One of the jokes I tell my friends is that there shouldn’t be population signs on the road, there should be a toe count and a teeth count; if their are more toes than teeth in a town, you probably want to avoid it or go around it.
All kidding aside, statistics often lie or mask the real truth. For instance, a town that says it has a population of 27,000 in one area of the country may have completely different demographics than one with 27,000 in another area.
From a business standpoint, it can also be telling to look at more relevant statistics than just sales per square foot or hours per workweek. Sometimes, having more staff on board during off-peak hours can lead to greater results and greater customer service, whereas having too many staff on during peak hours can lead to people stepping on one another’s toes when the peak time drops down to subpeak.
Don’t rely on just one set of numbers to analyze your business. You may be selling $1000 a day in merchandise, but what’s to say your other location that is selling $500 isn’t as profitable? Look beyond just one set of variables.
And brush your teeth – you don’t want your town turning into one of those towns with more toes than teeth.
