Multi-touch attribution models, explained for outbound

An attribution model is a rule for splitting credit for a deal across the touches that led to it. The same set of touches can tell very different stories depending on the model you pick, which is exactly why you should be able to switch between them. Here is what each standard model does and when it is useful for outbound.

Single-touch models

First-touch gives all credit to the activity that started the relationship. It is good for understanding which channels open accounts, but it ignores everything that moved the deal forward.

Last-touch gives all credit to the final touch before close. It is simple and common, but it systematically over-credits booking channels and buries the channels that did the early work.

Multi-touch models

Linear splits credit evenly across every touch. It is the most democratic view and a good default when you have no strong opinion about which stages matter most.

Time-decay gives more credit to touches closer to the close. Use it when recent momentum is the best signal of what drove the deal.

U-shaped weights the first touch and the touch that created the opportunity, splitting the rest. It is a strong fit when account creation and opportunity creation are your two most important moments.

W-shaped adds a third weighted milestone, typically lead creation, on top of first touch and opportunity creation. It is the most balanced view for long, multi-stage outbound cycles.

How to choose

• Use first-touch to evaluate which channels open accounts.
• Use last-touch only as a sanity check, never as your only view.
• Use W-shaped or U-shaped for the number you report to leadership.
• Switch models live to stress-test a channel before you cut or scale it.

The goal is not to find the one true model. It is to understand how each lens changes the picture, so a single biased view never drives a budget decision.