Many marketing and RevOps teams are drowning in tools that promise results but fail to deliver. Stacks grow bloated, budgets get stretched, and intent signals get lost in disconnected platforms. The problem? Buying tech before defining purpose.
So, which tools do you actually need? You need platforms that do three things: detect real buying signals, enrich them with reliable identity resolution, and trigger immediate action. That means choosing intent platforms like 6sense, enrichment tools like Clay, and orchestration and routing tools like HubSpot, Segment, and MadKudu, all working in sync.
This guide cuts through the clutter. You’ll learn what each of these tool types does, how they fit together, and how to avoid overengineering your stack or wasting budget.
The Problem with Tool-First Thinking
Why more tools often mean less efficiency
Tool sprawl is one of the biggest pain points for modern marketing teams. According to Chiefmartec’s 2025 Martech Landscape, there are now over 14,000 marketing tools on the market, double what existed five years ago. A 2024 report by MarTech.org shows that over 57% of marketing teams replaced at least one major platform in the past year, primarily due to integration failures and lack of ROI. Many teams try to keep up by adding platform after platform, hoping one will finally unlock revenue potential.
But more tools rarely equal more output. Without a clear plan for how those tools detect, interpret, and trigger based on buyer behaviour, you’re just adding noise to an already chaotic stack.
What happens when tools don’t integrate or align
Disconnected tools break signal chains. For example, you might capture third-party intent data, but without matching that to your CRM via enrichment or ID resolution, it just sits in a report. No alerts, no routing, no action.
Even when platforms offer integrations, that doesn’t guarantee alignment. If your CRM, automation layer, and scoring engine are working off separate rules or timelines, you’ll get inconsistent lead handling and missed opportunities.
The cost of tracking without action
Intent tracking is often sold as a “magic” solution. But if you can’t turn detection into timely action, it’s just expensive awareness. Without well-configured triggers and routing logic, most signals don’t reach sales fast enough to influence pipeline.
That’s why your stack needs to support the real-time workflows that sit on top of your stack, the ones that convert anonymous signals into sales-ready leads.
What Makes a Tool Truly Signal-Based?
Must-have capabilities: detect, enrich, trigger
A signal-based tool should do three things reliably:
Detect buying behaviour (e.g. search activity, firmographic shifts, account surges).
Enrich or resolve IDs to match those signals to known contacts or accounts.
Trigger automated workflows such as alerts, scoring updates, or campaign enrolments.
If a platform can’t do all three, or doesn’t integrate with tools that can, it shouldn’t be called signal-based.
Real-time responsiveness vs static data sync
Speed matters. If your intent data syncs once a day or only updates weekly, you’re already behind. Buyers don’t wait.
Modern tools should support real-time or near-real-time sync, especially across enrichment, routing, and orchestration platforms. A Salesforce report found that 78% of high-performing marketing teams prioritise real-time personalisation based on live signals. This aligns with Forrester’s 2023 B2B Revenue Marketing Wave which emphasises the growing impact of real-time orchestration on revenue outcomes. Static data isn't enough.
Signs you’re using a non-signal-based tool incorrectly
Not every marketing tool is meant for signal-based activity. Problems arise when teams stretch tools beyond their purpose. If you’re using an email platform to manually trigger sales alerts or relying on static firmographics for scoring, you’re likely misusing the tech.
Signal tools are built for reactivity. If it can’t trigger based on changes in behaviour, it’s not designed for this job.
Core Categories of Signal-Based Tools
Intent detection platforms (e.g. Bombora, 6sense)
These tools track off-site behaviour such as what your target accounts are reading, searching, or engaging with across the web. Look for platforms that:
Offer account-level surges, not just contact-level clicks
Integrate with your CRM or CDP
Align with the signals you have chosen to track
Once you have decided which intent signals actually matter, tools like 6sense can be the eyes of your stack.
Data enrichment and ID resolution (e.g. Clay, Reveal)
Signals are useless if you can’t tie them to a real person or account. Enrichment tools help match anonymous activity (IP, cookie, email) to a known profile in your CRM. Look for platforms that feed data into a clean, reliable data layer, ensuring the rest of your tools can take confident action.
Automation and orchestration layers (e.g. HubSpot, Segment)
These are the platforms that translate intent into motion. Once a signal is detected and matched, orchestration tools determine what happens next, from email triggers to sales alerts.
They’re critical once your tracking and data foundations are sorted, because they activate those signals at scale.
Routing and scoring logic (e.g. MadKudu, Chili Piper)
Even with detection and enrichment in place, signals need prioritisation. Scoring and routing tools help:
Assign urgency and lead status
Match leads to the right owner
Trigger SDR workflows or calendar booking
The best of these tools can support a signal-based lead scoring system and power lead scores that match reality.
Stack Design: How to Choose the Right Mix
Do you need one tool or multiple connected layers?
No single tool does everything well. You’ll likely need a layered approach, but connected by shared logic and integrated data.
For instance, Clay might handle ID resolution, 6sense detects intent, HubSpot handles automation, and MadKudu scores. That’s four tools, but one system if wired correctly.
Must-ask questions when vetting a vendor
Before signing a contract, ask:
Can this tool detect, enrich, and trigger in real time?
Does it integrate directly with our CRM and scoring model?
How does it handle unknown signals or partial data?
Can it support the workflows that these tools are supposed to power?
If you’re evaluating a vendor, pressure-test their fit on top of a clean, reliable data layer, not in isolation.
Example stack for a mid-sized B2B team
Here’s what a responsive stack might look like:
Intent Detection: 6sense
ID Resolution: Clay or Reveal
CRM: HubSpot or Salesforce
Automation: Segment
Scoring & Routing: MadKudu + Chili Piper
Tracking Layer: Segment or RudderStack
This stack can react to signals in near real-time, score them against account fit, and route them to sales, assuming your data foundations can actually support these tools.
How to Ensure These Tools Actually Drive Revenue
Aligning tools to workflows, not the other way around
Tools should support processes you’ve already validated. Don’t rebuild your workflows around a new vendor’s limitations.
Start by defining what signals matter, how they should trigger action, and what data is needed to support those flows. Then map tools to those needs.
Role of foundations: tracking, IDs, data sync
Signal tools are only as good as the data beneath them. Before investing, fix your tracking. This includes:
Reliable web and event tracking
Strong match rates for IDs (cookies, emails, IPs)
Data sync across systems in near real-time
If your tracking is patchy or your IDs don’t resolve, even the best intent platform will fall flat.
Need a better foundation? Start with this guide on what tracking and data foundations are required before signal-based marketing will work reliably.
ROI frameworks and attribution best practices
A signal-based stack is only worth the spend if you can prove this stack is driving pipeline. Don’t rely on vanity metrics.
Use frameworks that tie signals to outcomes, like:
Time-to-contact from signal detection
Opportunity creation from routed signals
Pipeline value from signal-qualified leads
Make sure it’s all measured by metrics that go beyond clicks, and backed by reporting that shows real pipeline impact.
Don’t Buy Tools: Buy Outcomes
Marketing teams don’t need more tools. They need fewer, better-integrated platforms that support real buying signals and turn them into action. Before adding anything new to your stack, ask: will this tool help me detect, enrich, or trigger real-time workflows aligned with actual buyer intent?
Because the goal isn’t to own the most tools. It’s to convert the right ones into revenue.
FAQs
What is a signal-based marketing tool?
A signal-based tool detects buyer intent, enriches the data to match it to known contacts, and triggers automated workflows in real time.
How many tools do I actually need in my stack?
You’ll typically need at least one tool for detection, one for enrichment, one for automation, and one for scoring, but only if they’re all well integrated.
What’s the difference between intent data and enrichment data?
Intent data tracks what a buyer is doing. Enrichment data helps identify who that buyer is and match them to existing CRM records.
Can I use tools like HubSpot or Salesforce for signal-based marketing alone?
Only partially. They can automate and route, but they often rely on external tools for detection and enrichment.
How do I know if my stack is working?
Your stack is working if you’re seeing fast time-to-contact, pipeline growth from signal-qualified leads, and performance that’s backed by reporting that shows real pipeline impact.
What should I fix first: tools or tracking?
Start with tracking. Fixing your IDs, sync, and event tracking is essential if your data foundations can actually support these tools.
Want help designing a signal-based stack that actually works? Let’s chat about your goals.
