2010 Census - And Why It Should Matter to You?

The 2010 census is about to kick off – so what does that mean for you and your business?

First off, there are going to be major changes in this year’s census. The U.S. Census Bureau is going with the less is more approach these days. The form will include 10 simple questions, making is even easier for every resident to complete the form and mail in.

According to the US Census Bureau (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/index.php) we each gain so much by completing this simple survey: “When you do the math, it's easy to see what an accurate count of residents can do for your community. Better infrastructure. More services. A brighter tomorrow for everyone. In fact, the information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like:

Hospitals

Job training centers

Schools

Senior centers

Bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects

Emergency services"

Over the next year there will be a lot of emphasis on the 2010 census and the importance of gaining responses from across the entire US. What we can't loose site of as businesses is that accurate census data impacts not only individuals in the U.S. but us as well. This data enables us to:

Better understand the customers of today

Ensure proper messaging is being used to reach your customers

Gauge the competition, track market share and ultimately achieve a competitive advantage

Make better business decisions in terms of site selection, location of vendors as well as defining markets

Compare locations and industries for potential investment opportunities
Define sales territories

Even though the results will not be released until Spring of 2011, you should already be thinking about how you can benefit from this updated consumer information. The fact is that Census data affects our every day lives by creating stronger communities for us as both individuals as well as business people.

Understanding Your Customer Experience Might be the Most Important Thing You Do This Year!

As we move into 2010 there does not seem to be any signs of slow down with the amount of Customer Information available. If you have not already, now is the time to step back and evaluate all the information available on your customers and more importantly what you are doing with it.

Types of Information:

• Purchase history
• Call Center Information
• Survey Results
• Customer Generated Content (blogs, reviews, etc.)

The struggle for many companies these days is to channel all this valuable information so that it can be put into a usable format. This year, we challenge you to take the time to better understand your customers. Give us a call if you are looking for a place to start.