Data Types

Collecting and using data about your customers means that you can create targeted, relevant, and personalised marketing. The more you know, the more tailored your message can be.

Data can be summarised into four types:

1. Identity data: Anything that allows the individual to be identified. Examples include name, date of birth, address, account details, email address, and social handles.
2. Quantitative data: How that customer has interacted with your business. Examples include products purchased, abandons (that is, products added to cart but not purchased), value of sales, web visits, email opens/clicks, social likes, and customer service complaints.
3. Descriptive data: Additional profile information to gain a fuller customer perspective. Examples include marital status, number of kids, profession, education level, property type, income level, cars in household, and pets.
4. Qualitative data: Often provided by a questionnaire asking attitude, motivation and opinion. Examples include value of a product, how likely to purchase again, favourite products, most useful feature, the reason for purchase, and how is a service used.

Typically, the priority of data collection is in this order. Use this list to help you identify the critical pieces of information for your business.