How to Navigate the Sales-Intelligence Forest for B2B Growth: Your Ultimate Guide

Introduction

Welcome to the newest edition of the Marketing with a Bit of Funk newsletter! Before we start, I appreciate you reading this, sending messages to support me, and sharing it. Please continue.

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This newsletter edition is supported by Dealfront, but I'm doing my best to be as objective as I can. Let's see how I'm doing.

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In this latest episode of the Funky Marketing Podcast, I had an insightful chat with Sam O'Brien ??♂? from Dealfront . We went deep into the world of sales intelligence, discussing how you can use tools like Dealfront and Leadfeeder to level up your outreach, personalization, and overall marketing performance. We even touched on his passion for surfing, which brought an interesting metaphor for marketing into play.

Here's what Sam and I talked about and what you'll read in this newsletter (or you can call it a guide).

• Marketing is Like Surfing: Adapting to constant changes is key, just like in surfing where the conditions are unpredictable.
• Balancing Short-Term Wins and Long-Term Vision: Focus on optimizing short-term gains while investing in long-term strategies like brand building and partnerships.
• Using Intent Data for Targeted Marketing: Filter audiences based on buying intent signals (e.g., job changes, website behavior) to target the 5% of prospects who are ready to buy.
• Creating a Sales-Marketing Flywheel: Align sales and marketing efforts with tools like Dealfront’s "Promote" to nurture prospects across multiple channels and stages.
• Personalizing Outreach for Higher Conversions: Equip sales teams with enriched data to personalize outreach, leading to higher connection and meeting booking rates.
• Ensuring GDPR Compliance for International Expansion: Ensure your data is accurate and compliant with regulations, especially in heavily regulated markets like Europe.
• The Future of Sales Intelligence: Use AI to enhance personalization, not replace it. Focus on smarter, data-driven interactions rather than mass outreach.

??? Listen to the full episode using the links below

Or go to Spotify and Apple Podcast if you prefer those platforms more.

Marketing Is Like Surfing: You’ve Got to Ride the Waves

Sam kicked off the conversation by comparing marketing to surfing, and it really struck a chord with me. Think about it—just like the ocean is constantly changing, so is the marketing landscape. Some days, the conditions are perfect, and everything flows. Other days, things shift, and you’ve got to adjust quickly if you want to keep riding that wave.

That’s exactly what marketing feels like today. You’ve got to stay agile, adapt to changes, and never get too comfortable with the current. And just like in surfing, you have to anticipate what’s coming next if you want to stay ahead.

I'm the guy who prefers mountains, so I asked him to explain why I should care about surfing. Click the photo below to watch the video (if you like surfing).

But enough talking about surfing. let's get to important stuff

Finding Balance Between Short-Term Wins and Long-Term Vision

One of the main takeaways from my chat with Sam was how important it is to strike a balance between short-term results and long-term brand building. Yes, we all have those monthly or quarterly targets we need to hit, but if we don’t start thinking long-term, we’ll never build something sustainable.

I like to say that the person who leads marketing is often feeling like they are crucified, with the short-term executiion on one sire, and long-term vision on ther other side. ~ Nemanja Zivkovic

Would you agree?

At Dealfront, Sam’s team makes sure the bottom of the funnel is performing well and delivering those short-term wins. Once that’s under control, they start borrowing from those gains to invest in long-term strategies like partnerships, podcasts, and events.

I loved how Sam put these strategies to the test over a six-month period to see if they moved the needle on the bottom line. That gradual investment, based on leading indicators, is something we should all be doing more of.

Focus on what delivers immediate value, but start investing in long-term strategies early on to create a sustainable path forward. ~ Sam O'Brien

Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Product: A Game-Changer

One of the most valuable things I’ve learned and agreed with Sam is the importance of marketers spending time with product managers. I'm sure Ana Pegan Dragana Grbic Bogdan Ciric and Bojan Popic would agree with us.

There’s so much insight to gain by understanding how the product team approaches problems, prioritizes features, and decides what to build next.

By closely collaborating with product managers, you can see how decisions are made that directly impact your marketing strategy. I’ve found that these are skills that have not only enhanced my approach but have changed the way I evaluate the entire business.

When marketers get involved with the product team, they bring that knowledge back to the marketing function, ultimately driving better, more aligned results. ~ Sam O'Brien

Intent Data: Targeting the 5% That Actually Matter

Another thing that really stood out to me is how Dealfront and Leadfeeder use intent data to laser-focus their marketing efforts.

The truth is, not everyone in your target audience is ready to buy. In fact, only about 5% are actively looking for solutions at any given time. That’s where intent data becomes a game changer.

By tracking website behaviors, like visiting the pricing page or multiple people from the same company showing interest, you can filter your audience down to those who are showing real buying intent. Dealfront starts with a broad list of companies, but they narrow it down using intent signals—such as job changes or financial growth. From there, the marketing team focuses only on that top 5%, passing those hot leads on to the sales team for more personalized outreach.

Is this how you prefer to do it, too? Or you do it differently? I'm riding in a same boat as sam and using Dealfront (as of recently) to make sure I set my targets on the right accounts.

Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, use intent data to focus your efforts on the prospects who are actually ready to buy. ~ Nemanja Zivkovic

Creating a Sales-Marketing Flywheel for Maximum Impact

One of my favorite parts of the conversation was diving into how Dealfront creates a seamless flywheel between sales and marketing. They’ve built this incredible system where both teams are aligned and feeding off each other’s efforts.

I think we’ve reached a point where the information is there. If sales and marketing can agree on the targets from the start, the rest of the process becomes a lot easier. Once both teams align on who the ideal customer is—agreeing on the profile of the person and identifying the prospects showing interest—it makes everything more efficient.

Sure, it might not always be the big-name logos we want, but it’s about closing the right business with clients who will stick around and drive long-term value.

Their IP-based advertising tool, “Promote,” plays a huge role in this, making it easy to run targeted ads to companies that have already shown interest through their sales intelligence.

It’s that continuous feedback loop that keeps refining their strategy.

When sales and marketing are fully aligned, you get a flywheel effect where each team’s efforts boost the other’s success, leading to a more efficient and effective funnel. And those flywheels are exactly what each company should focus on creating today to spark and maintain long-term growth. ~ Nemanja Zivkovic

But what really stood out to me is how the company, the way it is now, was made. Dealfront was formed in 2022 through the merger of two companies:

1. Germany's Echobot, a leading provider of sales intelligence
2. And Finland's Leadfeeder, known for its web visitor intelligence solutions.

This merger was backed by a €180 million investment from Great Hill Partners.

And I love this because it's an example of such a natural merger.

1. Echobot brought its expertise in GDPR-compliant data, offering company and contact information with AI-driven insights.
2. Leadfeeder contributed real-time buyer intent data and lead generation through website visitor tracking.

Together, they created Dealfront, a powerful go-to-market (GTM) platform tailored for businesses in Europe.

Account-Based Marketing and the Power of Personalization

Today, everything we do from a company standpoint seems to naturally lead toward account-based marketing (ABM). Even demand generation, in many ways, has elements of ABM. The idea is simple: it’s not just about casting a wide net, but rather focusing on a targeted set of accounts. With tools like Dealfront and Leadfeeder, we can execute campaigns that continuously warm up those key accounts and move them down the funnel.

Think about it this way: with account-based marketing, it’s like the customer knows you’re coming. They unlock the gate, tie up the dog, and even offer you coffee when you arrive—there’s a level of expectation and familiarity that’s built over time. This is the difference between approaching prospects cold versus having a well-primed relationship. ~ Nemanja Zivkovic

This isn’t purely a marketing effort either—sales has to get involved by creating target lists based on intent data. Sales teams can identify the right profiles and then work with marketing to develop strategies for reaching these people. By identifying all the decision-makers, even across different regions, you can increase your chances of closing deals through coordinated efforts.

The Power of Personalization in Sales Outreach

Personalization is key, and I’ve always believed that. But Sam really hammered it home when we talked about how Dealfront empowers their sales teams with enriched data about potential leads. Imagine being able to approach a prospect already knowing their company’s recent news, leadership changes, or key pain points. That’s exactly what Dealfront’s “Connect” tool does—it arms the sales team with everything they need for personalized, targeted outreach.

What’s great is that this approach has led to significantly higher connection rates and more meetings booked. When you reach out with relevance, people listen.

Key takeaway: Equip your sales team with personalized insights to make every outreach relevant, and you’ll see your connection rates soar.

I asked him how their team is using their own tool and doing all this, and, more importantly, how they are differentiating—now and in the future. Here's how he explained it, and I can tell you, I became a fan after this answer.

Expanding in GDPR-Compliant Markets Like Europe

Let’s face it—expanding into heavily regulated markets like Europe is tough. Data compliance is more than just a check-the-box exercise; it’s a critical part of building trust with prospects. What I found really interesting is how Dealfront handles this.

They source their data from official trade registers, ensuring everything is accurate and compliant with GDPR regulations.

Even better, they’re transparent with companies about where their data comes from and give them the option to opt-out. In regions like the DACH area, where privacy regulations are strict, this level of transparency is essential.

When expanding into regulated markets, data compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about building trust with your prospects. ~ Sam O'Brien

The Future of Sales Intelligence

When we started talking about the future, Sam made a point that really resonated with me. While AI is becoming a major player in sales intelligence, it’s not about replacing human interaction—it’s about enhancing it. AI can help make outreach more efficient by providing better data and insights, but it’s the human element that closes deals.

That’s where Dealfront is focused—helping companies use AI to target the right accounts and create meaningful, data-driven conversations. The future of sales isn’t in mass outreach; it’s in smarter, more personalized interactions.

AI should be used to enhance personalized outreach, not replace it. The future is in blending technology with human connection. I've been listening about this topic a lot from Danilo ?ukanovi? and Radoje Cerovic, MSc from Recrewty .

Conclusion: Elevating Your Marketing with Data and Account-Based Strategies

The world of B2B marketing is ever-evolving, and to stay ahead, we must adapt to these changes by harnessing the power of data-driven strategies and account-based marketing. No choice here. Really.

From understanding how to prioritize high-intent prospects with Dealfront to aligning marketing and sales for maximum impact, the insights from this episode are actionable and powerful.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend trying out Dealfront and Leadfeeder to see how these tools can help you identify and target the right prospects while making the sales process smoother and more efficient (and follow Sam O'Brien ??♂? ). With these platforms, you’ll be able to track buyer intent, improve your marketing outreach, and close deals faster.

I appreciate your time in reading this, and if you found value here, I’d love for you to share this with your network. It means a lot to me when you spread the word to your friends, colleagues, or anyone who could benefit from these insights.

?? Start your free trial with Dealfront and Leadfeeder today and see the results for yourself usiong THIS LINK.

Let’s keep pushing forward together, and as always—keep it funky!

Stay tuned for more insights in the next edition of the Marketing with a Bit of Funk newsletter.

Cheers, Nemanja!