Fact-Based Decision Making: The Key to Making Progress as a Creator

Read time —
6 Minute
Last updated
March 6, 2024

Fact-based decision-making is the best way to make decisions.

Even Peter Drucker said it. One of his more superficial quotes makes the same point. "The best decisions are made on the basis of facts, not hunches.”

It’s obvious.

Although it is obvious, it is also a tough leap for many creators. In life, we make more decisions without facts, than with. The creep of opinion and assumptions, along with bias and emotion litters our decisions.

As a creator, we need to make decisions like a business does. We need to be looking for and working with facts, not hunches. After all, Justin Welsh isn’t sipping his gin & tonic next to the fire because he follows hunches.

No, Justin's progress comes from fact-based decision-making.

In this article, I will break down how you should look to use evidence to help you make decisions. I’ll explain how this can’t help but give you the progress you need as a creator.

This article covers:

What is Fact-Based Decision Making?

Fact-based decision-making is a way of making decisions based on objective information. It removes personal opinions, biases, or emotions from our decisions.

It is a critical skill for creators, as it allows them to make better decisions that are more likely to lead to success.

Why is Fact-Based Decision Making Important for Creators?

Fact-based decision-making is the process of making decisions based on evidence and data. It is important for creators because it can help them to:

  • Make better decisions. Making decisions based on facts and data means they are more likely to be accurate and effective. This can help creators to create content that is more successful. It can help a creator avoid costly mistakes, and stay ahead of the curve.

For example, a creator who is trying to decide what kind of content to create could use fact-based decision-making to research what topics are popular with their audience. They could also use data to track trends in the industry. This information would help them make better decisions about what kind of content to create and how to market it.

  • Reduce bias. Making decisions based on personal opinions or emotions brings a great risk of bias. Fact-based decision-making can help to minimize this risk. It can ensure that decisions develop on the basis of objective information.

For example, a creator who is trying to decide what to say in a piece of content could use fact-based decision-making to research the topic thoroughly. They could also use data to track the opinions of experts on the topic. This information would help them make more objective decisions about what to say in their content.

  • Improve communication and collaboration. Involving others in the decision-making process brings support for a decision even if they do not agree with it. Fact-based decision-making can help to improve communication and collaboration. When everyone involved has access to the same information, it makes it easier to work together.

For example, a creator who is trying to decide what kind of project to work on could use fact-based decision-making to gather input from their team. They could also use data to track the interests of their audience. This information brings support from the team and further interest from the audience.

Fact-based decision-making is an important skill for creators. By using fact-based decision-making, you can make better decisions, reduce bias, and improve communication and collaboration. This can help you to be more successful in your career.

Fact-Based Decision Making Examples

In the early months of 2022, Justin Welsh had a problem.

Despite a growing audience on LinkedIn and on Twitter too, sales of his online products weren’t following the sale track. It wasn’t a hunch. It was hard facts which showed sales were actually dropping off. It was a fact the audience he was building was staying on their respective platform and Justin couldn’t off-board them to his website.

It was even more important as Justin had commenced the Saturday Solopreneur newsletter at the beginning of 2022.

People were subscribing, but not at the level Justin wanted.

There were other challenges too.

The volume of content needed to keep growing the audience on Twitter and LinkedIn, and write a weekly newsletter was huge.

What evolved was the now famous hub and spoke system.

A simple system which takes a critical piece of content and expands from it, creating many pieces of content—all related to the hub.

Critically, Justin ensured most of the ‘spokes’ linked back to the ‘hub’ article on his website.

In summary, it:

  • Increased efficiency—reducing the need for new ideas to drive new individual posts.
  • Increased organization—making it easier for Justin to stay on theme.
  • Increased results—more traffic back to the website leading to more sales.

July—the first month of the new hub & spoke structure—generated a 50% increase over the previous month.

Of course, the results attract the headlines.

But, what is equally as important is how Justin used fact-based decision-making to guide his plan to experiment with a new approach. Without it, Justin wouldn't have been able to see the evidence to make the change.

How You can use Evidence-Based Decision Making to Make Progress

As Justin’s story shows, there is great power in using facts over hunches to make decisions.

Fact-based decision-making is the process of making decisions based on evidence and data. As a creator, you can use fact-based decision-making to make progress in your career by:

  • Researching your audience. By understanding your audience's interests, demographics, and needs, you can create content that is more likely to appeal to them. You can use data to research your audience by conducting surveys, analyzing social media data, or reading user reviews.
  • Analyzing trends. By tracking trends in the industry, you can identify new opportunities and stay ahead of the curve. You can use data to analyze trends by reading industry publications, attending conferences, or following thought leaders on social media.
  • Testing your ideas. By testing your ideas before you launch them, you can avoid costly mistakes and ensure that your content is successful. You can test your ideas by creating prototypes, running beta tests, or asking for feedback from friends, family, or colleagues.
  • Collaborating with others. By collaborating with other creators and experts, you can get feedback on your ideas, learn from others, and create better content. You can collaborate with others by attending meetups, joining online communities, or reaching out to people you admire.
  • Measuring your results. By measuring the results of your efforts, you can track your progress and make necessary adjustments. You can measure your results by tracking website traffic, social media engagement, or sales data.

By using fact-based decision-making, you can make real progress as a creator.  It allows you to create content that is more likely to be successful. You can avoid costly mistakes, and ensure that your content is relevant to your audience.

Final Thoughts

The example Justin Welsh provides is fascinating.

It shows not on the only the progress, but also the leverage it can bring any creator who is prepared to think in the same way. Fact-based decision-making gives Justin this amazing increase in growth, but also allows him to find a way to maximise his creative output.

It is the utopia every creator wants.

To conclude, these final 4 points will enable you to use fact-based decision making to make progress as a creator:

  • Be data-driven. The more data you have, the better decisions you can make. Make sure to collect data from a variety of sources, including surveys, social media, and user reviews.
  • Be open to feedback. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback from your audience, colleagues, or experts. This feedback can help you identify areas where you can improve your content.
  • Be willing to experiment. Don't be afraid to try new things. Experimenting with different ideas and approaches can help you find what works best for you.
  • Be patient. It takes time to make progress as a creator. Don't get discouraged if you don't see results immediately. Keep working hard and eventually you will achieve your goals.

Fact-based decision making is the key to making progress as a creator. It's the difference between being a creator and being a leader. So if you want to be a leader in your field, start using fact-based decision making today.

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