--- title: Data, Insight, and Wisdom | The Sales Blog description: To help other people produce better results, data and insight are required, but acquiring experience is critical to offer advice. Learn more here. image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_723369718.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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Our technologies now allow us to collect an endless amount of data, some of which is helpful in making sense of our world, as well as assisting with better decisions. But data by itself is just data. [Insight](http://thesalesblog.com/2017/07/02/difference-data-insight-episode-151/) is an understanding of the data or information. It’s the discernment of what the data means, how it might be interpreted. Insight is necessary to make data useful; otherwise, it’s just facts with no meaning. This is the application of thinking to the data. [Wisdom](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/03/24/knowledge-is-not-power%e2%80%94wisdom-is-power/) is something altogether different from data or insight. Wisdom is applying experience and judgment about decisions one might take—or not take—in light of the insight and data. Wisdom offered from one person to another is called advice, something that includes data and insight, and adds something of greater value. [Data](http://thesalesblog.com/2018/07/30/the-data-lies-and-you-believe-it/) is important. If you lack a command of the facts, it is difficult to make a case that someone should be doing something different. If you lack the insights to derive meaning from the data, to explain why it matters and the [implications](http://thesalesblog.com/2018/08/31/you-need-a-a-theory-for-why-your-dream-client-should-change/) from your interpretation, the data is useless. Insight starts with asking questions to determine what story the data tells and why based on the context in which the information is being used. Wisdom is knowing why the insight and data matters, what it means for your dream clients, what they should do about, and how they should go about making change. Wisdom is a level of knowledge that is greater than the sum of the data and the insights. The experience that enables you to offer advice, the good judgment that has come from bad judgment (yours and other’s), and recognizing the [choices](http://thesalesblog.com/2018/12/10/how-to-make-good-choices-in-sales/) of action and the accompanying trade-offs are what allows you to offer advice. If you want to help other people produce better results, data and insight are essential, but acquiring experience is critical to your being able to offer advice in the first place. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2018](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2018) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on December 14, 2018 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-06-15T6:09:34 PM", "datePublished" : "2018-12-14 22:45:25", "description" : "To help other people produce better results, data and insight are required, but acquiring experience is critical to offer advice. 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