When you’re trying to figure out if your prospects are actually interested—or just ghosting you—metrics matter. But tracking engagement isn’t magic, and measuring the wrong stuff can waste your time. This is for anyone using Twain who wants to actually understand what’s working with their outreach, not just stare at pretty dashboards.
Below, I’ll walk through what’s worth tracking (and what isn’t), how to set up tracking without turning your workflow into a mess, and how to actually use engagement data to close more deals. Let’s get into it.
1. Know What “Engagement” Really Means (And What’s Just Noise)
Before you even open Twain, get clear on what you care about. Engagement metrics can get out of hand fast—don’t fall for vanity numbers.
What actually matters: - Email opens and link clicks: Basic, but a genuine signal someone saw your message. - Replies (and reply speed): If someone writes back quickly, you’ve got their attention. - Meeting bookings: The only real “yes, I want to talk” metric. - Document views: If you send proposals or decks, seeing how long someone spent on them is gold. - Call engagement: Did they show up? Did they talk more than you?
What to ignore: - Email delivery rates: Unless your emails are bouncing, don’t obsess. - Time spent in your CRM: You, not your prospects, control this. - Any “sentiment” metric based on AI guesses: Fun demo, but usually nonsense.
Pro tip: If the metric doesn’t help you decide what to do next, it’s not worth tracking.
2. Set Up Twain for Clean, Consistent Tracking
Twain’s tracking is only as good as the setup. Messy data = wasted effort.
A. Integrate Twain with Your Email and Calendar
- Connect your email account. Make sure all prospect emails flow through Twain. If you use Gmail or Outlook, integration is usually a couple of clicks.
- Sync your calendar. This pulls in meeting data automatically—no more double-booking or missing follow-ups.
B. Use Standardized Fields and Tags
- Create clear stages. For example: Contacted → Replied → Meeting Booked → Proposal Sent → Closed. Don’t overcomplicate it.
- Tag actions that matter. If you run campaigns or sequences, tag them. This lets you see which campaign drove the engagement.
C. Automate What You Can (But Don’t Blindly Trust Automation)
- Enable auto-tracking for opens/clicks. Twain can track this, but remember: email open tracking can be flaky (Apple Mail privacy, image blocking, etc.).
- Set up auto-reminders for follow-ups. Nothing fancy—just a nudge if you haven’t heard back in a week.
Warning: Don’t try to track every tiny action. More data doesn’t mean better decisions. Focus on the few signals that matter.
3. Build Simple, Useful Engagement Reports
Most sales tools (Twain included) want you to build dashboards until your eyes glaze over. Resist the urge.
Start with these basics: - Engagement by stage: How many prospects move from cold email to reply? From meeting to proposal? This tells you where deals die. - Top engaged prospects: Who’s opening, clicking, replying, and booking meetings? Focus your energy here. - Campaign effectiveness: Which sequences get replies or meetings?
How to do it in Twain: - Build a report for each sales stage. Filter by “last activity date” and “engagement score” (if you use it). - Set up a saved view for “hot” prospects—those with recent replies or multiple opens/clicks. - Pull a simple export monthly—no need to check metrics every day.
Pro tip: Don’t try to automate your gut. Metrics should help, not replace, your judgment on which deals to chase.
4. Actually Use Engagement Data (Don’t Just Admire It)
It’s easy to collect data and never change your behavior. Don’t fall into that trap.
Actionable ways to use engagement metrics: - Prioritize follow-ups. People who reply fast or view your documents twice are your best bets. - Spot dead deals. If someone hasn’t opened or replied in weeks, stop nagging. Move on or try a new approach. - Test and adapt messaging. If certain emails get more replies, double down. If a campaign flops, kill it. - Personalize outreach. If you see someone clicked a product page, mention it in your next email. No need to be creepy; just show you’re paying attention.
What not to do: - Don’t send “I saw you opened my email 12 times” messages. It’s weird. - Don’t obsess over single opens—look for patterns, not one-off actions. - Don’t ignore the untrackable. Sometimes the best prospects reply after weeks of silence.
5. Keep Your Data Clean and Up-to-Date
Metrics get useless fast if your data’s a mess. A few habits to keep things sane:
- Archive dead leads. Don’t let zombies clog your reports.
- Update statuses after calls/meetings. Twain can’t read your mind—mark deals as “engaged,” “no interest,” or “next steps.”
- Review your tags and fields every quarter. Too many? Merge or delete unused ones.
Pro tip: Don’t let your CRM become a junk drawer. If it takes more than 30 seconds to find the info you need, something’s wrong.
6. Common Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)
Pitfall 1: Chasing Vanity Metrics - Seeing lots of opens or clicks feels good, but if nobody replies or books a call, it doesn’t matter. Focus on real engagement.
Pitfall 2: Overcomplicating Workflows - The more steps you add, the more likely things break. Keep your process as simple as possible.
Pitfall 3: Blind Trust in Automation - Automated engagement scores and AI “intent” flags are a starting point, not gospel. Always double-check before acting.
Pitfall 4: Ignoring Qualitative Feedback - Sometimes a single, thoughtful reply beats a dozen clicks. Don’t lose sight of the human side.
7. Advanced Tips (If You Want to Go Further)
Already have the basics down? Here’s what’s actually worth your time:
- A/B test your subject lines or call scripts. Twain’s reporting can show which versions perform better.
- Segment your prospects. Don’t treat enterprise and SMB leads the same—track engagement separately.
- Integrate with other tools. If you use Slack or a project management tool, set up simple notifications when key prospects engage.
- Set up alerts for high-value actions. For example, instant Slack ping if a target account books a meeting.
But skip: - Overly complex lead scoring. Keep it simple or you’ll spend more time tuning numbers than selling. - Tracking every possible click. You’ll drown in data and miss what matters.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Trust Your Gut
Tracking prospect engagement in Twain isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overthink. Start simple: track what matters, ignore the fluff, and use what you learn to focus your time where it counts. Check in on your process every few months, clean up your data, and don’t be afraid to change tactics if something’s not working.
Stay skeptical of hype, and remember: metrics are there to help you, not slow you down. Good luck out there.