Commercial Marketing Data 101: how better business data helps you find where to focus

You may already know the customers in your CRM. You may know which accounts have bought before, which campaigns worked and which sectors your sales team talks to most often.

The harder question is what sits beyond that view.

Which sectors may be worth a closer look? Which customers have room to grow? Which prospects share useful traits with the businesses already buying from you?

That was the focus of Experian’s Commercial Data 101 webinar. The session looked at how commercial data can help organisations build a clearer view of the Australian business landscape and make better-informed decisions about targeting, sales focus and planning.

Australian demand is still moving, but the pattern is changing

The wider market is not standing still. Experian’s Spend Index Report found Australian household spending grew 7.3% in 2025, but slowed to 5% in the final quarter. Spending continued, although growth slowed in the final quarter while consumers became more selective in their spending behavior.

That matters for B2B teams because consumer pressure can flow through to the businesses that serve them. A retailer, lender, utility, travel business or service provider may still see demand, but not in the same places or at the same pace as before.

The same report found 76% of Australians reported pressure on household cashflow, while 66% reported financial stress. It also found 72% of consumers had reduced eating out, 57% had reduced retail spending and 39% had reduced domestic travel.

This is the kind of context that makes old assumptions risky. If customers are changing how they spend, businesses need a better way to see where demand is holding up, where it is softening and where the next opportunity may sit.

Your CRM can show who you know, but not always what you are missing

Most teams have useful information already. CRM records. Campaign history. Account plans. Notes from sales conversations. All of it matters.

The catch is that internal data usually tells you what has already happened. It may show who you know, but not who else is out there. It may show the sectors in your customer base, but not how those sectors compare with the wider market.

That is why commercial data and CRM enrichment belong in the same conversation. Clean customer records help teams understand who they already serve. A wider commercial view helps them understand where those customers fit in the market.

The three types of business data that can help you choose where to focus

Depending on the use case and data available, commercial data may include:

• Firmographic details, such as business name, ABN, industry, location, business age and entity status.
• Commercial indicators, such as revenue or employee bands, growth indicators and risk-related insights, where available and suitable.
• Corporate relationship details, such as parent companies, subsidiaries or wider group connections.

From bigger lists to better focus

In B2B growth, a bigger list is not always better. A long list can slow sales teams down if the businesses on it do not match the market, sector, size or profile that matters to your offer.

Commercial Marketing data can help teams compare current customers with the wider business landscape. That comparison may help identify segments where the organisation already has strength, areas it may not be serving well and businesses that look similar to existing customers.

It can also help improve CRM quality by adding useful business details to customer records, where available and suitable. That clearer customer view can support segmentation, reporting, campaign planning and account prioritisation.

Next step

If you would like to talk through how commercial data could support your growth priorities, speak with your Experian account manager or complete the client enquiry form.