Ask a commercial organization if they work data-driven, and youโll almost always get a resounding โyes.โ After all, thereโs a CRM system, a marketing automation platform, a dashboard full of KPIs, and maybe even an ICP. But none of that guarantees good decisions.
Because the real question isnโt just what you know, but how confident you are in that knowledge, and what you might be completely overlooking.
Thatโs why this matrix exists. Six zones that help organizations look differently at their commercial data, and be honest about their assumptions, habits, and especially their blind spots.
What you know, that you know - Good
You have a clear view of your top 100 accounts, know their exact annual revenue, who forms the DMU, and when the next renewal takes place. Your CRM is up-to-date, enriched with external data sources, and connected to your marketing automation platform. Here, you are in control.
Use this to build trust, personalize, and segment strategically.
What you know, that you don't know - Search
You know that you donโt have a complete view of your addressable market. You realize there are still high-potential prospects, but they simply arenโt in your CRM. You also know your data is outdated, roles have changed, or companies have relocated. But where do you start?
This is the zone of data enrichment, market exploration, and ICP recalibration.
You know, that you don't want to know - Data Overload
Your marketing team receives hundreds of MQLs per month, but no one knows which ones are truly valuable. Thousands of companies in your CRM lack segments, industry codes, or current status. You know the data is dirty, but no one dares to clean it up.
Too much unstructured data paralyzes your conversion. Dare to clean up and choose.
You don't know that you know - Data Mining
The knowledge is in the head of your best account manager. Or somewhere in that one Excel file from marketing. Or hidden in the CRM under tags like โold leadโ or โnot relevantโ, while the company has meanwhile become a scale-up. You have the gold; you just donโt see it yet.
Use AI, enrichment, and analytics to uncover hidden patterns.
Interesting read: Sales Guide: How to build a 360-degree customer view
You don't know that you don't know - Blindness
You think youโve defined all your market segments, but there are niches youโve never even considered. Your targeting unintentionally excludes certain customer types. Or your go-to-market strategy overlooks a new channel where your target audience is active.
This is where the biggest risks and opportunities lie. Itโs time to start working with external market data and scenarios.
What you don't know, that you don't want to know - Obstruction
You know your CRM is a mess, but no one has the time or motivation to fix it. Your sales pipeline is built on wishful thinking. Your nurture campaigns reach people whoโve long since left. You know itโll hurt to take an honest look, so you look away.
Delaying discomfort only makes the problem worse. Data governance is not a nice-to-have.
Interesting read: We have everything your CRM needs
Reflection: where are you in the matrix?
Many commercial organizations arenโt ignorant, they operate based on incomplete or outdated assumptions. Not out of unwillingness, but out of habit. This matrix helps break those patterns.
Start simple:
- What do you know for sure?
- What are you aware of that you don't know?
- What are you (still) afraid to face?
Finally: from knowing to growing
Sales and marketing are no longer about gut feeling and likability. Theyโre about structure, relevance, timing, and trust. And for that, you need more than just data, you need visibility into your blind spots.
Only then can you truly say: We are data-driven.
