Garbage in...Garbage out....
In today's world of information, it may be nearly impossible to know which set of data can lead you through to anticipate trends in your industry. Clearly, identifying the correct data can help cross sell as well as understand and enhance the sales and operating margins. It can also help you quickly change or adopt new strategies based upon the correlation of data.
First, you need to understand the very basics about data mining and it resultant statistical processes. With software on the market today, you need not become a statistician, but true value comes into play by understanding the application and effects of data mining. It has now become a reality for small to large businesses to bring the power of data to fruition.