We've explored buyer journey complexity, velocity, and decision psychology. Now let's tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of demand generation: multi-touch attribution.
Attribution answers a critical question: which marketing touchpoints actually influenced the buyer's decision? This is harder than it sounds.
Engagement Message
Think back to your last major purchase—can you name two sources that shaped your decision?
Multi-touch attribution recognizes that buyers rarely convert from a single interaction. They might read a blog post, attend a webinar, download a guide, and get three email sequences before buying.
Traditional analytics only credits the "last click" - missing 90% of the actual influence journey.
Engagement Message
Why do you think "last click" attribution would be misleading?
Here's the attribution challenge: a buyer discovers you through a LinkedIn ad, reads five blog posts over two months, watches a demo video, then converts from an email.
Each touchpoint plays a different role - the ad creates awareness, the posts build trust, and the email creates urgency.
Engagement Message
In this example, which touchpoint do you think was most influential?
Different attribution models attempt to solve this puzzle. First-touch credits initial discovery. Last-touch credits final conversion. Linear attribution spreads credit equally across all touchpoints.
Each model tells a different story about what's working - and what deserves more investment.
Engagement Message
Which attribution approach sounds most accurate to you, and why?
The reality is even more complex: buyers consume content you can't track. They discuss your product in Slack channels, forward emails to colleagues, and research you on sites you don't monitor.
Your attribution data captures maybe 40% of actual influence touchpoints.
