3 Types of Data You’ll Need to Dominate In 2026

Is your business ready to grow as we head into 2026? You may have heard that data is what fuels the decisions that lead to growth, but without a focus on the right types of data, you could be floundering and playing catch-up. Today, we’re sharing three types of data that your business can use to dominate in 2026, as well as solutions to help you collect it.

Collect Zero-Party Data to Build a Loyal Customer Base

The most useful data you get on your customers is not what the Internet lets you scrape, but what they voluntarily give you.

This zero-party data, or data that is intentionally shared with your business, is incredibly valuable from a customer loyalty and sales perspective. If customers are willing to share their personal preferences, pain points, or buying intentions, you are no longer working from “inferred” or “predicted” data. You’re working with the truth straight from the horse’s mouth. Some methods for collecting zero-party data include post-purchase surveys, preference centers, and interactive quizzes.

Basically, you’re not just selling to them anymore, but offering a solution they’ve already asked for.

Monitor Intent Data to Discover Prospects

By the time a prospect has reached out to your business, they’ve likely done the vast majority of their research into how to solve their specific problems.

If you want more warm prospects, you can start by looking at what is called “intent data,” or the digital signs that someone is in the market for your goods or services. Some of these signals might include a local business Googling a product or service, surges in topics on social media, website deanonymization, or prospects downloading a high-value deliverable from your website. Instead of waiting around for the phone to ring, you can conduct a little outreach yourself to customers you know are interested in what you have to offer.

It’s not “cold calling” anymore, but “warm helping,” and it can be an effective way to shorten your sales cycle so you can help more people and make more money in the process.

Track Operational Efficiency to Discover Hidden Profits

Growth isn’t just about making more money; it’s also about keeping more money you’ve already made.

Small businesses often focus so hard on external data from sales and marketing that they forget to turn their focus inward. Discovering where you’re leaking profits means analyzing your business from an operational efficiency perspective. You might discover bottlenecks in your service delivery and clients who are actually costing you money to serve.

If you want your business to gain an edge on the competition in 2026, this is as good a place as any to start.

The Connection specializes in using technology to advance your business’ mission. We can help you leverage the three types of data above to impact your company in the new year. Learn more today by calling us at (732) 291-5938.