November 19, 2024
Issue #697
Here’s the deal — there’s no such thing as a perfect attribution model.
Chris Walker’s recent LinkedIn post, as well as George Chasiotis’ insights on LinkedIn, remind us that the chase for attribution perfection is holding us back from real growth. Today, we’ll dive into how your team can stop fighting for credit and start working together to create a revenue engine that actually delivers.
(This Daily is all inspired by what Chris Walker’s — CEO of Passetto —
LinkedIn post)
PRINCIPLES
Move beyond the four-funnel attribution trap
The old "Four Funnel" attribution model — where Marketing, SDRs, Partners, and Sales all fight for credit on the same small slice of the customer journey — is a flawed approach.
This model doesn’t account for the distinct superpowers and objectives of each department.
When you force everything into a single attribution model, you end up optimizing for an artificial structure rather than creating a unified revenue engine.
The result? Misaligned strategies, wasted time, and missed opportunities for growth. Instead, focus on creating an unified revenue factory where each department works in harmony, leveraging their unique strengths without getting bogged down in debates over attribution.
This is what Chris Walker had to say:
“It’s an incredibly simplistic financial model. That worked great in 2021 when you had massive market tailwinds, and everyone’s coming in to buy your stuff, and NRR is through the roof, and none of your investors care about unit economics.
The “Four Funnel” model works great to just divide the credit by department and pour millions of dollars more in.
But when you need to be intentional about your investments and achieve proper unit economics to scale, this model fundamentally breaks.“
TACTICS
Break free from attribution wars
Chris recently pointed out that B2B companies waste tens of thousands of hours arguing over which attribution model to use—while missing the real strategy decisions.
Spoiler alert:
There’s no such thing as the perfect attribution model! As George Chasiotis, Founder of Minuttia says, “‘Perfect’ attribution is a trap. Focus on ‘good enough’ and take smart risks.”
Waiting for a flawless model will only delay your strategy.
To help you escape the attribution debate and focus on revenue growth, here’s Chris’ tactical play:
1. Stop fighting over credit:
Instead of trying to fit your Marketing, SDRs, and Partner teams into a one-size-fits-all attribution model, let each department focus on its unique contribution. Marketing brings awareness, SDRs qualify and nurture leads, Partners introduce new opportunities, and Sales closes the deal.
2. Unify your revenue engine:
Build an aligned GTM strategy where these departments don’t fight over attribution but work together towards common goals. Ensure that investments, strategies, and KPIs reflect each team’s role in the customer journey, rather than simply dividing credit by touchpoint.
3. Measure what matters:
Move beyond simple lead source tracking. Focus on metrics that reflect each team’s impact on pipeline health and revenue generation, such as lead velocity, opportunity conversion rates, and partner-driven revenue.
4. Embrace flexibility in attribution:
Instead of obsessing over a rigid attribution model, experiment with more fluid and flexible approaches like contribution-based attribution, which allows for a broader view of how each team contributes to revenue, without getting stuck in the weeds of "first-touch" vs. "last-touch."
Click here to learn from Chris how to deal with pipeline problems.
MEME OF THE DAY
Don’t get stuck in attribution
George Chasiotis, shared an easy way to describe the attribution problem:
“Think of SPF sunscreen for a second.
SPF 15 gives 93% protection, SPF 30 gives 97% protection, SPF 50 gives 98% protection.
Doubling to SPF 100? Only provides a marginal increase in protection.
The SAME is true for marketing attribution.
Because real brand impact happens in ways attribution software will never show, through word of mouth you don't need to measure, in conversations you can't track, and a messy and non-linear lifecycle journey.”
STUFF YOU CAN'T MISS
- November 20 — GTM Partners Better Together Roadshow: San Francisco — TOMORROW
If you’re a GTM leader, join the first B2B go-to-market conference focused on unifying teams and tech. The Crossbeam team will be at the next event in San Francisco, learn more here.
- November 21 — Rethinking Nurture: How to Create an Always-On Strategy That Drives Pipeline
Meghan Crook (Intentsify) and Jessica Fewless (Inverta) will share how to build a signal-based strategy that will help you keep the conversation going and facilitate the buyer journey across multiple channels. Save your spot here.
- December 5 — Year in Review: Top Partnership Insights of 2024
Kelly Sarabyn will speak with Greg Portnoy, Nelson Wang,and Jill Rowley, as they review top partnership insights from 2024 and how that will guide partnerships in 2025. Save your spot here.
You're all caught up
See you tomorrow
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