In this episode, Cory Falter welcomes back Connor DeLaney, Lead Sales Consultant at IMPACT, for a record-breaking third appearance. They dive deep into the mysterious realm of dark social and how it’s completely disrupting B2B marketing attribution.
From untrackable DMs and AI search to the death of linear buyer journeys, this conversation sheds light on what really drives modern buying decisions. If you're still clinging to last-click attribution and old-school CRMs, this episode is your wake-up call. Learn how to align your sales and marketing, build trust, and thrive in an era where control has shifted to the buyer.
🔗 Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro: Connor DeLaney’s Third Visit
2:15 - Why Most Companies Struggle with Lead Attribution
5:45 - Dark Social: The Unseen Buyer Journey
9:30 - Broken Tracking: The Myth of Perfect Data
13:00 - Buyers Want Control (And DIY Research)
16:40 - Why Brands Need to Build Trust, Not Barriers
19:30 - Pricing Transparency: Competitors Aren’t Your Problem
24:50 - Ostrich Marketing & The Cost of Hiding Info
29:00 - Hospitality Sales: Fixing Chaos with Proactive Content
33:15 - What Are “Signals” and Why They Matter
36:30 - Attribution in a Non-Linear World
39:00 - How to Get Your Arms Around the Chaos
44:10 - The Power of Asking “How Did You Find Us?”
47:50 - Creating Trust Through Useful Content
51:00 - Reimagining the Buying Experience Through a Buyer’s Lens
56:20 - Experiment: Would You Buy From You?
1:01:30 - Marketing Owns the Sales Journey Now
1:04:00 - Where to Find Connor & What’s Coming Next
💡 Key Takeaways:
Dark social (DMs, Slack groups, AI tools) drives decisions you can’t track.
Today’s buyers are 80% through their journey before talking to sales.
Traditional attribution models are broken — and that’s OK.
The best brands empower buyers with clear, honest information.
“Signals” like social posts, AI answers, and referrals build the trust that leads to conversions.
📍 About the Guest:
Connor DeLaney is a Lead Sales Consultant at IMPACT, where he helps businesses align sales and marketing in today’s rapidly evolving buyer landscape. You can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/connordelaneyimpact or email him at cdelaney@impactplus.com.