Applying a single attribution model, like last-touch, to all channels is a mistake. It undervalues top-of-funnel activities and can lead to budget cuts that starve the pipeline. Instead, measure each channel based on its intended outcome and funnel stage.

Many marketers mistakenly use attribution models for precise instructions. Instead, they should be used directionally to understand which channels are generally performing better, without treating the data as absolute truth that dictates every specific action.

A modern data model revealed marketing influenced over 90% of closed-won revenue, a fact completely obscured by a last-touch attribution system that overwhelmingly credited sales AEs. This shows the 'credit battle' is often a symptom of broken measurement, not just misaligned teams.

Marketing's value, like brand fame, compounds over time and is probabilistic. Finance departments, however, wrongly apply simple, linear math (addition, subtraction) and demand immediate ROI, killing long-term initiatives that require time to pay off.

CloudPay stopped attributing opportunities to single sources like "marketing" or "sales." Analysis showed multiple departments influenced every deal, rendering attribution a source of pointless internal arguments. They still use multi-touch attribution at the campaign level, but not to assign inter-departmental credit.

Don't try to prove an event "caused" a deal. Instead, track correlation. Use a simple CRM checkbox to see if deals with event attendees have a higher close rate or velocity. This is a practical, low-stress way to gauge impact.

Marketers often equate effectiveness with ad ROI, but communications typically drive only 10% of sales. The other 90% is influenced by levers like pricing, distribution, and product performance. True marketing effectiveness requires a holistic view across all these business areas, not just advertising.

Attribution models, even multi-touch, are fundamentally designed to answer "Who gets credit?" and often become weaponized internally. Causality analysis asks a more strategic question: "What sequence of events causes a deal to progress faster?" It focuses on optimizing the process, not distributing credit for the outcome.

Solely judging marketing by last-touch attribution creates a false reality. This narrow metric consistently favors predictable channels like search and email, discouraging investment in brand building and creative storytelling that influence buyers throughout their journey. It's a losing battle if it's the only basis for decision-making.