How I turn boring data into stories without using a calculator

_{Day 47/100}

Hey - It's Tim.

Sunday morning. Cup of coffee. Let's make data less boring.

One framework today. That's it.

The ABCD Data Story Framework:

A - Audience Hook 

Start with what they care about. Not the data.

Example: "Your website traffic dropped 20% last month" hits different than "Here's our monthly analytics report."

B - Big Picture First 

Show the conclusion before the evidence.

Bad: "Our bounce rate is 62%, exit rate is 48%, and time on page is 1:42..." Good: "People hate our new homepage. Here's why..."

C - Context Through Comparison 

Numbers mean nothing alone. Compare to:

• Last month/year

• Industry average

• Your goals

D - Direction (What Now?) 

End with clear next steps. Make the data actionable.

"This means we should..."

That's it. Hook → Conclusion → Comparison → Action.

Works for:

• Client reports

• Team updates

• Board presentations

• Sales pitches

I used this last week to explain why our recent email campaign open rates tanked. No eyes glazed over. Three people asked questions. One rare marketing miracle.

ICYMI This Week:

• Added over 300 people to the newsletter this week! Mental. I thank you all.

• Tuesday: The biggest Technical SEO audit guide I’ve ever written.

• I guess I’m back on LinkedIn. Newsletter people still get all the goodies first.

✌️ Tim "I put googly eyes on my charts" Hanson
CMO @Penfriend.ai

P.S. Nothing makes boring data stick like a good story. Forward this to the Excel enthusiast in your life. Their team will thank you.

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