Pop Tarts and Flashlights, Who Knew?

If I have learned anything from Katie Payne’s book “Measure What Matters” it is that measuring is not an option. A company, no matter what it does, needs to measure, analyze, gain insight and direction from that analysis, makes changes then measure again. This measuring may be in different aspects for example non-profits measure volunteer levels and sentiment while for profit organizations may measure bottom line and employee buy-in  whatever the case may be measuring must occur or the business will go belly-up. Measuring also helps learn something about campaigns; the fact that 79 percent of organizations do not measure their social media campaigns at all is astonishing. Why invest time and money in a campaign if you do not even know if it is working?

This year in PRSSA a speaker from InfoTrust, a web analytics company, said that Wal-Marts in Florida sold an astounding number of flashlights and Pop Tarts during hurricane season. So they moved the Pop Tarts next to the flashlight aisle and got an exponential jump in sales. How would you know flashlights and Pop Tarts, of all things, were usually sold together when hurricane season arrived other than to measure and analyze sales? The answer is you wouldn’t know and this is what Payne is stressing. These are the things measuring can help with that can boost your bottom line.

In the long run, measuring is essential is what this book is all about. Katie Payne stresses measuring isn’t supposed to be a punishment. By measuring we can all gain insight and facts into a company t make sure it is in favor of the public and a crisis isn’t sneaking up and instead of relying on “gut feelings” measuring will give hard facts that can be presented to the rest of the company to justifying goals and future campaigns that will actually be effective.