If you’re on a marketing team, you know the drill: sales wants references, customer stories are gold, and you’re stuck juggling spreadsheets, emails, and Slack DMs just trying to keep track of it all. Enter Point-of-reference—a tool that promises to bring order to the chaos of managing reference activity.
But let’s be real. No software is magic. If you want to actually track reference requests, usage, and results without burning out, you need a solid process and a clear-eyed look at what these tools really do (and don’t do) for you.
This guide cuts through the noise. It’ll walk you through how to manage and track reference activity in Point-of-reference, highlight the stuff that actually matters, and help you avoid the usual traps that waste time and make everyone hate reference programs.
Why bother with tracking references?
References help close deals, full stop. But if you don’t track who’s been asked, who’s helped, and what’s actually working, things get messy fast:
- You burn out your best customers by overusing them.
- You have no idea which references actually move the needle.
- Sales keeps asking for the same people (or goes rogue).
- You can’t prove the program’s value to leadership.
So, tracking isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s how you keep your program alive and your sanity intact.
Step 1: Get your reference data in order
Before you even open Point-of-reference, you need to wrangle your existing reference data. Garbage in, garbage out still applies.
What you need:
- A list of current reference customers (names, company, contact info).
- Types of reference activities they’re open to (calls, case studies, site visits, etc.).
- Any notes about usage limits, preferences, or no-gos.
- History of past reference requests (if you have it—don’t sweat it if not).
Pro tip: Don’t overthink this. A simple spreadsheet or export from your CRM is fine. The goal is to start clean, not perfect.
Step 2: Set up your Point-of-reference environment
Now, jump into Point-of-reference. The setup process is usually straightforward, but here’s what’s worth your time:
- Import your customer reference list. Most teams start with a bulk upload. Double-check the import fields—especially tags, activity types, and contact info. If you mess up the mapping here, you’ll pay for it later.
- Define activity types. Make these specific. “Reference call,” “case study,” “analyst inquiry,” etc. Avoid vague catch-alls like “other.”
- Segment your references. Use tags or custom fields to flag things like industry, product, region, and known limits (e.g., “max 3 calls per quarter”).
- Permissions. Lock down who can add or edit references. Too many cooks, and your data turns to mush.
What to skip: Don’t get sucked into customizing every field or building complex workflows right away. Start simple—see how people actually use the system, then tweak.
Step 3: Set up your request process
This is where a lot of teams get tripped up. If your request flow is a mess, the tool won’t save you.
What works:
- A single, easy-to-find form for sales to request a reference. Make it dead simple—ask for deal info, reference type needed, and urgency.
- Automated routing. If possible, set up rules so requests go to the right marketing owner or region. Don’t make sales guess who to ask.
- Clear status tracking. Each request should have a status: new, in progress, completed, declined, etc. Make these visible to both marketing and sales.
What to avoid:
- “Black box” systems where sales can’t see status or updates. That just leads to more Slack pings.
- Requiring too much info up front. Aim for the minimum you need to make a decision.
Pro tip: Let sales see a list of available references (with guardrails—don’t show customer contact info). This cuts down on back-and-forth and sets expectations.
Step 4: Track reference activity (without drowning in data)
Point-of-reference will log every request, match, and completed activity. The trick is to focus on the data that actually helps you run the program.
Track these basics:
- Who’s being asked (and how often)?
- What types of references are most requested?
- Which deals are being supported?
- Outcomes: Did the reference happen? Did it contribute to a closed/won deal?
What to ignore:
- Overly granular activity logs (e.g., every email touchpoint). You’ll never use this info, and it clutters reports.
- Vanity metrics like “number of requests.” Focus on completed, successful activities and impact on pipeline.
Set up regular reviews:
- Monthly or quarterly check-ins to spot overused references and gaps (e.g., “We have no references in healthcare”).
- Share insights with sales and leadership, but keep it simple. A one-slide summary beats a 12-page report.
Step 5: Protect your references from burnout
Nothing kills a reference program faster than burning out your best advocates. Use Point-of-reference’s features to set sensible limits:
- Set usage caps. For each reference, track how many times they’re contacted each month or quarter. The system should alert you if someone’s close to their limit.
- Rotate your pool. Encourage sales to use fresh faces. If you don’t have enough references in a certain area, flag it as a recruiting priority.
- Say “no” when needed. It’s better to protect a great reference than to squeeze one more call out of them and lose them forever.
Pro tip: Build a quick “thank you” workflow—automated notes after a reference activity go a long way to keeping advocates happy.
Step 6: Report results (but don’t drown in dashboards)
You’ll be asked to “show ROI” on your reference program. Here’s how to keep it honest and useful:
- Connect reference activity to deals. Did a reference support a closed/won deal? That’s your headline number.
- Highlight gaps. “We’re lacking references for X product/region” is actionable, and leadership will appreciate the candor.
- Don’t fudge the numbers. Resist the urge to pad stats just to make the program look better. Trust is worth more than a shiny chart.
- Automate what you can. Point-of-reference can spit out basic reports on usage, requests, and outcomes. Don’t spend hours hand-building slides.
What to skip: Endless slicing and dicing. Most execs want a clear story, not a deep dive into every activity.
Step 7: Keep iterating (and ignore the hype)
No tool, not even Point-of-reference, will run your reference program for you. The key is to keep things simple, adjust as you learn, and avoid the urge to chase every shiny new feature.
- Start with the basics. Get your data in, set up requests, and track usage.
- Listen to your users. Sales and references will tell you what’s working (and what’s a pain). Adjust.
- Don’t over-automate. Some things—like a personal thank you—are better done by a human.
Honest takes: What actually works (and what doesn’t)
Worth your time: - Keeping your reference database up to date, even if it means fewer but more reliable entries. - Regular check-ins with sales to make sure the process matches reality. - Setting clear expectations for what sales can (and can’t) expect from the reference pool.
Not worth your time: - Overly complex workflows or approval hierarchies—they just slow things down. - Tracking every micro-interaction. You’ll never use this data. - Trying to automate gratitude. A quick personal thank you is always better.
TL;DR: Keep it simple, fix as you go
Managing and tracking reference activity in Point-of-reference isn’t rocket science, but it does take discipline. Start with clean data, keep your process simple, and focus on what actually helps close deals and keeps customers happy. Skip the vanity metrics and endless customization—what matters is that your program works for real people, not for a dashboard.
Iterate, adjust, and don’t get distracted by hype. Your reference program will be better for it.