Alpaca Assessments - Data Analysis
Cleaning and Evaluation of Database
About ALPACA Assessments
ALPACA is a startup specializing in developing evidence-based tools tailored for the education sector. Their mission is to bridge the skills gap in K-12 education through innovative assessment solutions.
ALPACA have developed a digital app designed to identify early reading difficulties targeting junior infant students specifically. The app aims to gamify the assessment process, enabling children to self-onboard and interact with the tool as if it were a game, all while providing educators with crucial data to support early intervention.
My roles with ALPACA
During my time working as a marketing consultant for ALPACA, I was to complete the following tasks:
- Objective 1- Use data to gain a deeper understanding of customers and optimize customer acquisition.
- Objective 2 – Develop + execute a social media strategy with accompanying calendar using knowledge gained from Objective 1.
- Objective 3 – Implement “Free Trial” promotion across all social media platforms.
Cleaning the Data
Why clean the data?
ALPACA had amassed a considerable amount of customer data in HubSpot. Before delving into the database, it needed to be organized in a format that was easier to comprehend. The initial database provided contained 272,748 cells, of which 193,108 were empty, spread across 204 columns with various headings.
Several meetings were conducted to clarify the objectives for this task, ensuring a clear understanding before beginning the data cleaning process.
This was as follows:
- Who are our customers?
- Which webinars generate the most conversions?
- What percentage of customers complete the full onboarding journey?
After these meetings, with clear goals established, the data was broken down into more manageable segments for analysis.
Out of the 204 original headings, only 11 were retained as they were relevant to the task at hand.
This streamlined and organized approach to data not only creates a cleaner workspace but also facilitates more focused and effective data analysis.
Tableau and Microsoft Excel were two data analysis tools that were used to derive actionable insights from the collected datasets.
Who are our customers?
Customer segments
The known customer segments can be broken down as follows:
- Pilot Schools: Customers who participated in the initial product testing phase from September 2022 to January 2023.
- Pre Summer Schools: Customers who engaged with ALPACA before the summer period.
- Post Summer Schools or Hunter x Gatherers: Customers who arrived through FORM1 on the website, seeking information on the product.
The main goal for this objective was to figure out more about who these Hunter x Gatherers are using Tableau data analysis software.
Users by Job Title
Hunter x Gatherers by Job:
- Principals and variations: 44%
- Teachers and variations: 33%
- Others: 24%
Overall Database Distribution:
- Principals and variations: 35%
- Teachers and variations: 30%
- Others: 35%
The analysis suggests that principals and teachers are more likely to become Hunter x Gatherers. The proportional increase in these roles within the Hunter x Gatherer subset indicates a tendency for educational leaders and teachers to actively seek information about ALPACA’s educational offerings.
How did our Customers hear about us?
Mediums for Hunter x Gatherers (First Awareness):
- Instagram: 47%
- Referred: 25%
- Google Search: 14%
- Other Social Media: 14%
Overall Database Distribution (First Awareness):
- Instagram: 57%
- Referred: 19%
- Google Search: 10%
- Other Social Media: 14%
Despite variations, a distinct trend is evident: 47% of Hunter x Gatherers initially discover ALPACA through Instagram, highlighting its effectiveness in capturing this persona’s attention during the discovery phase.
While referrals and Google Search also play significant roles, the prominence of Instagram suggests its crucial role in reaching Hunter x Gatherers. This insight can guide targeted marketing strategies on Instagram to better engage and attract this specific group.
What Does Success Look Like According to Our Customers?
Success according to Hunter x Gatherers:
- Early Identification and Support: 50%
- Assessment and Planning: 21%
- Delivering Equality of Opportunity in DEIS Schools and Support: 21%
- Overall Student Progress: 8%
Success according to Overall Database:
- Early Identification and Support: 50%
- Assessment and Planning: 20%
- Delivering Equality of Opportunity in DEIS Schools and Support: 11%
- Others: 19%
The data reveals a clear consensus among ALPACA’s customer base, with both Hunter x Gatherers and the broader database highlighting the importance of Early Identification and Support. This shared emphasis underscores its critical role in education and indicates a universal expectation among customers. By recognizing and addressing these common themes, ALPACA can focus on areas that resonate widely, ensuring services meet shared expectations and enhance overall customer satisfaction.
Customer Personas
What is a Customer Persona?
A customer persona is a profile of a consumer that allows us to understand their lifestyle and pain points. This is done above with examples of who the Hunter x Gatherer is.
By having a data driven persona attached to this customer segment, we can better understand our market.
By leveraging the insights gained from the data analysis, these research scenarios provide a foundation for targeted marketing strategies. The solutions address the specific needs, preferences, and pain points of the Hunter x Gatherer segment, ensuring a more effective engagement that resonates with their unique characteristics.
This approach facilitates a strategic alignment between ALPACA’s offerings and the diverse requirements of this customer segment, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of marketing initiatives.
Which Webinars Generate the Most Conversions?
Why is this useful?
ALPACA schedules numerous webinars during the school year, in which they show examples the evidence based results and explain the benefits of using the ALPACA product.
The goal is to determine if any specific webinar achieves a higher-than-average conversion rate. Identifying such a webinar would allow the company to analyze its successful elements and integrate them into other sessions to potentially enhance the overall conversion rate.
Recommendations
Based on the graph above, it was recommended to ALPACA to closely analyze the webinars conducted in early September, as they have led to the highest number of Letters of Offer (LOO) signed, indicating successful completion of the onboarding process.
While the data indicates that these webinars were particularly effective, it’s important to note that the timing—coinciding with the start of the school year—may have influenced these results. This period typically sees an increase in sign ups, which could skew the data.
Nevertheless, the significant number of sign-ups during this period warrants a deeper analysis to determine if specific elements or features of these webinars contributed more effectively to conversion rates. This analysis could provide valuable insights into optimizing future webinars for even better performance.
What Percentage of Customers Complete the Full Onboarding Journey?
The overarching goal of ALPACA’s social media initiatives is to boost visibility, increase exposure, and ultimately drive conversions.
Info Session 1 signifies the start of the onboarding process for customers, with signing the Letter of Offer (LOO) marking its completion. From the data, 44.5% of Hunter X Gatherers who started this process also completed it.
The table above highlights the targeted conversion goals, showing the percentage of customers who complete the full onboarding journey and the estimated customer reach needed to achieve these desired conversions. This detailed breakdown is critical for planning and adjusting marketing strategies to optimize the onboarding funnel and enhance overall conversion rates and is used as a KPI within the Social Media Strategy.