Don't just measure SDR calls and emails. Systematically track the *reason* for outreach—the sales trigger. Was it an intent signal, a form fill, or cold outreach? This crucial data reveals which initial signals actually lead to the best outcomes and deserve more investment.

Critical buying journey insights are hidden in unstructured data like Gong transcripts. 2X CMO Lisa Cole notes that AI can surface mentions of communities, analysts, or even other AI tools that influenced a deal—signals invisible to traditional marketing attribution tools.

Marketers often misinterpret engagement signals (like browsing a website) as purchase intent. A prospect can show high interest in a product for aspirational reasons without any real plan to buy. True ABM requires deeper qualification to separate the curious from the committed.

To make B2B intent data tangible, use a retail store analogy. A prospect's digital behavior shows which 'section of the store' they are in. Pitching a solution unrelated to their demonstrated interest is like offering a discount on ties to someone looking at shirts—it's jarring and ineffective.

To solve the "what do I do with this signal?" problem, 2X CMO Lisa Cole created a custom GPT. Trained on their positioning, messaging, and intent signals, it acts as an on-demand coach for sales reps, providing specific outreach strategies and messages for high-intent accounts.

A "tollbooth" strategy is not theoretical; it's discovered by reverse-engineering your quickest sales. Interviewing customers who bought fast reveals common "demand triggers"—the external events forcing them to seek a solution. This repeatable trigger then becomes your company's strategic focus.

Don't just hand signals to sales and expect them to act. Marketing should co-own enablement. A "Pipeline Wednesday" meeting is used to actively help the sales team connect specific marketing signals (e.g., account intent) to concrete messaging and outreach tactics.

Modern marketing relevance requires moving beyond traditional demographic segments. The focus should be on real-time signals of customer intent, like clicks and searches. This reframes the customer from a static identity to a dynamic one, enabling more timely and relevant engagement.

With thousands of potential buying signals available, focus is critical. To prioritize, evaluate each signal against two vectors: the expected volume (e.g., how many website visits) and the hypothesized conversion rate to the next funnel stage. This framework allows you to stack rank opportunities and test the highest-potential signals first.