CRM Data Utilization

Without data structure, intent signals are just noise. After months of refining our account-based program, I've come to a simple realization: without proper data structure, intent signals are drowned and unusable. The team is tackling this challenge using this 3-step process: 1️⃣ Capturing the RIGHT signals With AI, Clay, and countless data providers, intent signals have become more accessible and commoditized (company announcements, reviews, technographics, hiring and more). It's incredibly tempting to buy it all and see what surfaces — I've been there! But I've learned the hard way that collecting signals without strategy creates more noise than insight. Beyond the hype, we took a deep dive into our customer journey (specifically won deals) to identify common patterns in buyer attributes and behaviors. Yes, we scrap and ingest external signals, but we've placed special emphasis on our 1st party data (CRM infos, website/product tracked events, webinar viewers, ad engagement). This gives us an edge that competitors simply can't replicate. 2️⃣ Building a UNIQUE data set Playing around with new intent signals in Clay is fun — and we do it! But the game-changer was figuring out how to structure and process these signals within the CRM. We've customized HubSpot to store them in custom objects. Every signal, regardless of source, follows the same structure: name, desc, source, URL, and timestamp. This standardization has transformed our ability to combine signals, refine scoring models, and surface insights that truly resonate with our team. In the end, better iteration and more educated guesses. 3️⃣ Routing signals for HUMAN engagement The final and hardest part (in my opinion): getting these signals into the hands of our sales team for meaningful action. While we've automated the routing mechanics, we've discovered that enablement and discipline are equally crucial. We’ve set up regular team meetings to go over disqualification reasons, celebrate wins, and come up with new signal ideas. There’s nothing better than seeing our team turn these intent signals into conversations. Technology enables, but the human connection converts. Open questions to the #Growth and #RevOps in my network: what signals are you prioritizing in your growth strategy right now? What sources are delivering the best results? Any tips on improving signal routing and sales enablement? —— Follow me if you found value in this post 🙇♂️ I used to share stuff about growth, marketing and SaaS.

After building thousands of Clay tables in my lifetime, I still think the CRM enrichment flow is the most valuable table 90% of companies today could build. It takes 5-25 hours to build (depending on your company size and skill level), costs a relatively low amount of money (if you use API keys properly), and can fundamentally transform the data quality of your business. It turns your CRM from a rotting brick of stale data into a self-enriching data ecosystem that sales team members actually want to use. All you have to do? - Connect your CRM to Clay - Choose what data points you want to update and verify - Use Clay integrations to find the data points - Use your CRM's "Update Record" integration to, well, update the records - Set a cadence that you want this system to continually run on. It has some nuance when it comes to building, but overall I cannot recommend it enough. I created a video below showing how it works ⬇️

Here’s how a fast-growing AI company turned a messy flood of 30,000 new contacts per month into a clean, reliable contact database that runs itself. Their key insight Manual data processes don’t scale. To manage contact data effectively, they had to move from UI-driven workflows to API-first automation - No Code used. This is the simple framework I use with clients facing the same challenge 1. Deep data audit Understand what you currently have.. Duplicates, missing fields, inconsistencies, formatting issues… Without a clear picture, every process built on this data will fail. 2. Targeted enrichment through API Decide which fields really matter to your business. Automate enrichment of those fields only. Less noise, more value. 3. Full integration with core systems Your CRM and marketing tools should always have clean, trusted data. Automate validation and enrichment inside those systems. No manual cleanup. No extra work. When you manage contact data this way, it becomes an asset, not a problem. If your team is still fighting messy lists, it might be time to rethink the process.

If I were a CRO in a $20M ARR B2B SaaS company growing to $100M but lacking pipeline visibility, here are the 3 things I would do: 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗧 When I was CRO, I found myself in this situation. Scaling to $76M in ARR, I realized I was relying too much on gut feel. It was draining. But I wasn't the only one. Talking to other CROs, I also sensed their anxiety about losing control of their pipeline. 𝟯 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗜𝗣𝗦 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: They helped me drive: • higher win rates • accurate forecasts • no last-minute fire drills = the confidence to scale to $100M knowing I can see and control what’s coming. 1️⃣ 𝗖𝗥𝗠 𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘗𝘙𝘖𝘉𝘓𝘌𝘔: Too often I hear CROs say: "We constantly remind our reps to update Salesforce." The hard truth is: Reps will never do it reliably. And honestly, they shouldn't have to (see fix below). __ 𝘐𝘔𝘗𝘈𝘊𝘛: Poor Salesforce hygiene = • Low deal & pipeline visibility • Last-minute surprises kill deals & forecasts • Coaching reps on deals becomes guesswork __ 𝘍𝘐𝘟: Use AI to auto-capture the data reps won’t. AI will give you 99% of the clean data you need to get pipeline visibility. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 1: AI notetakers auto-populate Salesforce fields (like MEDDICC, next steps, etc.) from call transcripts. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 2: Activity capture solutions auto-sync buyer engagement & committees (emails, meetings, contacts) into Salesforce. There are a variety of tools out there for these. (Btw, 200+ B2B revenue teams do this with Weflow). __ 𝘙𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘓𝘛: ↳ Complete CRM data ↳ Better insights into risks ↳ Reps save time on data entry 2️⃣ 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗥𝗠 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘗𝘙𝘖𝘉𝘓𝘌𝘔: Clean key fields are the first step. Now it's about surfacing things like: • Risks • Velocity • Multi-threading __ 𝘍𝘐𝘟: Have your RevOps team track and surface: • Days in stage • No next steps • Email reply rate • Multi-threading • Last activity date • Next meeting date • Close-date push count ... Then layer in AI to connect the dots across deal activities, buyer behavior, and meeting transcripts. This helps analyze deals holistically. Embed insights in Salesforce or use Revenue Intelligence solutions (like Weflow). __ 𝘙𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘓𝘛: Visibility into: ↳ Buying committee ↳ Deal velocity ↳ Deal risks ⸻ 3️⃣ 𝗣𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 = 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 & 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘗𝘙𝘖𝘉𝘓𝘌𝘔: Too many pipeline reviews are superficial. Reps list deals, managers ask “When's it closing?” End of story. That won't get you to $100M. __ 𝘍𝘐𝘟: Reframe pipeline reviews as strategic discussions. It's not about status updates, but aligning on blockers & next steps. Bring in your signals to facilitate data-driven discussions. This builds clarity AND accountability. ___ What else has helped you get better pipeline visibility? Comment below 👇

Most SEO teams don’t look at your CRM data, and that’s a huge missed opportunity. One of the first things we do during onboarding is dive into our clients’ CRM data. We analyze lead sources, conversion rates, pipeline velocity, and closed-won deals to uncover insights about the real SEO opportunities—the ones that directly impact revenue. Not all keywords are equal. Some drive traffic, while others influence decisions. We can prioritize terms that align with high-value leads and sales by mapping CRM data to keyword opportunities. Pipeline data also reveals content topics and formats that resonate at different stages of the buyer’s journey. This ensures your SEO strategy supports your entire funnel—not just TOFU traffic (which is dying anyway, good riddance). Optimizing for outcomes, not vanity metrics, is WAY more fun. Analyzing CRM data helps us connect the dots between rankings and revenue. It’s the difference between “We drove 10K visits this month!” and “We drove 10K visits and 20 new qualified opportunities.” Every time I mention this approach to prospects, I see the same reaction: surprise. Most people don’t expect SEOs to care about pipeline data. But if your organic growth strategy isn’t tied to business outcomes, what’s the point? Would love to hear how others align SEO with revenue—what’s working for you?

Maximizing Amazon Marketing Cloud with First-Party Data 🚀 Hey AMC Fam! The AMC team published some new instructions on how to use 1P data effectively. Here are some quick highlights: Use Cases: - Tailored Audience Engagement (CRM) 🎯: Utilize your own customer data within AMC to pinpoint which segments are engaging with your ads, allowing for highly personalized advertising strategies. - Off-Amazon Impact Analysis (Purchase Data) 📊: Measure the effect of Amazon ads on transactions occurring outside of Amazon, offering a clearer understanding of ad spend ROI. - Sophisticated Audience Creation (CRM & Purchase Data) 🔍: Leverage detailed customer data to create targeted audiences for re-marketing, focusing on those with high lifetime value (LTV). - Product Performance Insights (Product Catalog & Taxonomy) 📈: Use AMC to analyze how each product performs on Amazon, informing both marketing strategies and product development. Uploading 1P Data: To integrate 1P data into AMC, follow these steps: 1. Prepare Your Data: Ensure your data is in the correct format, with personal identifiable information (PII) hashed for privacy. 2. Use Amazon S3: Create a bucket in Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) for your data. 3. Encrypt and Upload: Optionally encrypt your data, then upload it to your S3 bucket. 4. Create and Populate Datasets: Use AMC's APIs to create a 1P table within AMC and populate it with your uploaded data. 1P data is only available via API so you'll need some in-house technicals skills or you can leverage a partner. Why These Use Cases Matter for Advertisers: - Precision in Personalization: By understanding specific audience segments, advertisers can tailor messages precisely, enhancing engagement and conversions. ✨ - Informed Investment Decisions: Analyzing the broader impact of Amazon ads helps advertisers allocate their budget more effectively, ensuring better returns. 💡 - Enhanced Re-marketing Strategies: Targeting high-value customers based on detailed data analytics maximizes the chances of repeat business. 🔄 - Data-Driven Product Strategy: Insights into product performance guide more informed marketing and product development decisions. 🌟 Conclusion: The ability to integrate 1P data into AMC is not just about leveraging advanced analytics; it's about transforming data into actionable insights. This strategic approach leads to more effective advertising, smarter budget allocation, and, ultimately, a stronger connection with customers. 🌉

The hardest part of being a salesperson? Not closing deals? Not handling objections? It’s updating the CRM 😅 We’ve all been there. But your CRM is only as good as the data you put into it. If it feels like a chore, it’s time to make it work for your team, not against them. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Simplify the process Too many fields or unnecessary steps? Cut them. Keep it lean so your team can focus on selling, not admin work. 2️⃣ Automate data entry Use tools like email tracking, call logging, and activity sync to handle the basics. Less manual input = happier reps. 3️⃣ Make it useful for reps If your CRM feels like it’s only for managers, no one will care. Show reps how it helps them prioritise leads, track follow-ups, and close more deals. 4️⃣ Provide proper training Don’t assume everyone knows how to use the CRM effectively. Run training sessions to show shortcuts, best practices, and how it fits into their workflow. 5️⃣ Reward good habits Recognise and reward the reps who consistently keep the CRM updated. Positive reinforcement goes a long way. 6️⃣ Use data to sell smarter Make the insights visible and actionable. Show your team how CRM data can uncover trends, highlight hot leads, and predict customer needs. 7️⃣ Integrate CRM with other tools Make it seamless. Connect your CRM to email, calendars, and project management tools to reduce context switching and manual effort. 8️⃣ Set the tone from leadership If managers aren’t updating the CRM, reps won’t either. Lead by example and make it part of the team’s culture. 9️⃣ Limit duplicate data entry Nothing frustrates a salesperson more than entering the same information in multiple places. Streamline your systems to avoid redundancy. 1️⃣0️⃣ Review and refine regularly Your CRM setup isn’t set in stone. Get feedback from your team and adjust workflows, fields, and tools to make it more effective over time. Updating the CRM doesn’t have to be the hardest part of the job. A few tweaks can turn it into a tool your sales team wants to use. What’s your team’s biggest CRM challenge and how have you solved it?