When it comes to marketing, we all want to know one thing: How much impact are we having on the business?
Linking attribution to revenue is the holy grail for many marketers, but it’s also one of the trickiest challenges.
Drew Smith, founder and CEO of Attributa and host of the Attribution Nation Podcast, joined us on ABM Answered to break down this very topic.
In this blog, we’ll break down Drew’s expert advice into simple terms, step by step.
From understanding why "revenue" doesn’t mean what you think it does to choosing the right attribution model, this guide will help you connect the dots between your marketing efforts and the bottom line without overcomplicating things.
First Things First: Why You Shouldn’t Say “Revenue”
Drew kicked things off with a surprising but important clarification: marketing doesn’t directly influence revenue. Here’s why:
Revenue refers to invoices paid, money the company has actually received.
What marketing influences is closed-won opportunities, also called sales or bookings.
Drew warned against calling it revenue when presenting to leadership, especially the CFO.
“If you call it revenue, they’ll stop the conversation right there because that’s not accurate. It’s better to use terms like sales or bookings.”
This small tweak in language makes a big difference in how credible your data looks to decision-makers.
Step 1: Measure Both Quantity and Quality
When linking attribution to sales, it’s essential to measure two things:
The number of closed-won deals (quantity).
This tells you how many deals your marketing influenced.
The value of those deals (quality).
This shows the dollar amount tied to the deals influenced by marketing.
For example, you might see that marketing influenced 10 deals worth $1 million. Or maybe it was just one big deal worth $1 million. Both insights are valuable but tell different stories.
Step 2: Understand Attribution Models
An attribution model is the set of rules that determines how credit for sales is distributed across marketing touchpoints.
Drew explained that many marketers mistakenly treat attribution models as static choices like picking one wrench and using it for every task.
But attribution models should be flexible tools that match the specific report you’re creating. Here are a few common ones Drew mentioned:
W-Shaped Model:
Assigns 30% of credit each to the first touch, lead creation, and opportunity creation.
The remaining 10% is spread across all middle touches.
Best for measuring marketing’s influence on pipeline.
Linear Model:
Divides credit equally across all touchpoints.
Good for understanding overall engagement.
Custom Models:
Tailored to your business’s unique needs, like giving extra credit to certain key touchpoints.
Drew’s advice? Don’t pick a model that just makes marketing look good. Pick the one that best answers the question you’re trying to solve.
Step 3: Choose Your Attribution Methodology
Beyond models, Drew emphasized the importance of attribution methodology, which defines who gets credit for influencing a deal. There are three main options:
Account-Based Attribution
Gives credit to all contacts associated with the account, regardless of whether they were directly involved in the opportunity.
Best for broad campaigns targeting entire companies.
Contact Role-Based Attribution
Focuses only on contacts assigned specific roles in the opportunity, like decision-makers.
Drew highlighted this as the ideal approach for ABM, where you’re building buying committees and targeting specific people.
Primary Contact-Based Attribution
Only credits the main decision-maker for their actions.
Drew isn’t a fan of this method because it oversimplifies complex buying processes.
When it comes to ABM, contact role-based attribution is your best bet. It narrows the focus to the people who matter most while staying true to the principles of ABM.
Step 4: Use Technology to Automate the Process
Attribution can get complicated fast, which is why Drew recommends leveraging tools that handle the heavy lifting for you.
Gateway Tools:
If you’re on Salesforce, the built-in campaign influence model is a great place to start. However, Drew warns that it has limitations—like giving full credit to every campaign, which can lead to inflated numbers.
Advanced Platforms:
Tools like Marketo Measure, CalibriMind, and DreamData offer more robust multi-touch attribution features. These platforms account for both marketing and sales activities, making them a good fit for ABM.
Step 5: Define Your Attribution Window
One of the most overlooked steps is setting an attribution window—the time period during which a touchpoint can influence a sale.
For example, if someone attended your trade show four years ago, should that event still get credit for a deal closed yesterday? Probably not.
Drew advises setting a window that aligns with your sales cycle. If it typically takes a year to go from lead creation to opportunity creation, set your window accordingly.
This ensures your data stays relevant and accurate.
Key Takeaways for Linking Attribution to Sales
Speak CFO-Friendly Language: Don’t call it “revenue.” Use terms like sales or bookings.
Balance Quantity and Quality: Measure both the number of deals and their value.
Pick the Right Attribution Model: Match the model to your goal—whether it’s measuring pipeline, engagement, or closed deals.
Embrace Contact Role-Based Attribution: This methodology aligns perfectly with ABM’s focus on building buying committees.
Leverage the Right Tools: Use technology to automate and standardize your attribution process.
Drew’s Final Thought
Linking attribution to sales isn’t about cooking the books to make marketing look good, it’s about building a reliable, trustworthy system that gives leadership the insights they need to make informed decisions.
As Drew puts it, “Create a standard set of rules that apply to everything equally. When your data is consistent and unbiased, it’s incredibly hard to attack.”
Ready to take your attribution game to the next level? Start with these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to connecting marketing efforts to real business outcomes.
For more insights from Drew, check out the Attribution Nation Podcast or visit Attributa to learn how his team can help you master attribution and ABM!
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