Don't Rely on Stats!

When you’re starting out, it feels like everyone is telling you to watch your numbers, analyse your stats, and follow the data. But what if that advice isn’t quite right for small businesses and early-stage entrepreneurs?

Here’s why obsessing over statistics in the early days might hold you back—and what you should focus on instead.

You need enough data—and you probably don’t have it yet

Data can be incredibly valuable—if you have enough of it. But for small businesses, the numbers you see early on can be misleading. Your first followers or buyers might be friends, family, or kind supporters—not necessarily your ideal customers.

Relying on data from a handful of early interactions can easily lead you astray. Before you can trust stats, you need reliable, consistent information from genuine customers who represent your real audience. Without that, it’s just noise.

Your ideal customer isn’t an average

Statistics love averages—but your ideal customer isn’t average.

Averages obscure what matters most: who specifically wants and needs what you offer. Knowing your ideal customer personally—understanding their motivations, fears, desires, and hesitations—is far more powerful than knowing superficial things about hundreds of random followers.

Your most loyal customers are unique. Treating them as data points rather than people is a quick way to miss opportunities and genuine connection.

Real conversations beat cold numbers every time

The absolute best information about your business comes from simply asking your customers. If you want to understand your audience deeply, don’t spend money on complex analytics software—just talk to them.

Asking questions like “What made you choose us?” or “Why was now the right time to buy?” will tell you exactly what your customers are thinking, in their own words. These insights will always beat impersonal stats.

Real conversations lead to real insights. Cold numbers often lead to assumptions.

Why “ideal posting times” usually get it wrong

Analytics tools often suggest you post content when most of your followers are online. That makes sense on the surface—but think deeper. Do these times reflect when your ideal customer is actually engaged, available, and receptive?

Posting at supposedly “optimal” times only matters if it aligns with your genuine audience’s habits. It also matters whether you’re around to engage with them. A smaller, meaningful interaction at a less-than-ideal time is more valuable than posting at peak times without being present to nurture the connection.

Trust your gut—and a few loyal fans

Early on, quality always trumps quantity. A small, genuinely supportive audience who loves what you do is worth far more than thousands of indifferent followers.

Instead of obsessing over metrics like follower count, views, or impressions, focus your energy on building deeper, meaningful relationships. These connections fuel genuine growth, word-of-mouth referrals, and long-term loyalty.

When should you use stats?

Statistics do become genuinely useful once your business has found its feet. When you have clarity about your positioning, a clear understanding of your ideal customer, and enough real data to analyse, stats can help you refine your approach.

But in the early days, they should take a back seat. Your early goal is clarity, connection, and genuine understanding—not optimisation of something you don’t yet fully grasp.

Numbers are comforting because they seem objective. But business isn’t purely objective—it’s relational. Real people with real lives, emotions, and motivations buy your products or services.

Trust yourself, trust your customers, and prioritise meaningful interactions over empty analytics.

That’s where your business truly grows.Why Stats Won’t Help Your Small Business