If we see unqualified #leads, we ask, “Is it the ad creative, the audience, or the landing page misaligned?” From there, we tweak the ad copy, adjust the #target audience, or refine the #valueproposition on the landing page. Train them to dig deeper. Not all data is created equal. So, train your team to filter noise, spot patterns, and align insights with goals. For example: Low email open rates? Run A/B tests on subject lines to identify what resonates. Low email click-through rates? Evaluate #CTA placement, wording, and design. Encourage curiosity. I set aside time for the team to ask “What if?” and test ideas, fostering an exploration environment. Foster curiosity with “What if?” scenarios and hypothesis testing. For example: We asked, “What if we target high-LTV customers for #AmazonAds?” It led to a big boost in click-through rates and revenue. Noticing high bounce rates, we added a downloadable resource. Adding it improved time-on-site and lowered the bounce rate significantly. Connect insights to action. Data is useless if you don’t act on it. Teach your team to turn insights into next steps immediately. For example: We noticed tools demo segments from our #webinars were the most engaging. By posting those clips on #socialmedia, we saw a significant increase in audience engagement. Build confidence through practice. For many, data analysis can feel overwhelming. To help, we’ve started regular “data sessions,” where team members present their findings from recent campaigns, like a #Facebook ad experiment. What steps are you taking to help your team think with data?

Had lunch with an old friend over the weekend. A former Software Developer, he is now the GM of a successful Jaguar Land Rover India dealership. It was interesting to hear how he uses data to improve sales outcomes. When he switched careers, being a "data guy", he quickly realized that the automotive business has a TON of data that they are not using at all. Further, he felt strongly that they were relying on the WRONG data. His thesis was that using ACTUAL customer data, collected live from real humans, was way more valuable than what the industry pundits and profiteers in the back office were telling him to rely on. He started by having his Sales Team record the first 3 questions that anyone who came to the dealership asked, jot them on a clipboard and aggregate The top 3 questions in the first 2 months: "How cold does the A/C blow"? "What trims does this come in"? "What's the best price you can do?" He built answers to all 3 questions directly into his sales playbook. Here is how he did it: 1. Before anyone went for a test drive he would go start the vehicle, turn the A/C on full blast so that when people got into the car, it was already cold. So they would say "Wow, that A/C really blows great. This will be great in the summer. (Dealership is in a hot climate) 2. The Reps would mention as they walked out to the car, "this vehicle comes in three trims, I'm gonna show the base trim and go up from there. You will get to see all three available trims today. Does that work for you?" 3. The Reps would close with, "If you like this model or any of the trims you see you today, then we can go back to my desk and work together to get you the best possible price for that vehicle" Easy, right? The results were remarkable. These small changes lead to customers asking less questions, asking different questions, and a 12% increase in new vehicle sales by month 3. He has since continued to iterate on this model and they are now one of the top producing Land Rover dealerships in the United States as a result. Listen to your customers. Incorporate those learnings into your business processes. #customerexperience #data #problemsolving #automotive #sales