The debate around marketing attribution seems to never end. It’s an ongoing tug-of-war between marketing and sales, and often, it’s the marketers who are left scrambling to justify their efforts. But let me clear something up: the problem isn’t the technology, the tools, or even the complexity of tracking mechanisms.
The real issue? The way we’re thinking about attribution altogether.
Attribution, from a marketing standpoint, is a tool for internal use. It helps marketing leaders make smarter investment decisions—not take credit for sales. Yet too many of us have fallen into the trap of trying to over-explain how marketing “sourced” or “influenced” revenue. And that’s where we go wrong.
The Real Purpose of Marketing Attribution
Let’s get one thing straight: attribution isn’t about arguing over who “owns” a deal. In a complex B2B sales cycle, a sales rep is the one shaping, developing, and closing opportunities. That’s not up for debate.
Marketing attribution exists for a different reason entirely: it’s a way for marketing leaders to understand if their investments are working. Period.
Every marketing leader is given a budget to manage. That budget covers people, technology, data, program spend, and more.
Think of it like an investment portfolio. And, just like any business leader managing an investment portfolio, marketing leaders need to know if the resources they allocate are driving impact.
Did those dollars attract new audiences that we can market to in lower cost channels? Did those dollars make it easier for sales to get their foot in the door? Did those dollars lead to the creation of new opportunities or accelerate the close of existing opportunities?
Attribution gives us the tools to answer these questions. But we have to stop dragging it into executive meetings and using it as a means to take credit. That’s not its purpose, and that’s where many marketers have fumbled the conversation with their sales counterparts.
The Disconnect Between Marketing and Sales
One of the biggest mistakes I see marketers making is trying to force attribution into conversations where it doesn’t belong. When you walk into a sales meeting and start talking about “marketing sourced” or “marketing influenced” revenue, it can come off as if you’re trying to steal the spotlight.
And that’s where friction with sales teams begins.
Here’s what marketers need to understand: you’re not there to take credit for a sale. You’re there to measure your efforts and make sure you’re investing in the right areas.
What should the conversation look like instead?
It’s simple. When talking to sales, the focus should be on whether your marketing efforts made it easier for sales to do their job.
Did it help them connect with new buying influencers? Make it easier for them to secure a meeting with a prospect? Did it help them close a deal faster? And if your investments didn’t help in those areas, should you even be investing in them next year?
The role of attribution is to provide clarity—not to create tension between marketing and sales. It’s about getting the feedback you need to make smart decisions, not about trying to claim part of a win that belongs to the salesperson.
A Better Way to Approach Attribution
Here’s how I’d suggest approaching attribution in a way that doesn’t muddy the waters or strain your relationship with sales:
1. Use attribution as a tool for internal decision-making.
You need to know whether the dollars you’re investing are working.
Are you increasing the volume of unique web visitors to your site? Are you growing your social media followers? Are you growing your marketable database? Are you generating leads? Are those leads actually turning into opportunities and closed won deals?
Attribution helps you answer these questions so you can fine-tune your strategy.
2. Don’t overcomplicate the conversation with sales.
When talking to your sales counterparts, focus on how your efforts are designed to make their jobs easier.
The conversation should revolve around helping sales sell faster, not around who gets credit for what.
3. Bring forward metrics that matter.
When you do bring attribution data to executive teams, focus on metrics that align with broader business goals.
Instead of harping on marketing sourced or influenced revenue, talk about the growth in the pipeline or pipeline coverage as a function of the revenue target.
Talk about how your investments increased sales velocity or reduced CAC (cost to acquire customers) or improved NRR (net revenue retention). Frame your efforts in terms of company priorities and profitable, sustainable growth.
4. Ask the right questions.
When evaluating your attribution efforts, ask yourself: “If I didn’t invest in this program, would it have made a difference?”
Attribution helps you answer that key question. If a trade show or digital campaign didn’t result in leads that helped the pipeline or accelerated an opportunity, why would you invest in it again?
This feedback loop is critical to making smarter, more informed investment decisions.
Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Sales
So, what happens when your sales team pushes back on attribution efforts? It’s a common scenario. They may resist the idea of sharing data or providing feedback on what marketing is doing. If that’s the case, here’s a simple question to ask:
If I can’t track the impact of our marketing efforts, why should I keep investing in them?
It’s a valid point. If sales doesn’t help you close the feedback loop, there’s no way to tell whether your programs are actually making an impact. And if you can’t prove the impact, why would you continue to allocate dollars to those efforts?
The reality is that marketing attribution is about one thing: making sure that the resources you’ve been given to invest in marketing are making it easier for sales to sell more and sell faster. That’s it.
If a program or campaign isn’t delivering, you need to know so you can pivot. And if something is working, you need to double down.
Final Thoughts: Attribution Isn’t About Credit, It’s About Business
At the end of the day, marketing attribution is a tool for marketers to hold their investments accountable. It’s not about taking credit. It’s about knowing whether the tactics, programs, and campaigns you’re running are contributing to the company’s growth.
When used correctly, attribution helps marketing leaders answer the key question: Are the dollars I’m spending actually doing what they’re supposed to do?
And if they’re not? That’s where smart decisions get made, where budgets get reallocated, and where marketing becomes a real growth engine for the business.
So, let’s stop dragging attribution into the wrong conversations. It’s not about who gets credit—it’s about making sure we’re investing in the right areas to drive business results.
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Lisa Cole
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