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eric@themapnerd.com

Eric Broughton

The Magic of ATM Geography

Geography

Map Nerd-ing in Real Time

Here’s a fun example of the joy of nerding out on maps [a.k.a., Map Nerd-ing] in real time:

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada Signage
Viva Las Vegas, indeed.

My wife and I were recently in Las Vegas — she was attending several conferences, and I was living that glorious, gorgeous, grand digital nomad life to its fullest. One day, I was looking for an ATM close to our hotel… and as everyone probably knows, using the ATM in the casino is a massive rip off: typically, service fees are somewhere around $6, second only to Gentlemen’s Clubs for most expensive ATM fees [I don’t know that firsthand, I swear. I must’ve read about it in People].

So I, like most would, pulled up Google maps and simply searched for ATMs near my location. I found a plethora of third party ATMs — you know, the kind you find in truck stops all over the country, typically with fees around $4. The Vegas Strip being a huge tourist area [basically a seeder Disney World], the fees were $4.99. And frankly, I was not about to pay $5 just for the privilege of accessing my own money. No one should have to do that [let alone a Map Nerd like myself].

That’s when I spotted one, lone Bank of America ATM in a sea of third party options. 

Close-up Photography Two Credit Cards
I needed that cash, cash, money!

Now, I’m not a Bank of America customer, so I was still going to get hit with fees… but $3 or $3.50 is far more palatable than $5 or $6. At this point, my Map Nerd Brain kicked in: what was this lone bank-affiliated ATM doing right on the strip? I’d walked around that area for a while, and didn’t see a Bank of America branch or sign. So now, more curious than really needing to get cash, I walked over to find out what was up.

Where is this thing?

When I got to the location, it was not apparent where it was — in fact, I was standing in front of the M&Ms store! I could see several of the other third party ATMs, but no Bank of America one… even though, according to Google, I was literally on top of it. That’s when I had the realization that anyone who has ever Geocached is familiar with: “ I forgot about the Z coordinate!” 

Macro Shot of Assorted Candies
There’s really nothing better than a gigantic candy store, is there?

And with that, I headed up the first escalator… then the second… then the third… walking past M&M t-shirts, socks, stuffed plush characters, christmas ornaments, glasses, exclusive M&M flavors, and any number of other overpriced merchandise. Finally, on the fourth floor, in the far corner, by one of the bathrooms… I found it! The one, bank-affiliated ATM offering fees a full $2 lower then the ones on the ground floor [or zero fees, if you’re one of Bank of America’s 66 Million customers] — the only ATM like it within walking distance of some of the largest hotels in the country. 

I watched as this one ATM had a continuous line of six to eight people [most of them exasperated dads in white New Balance sneakers], and realized… this is one of the most brilliant examples of two companies understanding the way modern customers interact with geography. It’s the milk and eggs being in the back of grocery store, on steroids. 

The tool tells you where to go.

Three Women Standing Beside Signage on Grass Field
Don’t forget to buy 1,000 things on your way out the door!

Just about everyone uses some kind of navigation tool now, and Bank of America identified a hole in the geographic landscape… and understood that by simply putting an ATM in the sea of high-fee, third party ATMs — and making sure it showed up on Google Maps—  they could attract a huge amount of customers, with no overhead for signage or need to open a branch.

M&Ms allowing Bank of America to place the ATM in their store gets people to walk all the way through their store just to get to it. 

I’m only occasionally a betting man, but I’d bet the house that if any of those people just looking for the ATM have kids with them, there’s a good chance they’ll make a purchase — even if it’s just $6 worth of candy [“Hey, I saved $6 on the ATM fee, let’s spend it!”], there’s the potential to attract dollars that you’d otherwise not see.

Filed Under: Geography Tagged With: custom maps, data analytics, gis, gis consultant, gis consulting, location, maps, site selection, store planning

Custom Maps for Websites, Presentations and Proposals

Custom Maps

Custom Maps for Websites, Presentations and Proposals

Let’s explore GIS [Geographic Information Systems] maps, shall we? [I say we shall. They’re a pretty integral part of what we do here at the Map Nerd].

GIS maps are an essential tool for small business websites, presentations and proposals. If you’ve got a need for any sort of environmental and land use information, or demographic information about age and income level, custom GIS maps are the tool you need. 

Types of GIS Maps

As a GIS data analytics expert [a “Map Nerd,” if you will], I can make all kinds of custom maps for your business. Things like… 

Category Maps – The most common, and perhaps simplest, GIS map divides up an area into colored sections, using a key to explain what each of the corresponding sections.

Let’s say you want to highlight your top-selling product in a particular area, your top salesperson in a particular area, your dominant competitor in an area… or, maybe, the dominant breeds of squirrels that keep trying to pry into your roof. A category map can help you pinpoint this [hey, I don’t judge what you use the map for. I’m a part of your tool kit! Your hammer wouldn’t judge you, and neither would I].

Heat Map or Quantity Map – A quantity map, heat map, or — to use the special Map Nerd term, “choropleth” map — shows patterns and demographic trends based on location. This will again use colors specified by a key, but the shade of the color will darken as the color corresponds to a range of higher numbers. 

For example, let’s say you’ve categorized those dang squirrels by breed. With a heat/quantity/choropleth map, you can see exactly where most of them live… which is perfect for figuring out your next [humane!] plan of attack. 

Or, more practically, you could use a quantity map to explore home values, median incomes, number of properties for sale, number of properties sold within a certain time frame, or average price per square footage. Choosing the right range of numbers (and number of different colors) is important to make sure the data conveys accurate information that is not misleading. 

I mean, none of those have anything to do with squirrels, but that doesn’t make them any less valid.

Cluster Map – A cluster map is similar to a heat map, since it compares frequencies of data points within an area. But instead of using color grades, it combines data points into a single number within an area for the simplest understanding. 

For example, cluster maps can tell you how many homes are for sale within one neighborhood [or how many squirrels are in one tree. Ugh, why are they so spread out!?]. 

These maps are often interactive; a user might click on the number 3 to then see additional information about the homes [squirrels] available [still too close for comfort]. 

Websites

Squirrels aside, I’d be thrilled to generate custom maps for your company and its website. A screenshot from Google Maps may not tell customers everything you want them to know — when I make a custom map of your location, I can include and exclude particular items and boundaries. 

Even better, if you’re looking to sell your business, you might also need a category map or heat map like the ones above to show your customers how effective your business is. 

And if you’re not sure which map is right for you, just ask! That’s why they call me The Map Nerd – we can discuss how best to convey your data to your customers. 

Presentations and Proposals 

You can also use a custom map for a presentation to your supervisor, team or regional/national office. Maps let you clearly share information about growth, projections, locations and more. 

After all, lists of numbers can make people fall asleep in meetings [or, you know, anywhere]. They’re hard for anyone to understand! But visual maps make it easy for people to see why you should open a new location or invest more in a particular area of your business. Don’t just say that sales have increased: show it with a map!

And if anyone has questions about the data… that’s what query tools are for! Query tools let users isolate different map layers to evaluate individual data points. 

For example, if your squi… supervisor only wants to know about sales figures for 2018 in District 1, you’d be able to click on the map to exclude other years and districts.  Pretty neat!

To get started with a custom map, fill out my contact form here or email me a themapnerd@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Custom Maps Tagged With: custom maps, data analytics, gis, gis consultant, proposals, small business, websites

Data Analytics for Small Businesses

Data Analytics

Today, it’s time for a dip into data analytics for small businesses

[I’d say a ‘dive,’ but that could bore even the hardiest of readers. Plus, isn’t that what I’d do specifically for you, so you don’t have to read all the things?]

All about analytics
Time to get your crayons and your pencils!

According to Information-age.com, big data adoption rose from 17% in 2015 to 59% in 2018 – a 42% increase. Part of that just how expansive our access to data has become, and part is also having someone with the tools on hand to use it properly. And while your business is special, mine is spatial. #soverypunny

As The Map Nerd [your GIS (geographic information system), Swiss-army knife expert], we help you make data-driven decisions to reach customers and grow your business. Where larger companies can afford to hire an in-house GIS analyst, it’s simply not in the budget for smaller or medium-sized operations — ironically, those who need it the most. 

But it’s a myth that GIS analytics are prohibitively expensive: our work for you is scalable, and can be done on a freelance or project basis. Contact me — we’re always happy to chat and find a way to work within your budget to give you that competitive edge. 

Specialized Software 

As a GIS expert, The Map Nerd has access to specialized software giving me historical, geographic and demographic data about your location and customers. [And you can see a list of all the tools we use here]

Sure, some software programs advertise to businesses directly, and that’s a perfectly serviceable option for you if you have the time to sift through all that data. But if you buy a subscription, would you know how to interpret the data? Do you really have time to figure out what the trends and patterns are, or what you should do about them? 

This is where you hire the expert: you may find data to be overwhelming or boring, but The Map Nerd just loves it. After all, if we’re going to geek out on this anyway: why not help your business at the same time?

How Data Analytics for Small Businesses Can Help

White Ipad
Where to go, where to go?

Let’s say you’re considering opening a new brick-and-mortar location for your business in a busy shopping center. At first blush, it’s a popular destination, with ample parking in an area with high-income individuals. It seems like a no-brainer!

But what you may not know is that your core customers actually live a few miles away, and will not cross a highway to get there. Or they may not want to deal with a difficult left-turn with no traffic light. Or the customers who visit the shopping center are interested in other kinds of goods, and you may not find much crossover. Or this area may already be oversaturated. 

In a situation like this, a less-obvious location might actually be a much better choice.  The Map Nerd combines extensive research on consumer trends, population distribution, and mapping to help you determine the “Goldilocks” spot for your next store.

The Map Nerd can help you solve questions like:

  • Who should my target market be?
  • Where do my customers live?
  • Where are my competitors located?
  • How can I evaluate the performance of my store?
  • What is my market penetration? 
  • Why are my sales going down?
  • What partnerships would make sense for my business?
  • What are the seasonal trends of my business?
  • Where should I open a new store location? 
  • What is the best trucking route for my product?
  • Where should I build my warehouse?
  • Is there an untapped market I can get into?
  • How can I attract new customers? 
  • What marketing will be effective for my business? 
  • What is the environmental impact of using certain buildings or locations?
  • How will zoning, county/city lines and utilities affect my building construction?
  • How would I look in a bow tie? (That’s just a bonus.)  

Data Plus Experience

Good decision making doesn’t mean looking at numbers alone, though. The Map Nerd’s data analytics for small businesses, combined with information from your own experience and expertise in your specific field, is what creates the full picture. After all, to be fair, we think you know your history, goals, trends and customers much better than we ever could. We know a lot, but we’re not that good [otherwise, we’d be your competition!]

When you hire The Map Nerd, we work with you to incorporate data into your business strategy, exploring potential scenarios together. 

Customization

The Map Nerd doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all approach to data analytics for small businesses. We tailor our GIS work specifically for you and your needs. 

The first step is a consultation via email, phone or video chat – whatever’s best for you! We can talk about your goals and options to achieve them: you’ll nerd out over your awesome product or service, and we’ll nerd out about GIS. Win win!

Filed Under: Data Analytics Tagged With: data analytics, gis, gis consultant, small business

What A GIS Consultant Does in Real Estate

Real Estate

Let’s get right into it: what does the Map Nerd [or any GIS consultant] do for real estate?

At the baseline, a GIS [Geographic Information Systems] consultant analyzes data from geographical maps. Experts like the Map Nerd help with map data on a pretty wide range of services: from governments building railroads, to aerospace firms assessing the surfaces of planets… right on down to property research, market analysis, and spatial analysis in real estate [hey, not all of our work is in “determining the best location for the first McDonald’s on Mars].

A GIS consultant can assist a home buyer, home seller, developer, real estate agent or property owner in making prudent decisions
A GIS consultant can assist a home buyer, home seller, developer, real estate agent or property owner in making prudent decisions

A GIS consultant can assist a home buyer, home seller, developer, real estate agent or property owner in making prudent decisions — we’re here to help ensure that, say, if you’re buying a home near an upcoming major construction zone, that you intended to buy a home near an upcoming major construction zone. We can present you with reports, charts, tables and maps – and explain what all of the data actually means for you in the real world.

Property research and market analysis [or, “Where I make you money”]

 Most real estate agents and developers determine property values with specialized software integrating layered maps and geocoding. But the Map Nerd’s [or any good GIS consultant] software goes deeper. 

GIS software is customizable to your business and needs — meaning, GIS experts can analyze the real estate market the most accurately and efficiently. Although a lot of information is available on the internet or in public records, frankly, compiling all of that data into something comprehensible is not for the faint of heart. 

 GIS consultants use census data and financial history to find patterns and trends to not only accurately determine property values, but to predict property values in the future. Obviously, this can help people buying and selling homes, as well as those buying and speculating on plots of empty land: a GIS consultant can look into soil productivity, ponds, forests, etc. At the end of the day, you want to be an informed buyer or seller – and you also want to be prepared to work with people utilizing GIS information.

Renovation Station
Can you say OPEN CONCEPT?

Think of it like renovating a kitchen: yes, you can absolutely do all of this work on your own. But even the handiest home handyman [say that five times fast] is going to take significantly longer to complete the job… and it’s probably not going to be quite as high of final quality. Now, that’s always your choice to do: but unless the journey itself really is the most rewarding part of your real estate business, you probably want that work done quickly, and correctly, the first time.

Spatial analysis [or, “Where your property really is”]

 You’ve got a general idea of what you do and don’t live near. However, one never knows exactly what a prospective buyer will want to be near [or far from]. Spatial analysis allows home sellers to market a property based on its proximity to attractions and services — think schools, shopping centers, or offices. 

Spatial analysis might seem simple… but without all the data, you can’t paint the most accurate picture. Let’s say a home that’s “two miles” from a grocery store. How can the owner get to that store? Does it require driving? If there’s construction, how many routes are available? Is there a pedestrian path? Would someone need to cross a river or 

highway in those two miles? Would they need to drive around a state park or stadium? 

Or, even bigger: is this property prone to flooding? Is it on a fault line? Is there any fire danger nearby?

Charts and graphs and charts and graphs.
Charts and graphs and charts and graphs.

Worst case scenarios aside, a GIS consultant can look at geographic data and extrapolate what’s actually important for a home buyer or seller. Things like:

  •       Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market?
  •       What’s a good asking price for my house?
  •       What kind of offers should I expect for my house?
  •       Which zip codes should I look to buy a house in based on my work or my kids’ school?
  •       Which up-and-coming areas offer good investment opportunities?
  •       Which plots of land will suit my needs?
  •       How high can I expect my home to appreciate?

No matter what you’re looking to do in real estate, the Map Nerd build the most solid data foundation [zing!] for your venture. We’ve got your back.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: gis, gis consulting, map nerd, real estate

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