Growth Imperative 2: Data-led approach to targeting, forecasting, and optimisation

You’re pulling in numbers from a dozen different places, but none of them match up. The CRM says one thing, the automation platform says another. Reporting becomes a game of reconciliation instead of insight. And when you can’t trust the numbers, you stop acting on them or worse, start relying on intuition.

Why it matters

According to Gartner by 2026, 65% of B2B organisations will move away from intuition-based decision-making, replacing it with structured, data-led processes powered by real-time insight and analytics.

And it’s not just about reporting. In long, complex sales cycles, where a single deal might span 6 to 12 months and involve multiple stakeholders, you need more than a hunch to prioritise accounts, allocate budget or forecast impact.

Salesforce reports that 75% of marketing teams are already experimenting with or fully using AI in their operations. But what separates the best from the rest isn’t adoption. It’s integration; connecting tools, people and platforms so that every piece of insight can inform the next best action.

The challenge today

Let’s be honest, too many B2B marketing data stacks are held together by duct tape.

• Data overload: Numbers flowing in from first, second- and third-party sources, ad platforms, CRMs, websites and sales calls - meaning that all too often ‘data fog’ prevails.
• Inconsistent metrics: When each marketing platform defines success differently. Conversion here doesn’t match conversion there. Attribution gets murky.
• Lack of trust: When dashboards conflict, stakeholders question the data. That leads to gut decisions, misalignment and missed opportunities.
• Unclear ROI: B2B doesn’t always move fast, so how do you track what’s working when pipeline results take months to appear?

You can’t optimise what you can’t measure, and you can’t measure what you don’t trust.

Smart Engine: Making B2B data finally make sense

That’s exactly why we built Smart Engine, our proprietary framework for connecting marketing and sales data across sources, teams and tactics to create a single, clear view of performance.

It’s not just another reporting tool. It’s how we help clients answer big questions with confidence in a single dashboard:

• What’s working and what isn’t?
• Which accounts are moving?
• Which activities are driving the most pipeline velocity?
• Where should we spend more or stop spending entirely?

Here’s what that looks like in practice

Data integration

Smart Engine pulls together CRM data, marketing automation metrics, web analytics, paid media results and third-party intent signals into one unified dashboard. No more spreadsheets. No more manual reporting cycles. Just clarity.

• Standardised reporting
  Forget metric mismatch. We establish a shared measurement model across platforms, so everyone’s tracking the same outcomes and finally speaking the same language.
• Real-time analytics
  ‍We don’t wait for quarterly reports. Smart Engine delivers always-on dashboards with real-time insight into engagement, pipeline contribution, and conversion health, allowing clients to act fast and optimise faster.
  
• Account-level visibility
  Especially critical for ABM, we map data at the account level. That means sales and marketing can see who’s active, who’s progressing, and where to intervene, together.

Moving from intent to predictive analytics

Intent data has changed the game. Tools like Bombora and 6sense help us see who’s in-market now – and what they’re looking for. But intent alone only tells you where someone has been, not where they’re going.

That’s why we’re evolving toward predictive intent, using historical data, behavioural trends, and machine learning to forecast which accounts are most likely to convert not just today, but in two weeks, two months, or two quarters.

This allows businesses to:

• Prioritise resource allocation more accurately
• Target outreach at the exact right time in the sales cycle
• Refine campaign messaging based on future-facing behaviours

It’s not about being reactive. It’s about anticipating the full customer journey and being ready before the buyer even reaches out.

Forecasting that helps you plan for growth

Traditional forecasting models rely heavily on past performance. But in B2B, past behaviour isn’t always a reliable indicator of what’s ahead. Sales cycles fluctuate. Budgets shift. Buying committees change.

That’s why we help clients build dynamic forecasting models that incorporate real-time engagement signals, deal velocity trends and intent surge data. The result?

A more adaptive view of:

• Where revenue will likely land
• How pipeline is accelerating or slowing
• Which campaigns are influencing deal progression

Forecasting becomes a growth tool, not just a reporting requirement.

What it delivers

A study by Demand Metric found that data-driven marketing teams are 6x more likely to achieve competitive advantage in customer engagement and loyalty. But the real power lies in what it unlocks:

• Better targeting
• Tighter team alignment
• Smarter budget allocation
• Stronger ABM results
• Faster, more confident decision-making

When your data engine is clean, connected and always on, your go-to-market becomes faster, leaner and more impactful.

Key takeaway

Being data-led isn’t about vanity dashboards or flooding teams with KPIs. It’s about clarity. Focus. Confidence.

It’s about connecting the dots between what you do and what you get – so you can do more of what works, and less of what doesn’t. And in B2B, that’s the edge that keeps you chosen.

Need clearer answers from your data?

Apply for a Discovery Workshop and start turning scattered insights into strategic advantage.

In this session, we’ll help you identify where your data is falling short – and where it could be working harder to drive smarter targeting, sharper forecasting, and faster decision-making.

We’ll focus on:

• Connecting platforms, people and performance
• Uncovering the data blind spots slowing you down
• Exploring practical ways to transform reporting into real-time, reliable action

Apply now and discover how a cleaner, more connected data engine can sharpen every marketing move you make.

Next Imperative >

< Previous Imperative