June 2017 Summaries

Ed Fry's guest post explores how companies like Appcues can leverage data to enhance sales efficiency by identifying and engaging with promising leads. The post highlights how Appcues, similar to DigitalOcean, used firmographic and product usage data to identify high-potential trial users and alert the sales team. However, the initial strategy of using a simple usage score proved insufficient, as it lacked the context necessary for personalized engagement. Instead, Appcues used Hull to transform analytics events into actionable insights, synchronizing them with CRM tools like HubSpot and integrating Slack notifications to ensure timely sales action. This approach allowed sales reps to engage customers effectively by knowing not only who to reach out to but also when and what to say, enhancing the personalization and timeliness of their interactions. Fry emphasizes the importance of packaging and syncing data to provide sales teams with the tools they need to advance and close deals, suggesting that this method could be applied across other customer-facing teams for broader personalization.

Joel Burke, Partner and Analytics Lead at Outshine, discusses how the company assists B2B clients, like One2Team, in optimizing their marketing through Account Based Marketing (ABM) by addressing the challenge of tracking and reporting on marketing initiatives. Traditional analytics often fall short in identifying the most effective channels and content for target accounts, especially before potential customers provide identifiable information. By utilizing tools like Clearbit Reveal and Google Analytics, Outshine can de-anonymize site visitors based on their company affiliation, enabling One2Team to determine which marketing activities engage their target accounts. This integration allows the creation of dashboards segmented by target companies, facilitating the validation of campaign accuracy and the calculation of marketing ROI. This approach enhances collaboration between marketing and sales teams by providing insights into how advertising efforts reach and engage target accounts, ultimately driving revenue for high-growth B2B companies.

Clearbit recently revamped its signup form to enhance user experience and conversion rates by simplifying the process and incorporating its own data capabilities. The redesigned form initially requires only an email and password, aiming to reduce friction and deter automated signup attacks by implementing a captcha only for non-corporate IP addresses through their Reveal API. Utilizing the user's email, Clearbit's Enrichment API auto-fills additional fields like name and company information, showcasing the company's data offerings while expediting the signup process. An optional questionnaire provides insights into customer needs, informing personalized dashboard experiences and email campaigns. To mitigate potential risks, a browser fingerprinting and profiling system assesses a risk score, leading high-risk users to an email confirmation step. Overall, the redesign focuses on creating a streamlined, efficient signup experience that highlights Clearbit's data capabilities while improving user conversion and satisfaction.

Clearbit has announced the addition of three new company data attributes—SIC codes, NAICS codes, and Fiscal Year End—to enhance their dataset and support existing company systems and processes. SIC and NAICS codes are widely used industry classification standards in the U.S., with NAICS gradually replacing SIC. Clearbit will initially support 2-digit SIC and NAICS codes, with plans for further expansion, including international coverage. Additionally, the Fiscal Year End attribute will indicate the month a company concludes its fiscal year, aiding in budget and deadline management. This update also improves data quality, with enhanced accuracy in employee counts, locations, and coverage of headquarter phone numbers and annual revenue. Existing users of Clearbit’s Salesforce integration and API will automatically receive these updates with their next data refresh or new requests, provided they are using the latest API version.