If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know the drill: everyone’s got a “go-to-market strategy,” but turning that into real-world results? That’s the tough part. You’re sending cold emails, tracking replies, and hoping your team isn’t just spinning its wheels. But are you actually learning from what’s working—or just guessing?
This guide is for people who want to cut through the noise and use data to tighten up their outreach. Specifically, we’re looking at how the Lavender analytics dashboard can help you tune your B2B GTM (Go To Market) strategy—without wasting hours on fancy charts that don’t mean anything.
Let’s dig in.
Why bother with analytics? (And why most dashboards suck)
Let’s be honest: most analytics dashboards are either too simple (“You sent 50 emails!”) or so complicated you need a PhD to find anything useful. Worse, they often focus on vanity metrics—open rates, “engagement,” or some abstract “score.”
But if you’re running B2B outreach, you care about two things:
- Are people replying?
- Are those replies the kind you want?
If your analytics dashboard can’t help you figure that out, it’s not worth your time.
Lavender’s dashboard claims to help you answer those questions, so let’s see what’s actually useful—and what you can ignore.
Step 1: Get your team using Lavender consistently
This is the boring part nobody wants to talk about, but it matters. If your team’s not actually using Lavender to write and send emails, the dashboard won’t show you much of anything.
What to do:
- Make sure everyone’s using the same email templates and plugging them into Lavender, not skipping the tool.
- If you’re testing messaging, set up clear naming conventions. “Q2 SaaS Test” beats “Email #4.”
Pro tip:
Don’t obsess over perfect compliance, but if you see gaps in the data, it’s usually because someone’s writing emails off in Gmail or Outlook without Lavender. Fix that first.
Step 2: Focus on reply rates—not just opens or clicks
Open rates are nice to know, but they’re not the goal. Lots of people open emails by accident or just to clear their inbox. If you’re using Lavender’s dashboard, zero in on reply rates first.
What works:
- Track replies by template, rep, or campaign.
- Compare reply rates across different segments (e.g., industries, titles, company sizes).
- Notice sharp changes—did a new sequence tank your replies? Time to dig in.
What doesn’t:
- Don’t get distracted by “engagement” metrics like time spent reading or click-throughs unless your goal is getting people to a landing page. For most B2B GTM, replies are your main KPI.
Step 3: Use Lavender’s email quality scoring—but don’t treat it as gospel
Lavender assigns scores to emails based on clarity, tone, reading level, and spam triggers. This can help you write better emails, but don’t fall into the trap of chasing a perfect score.
How to use it:
- Look for patterns. Are low-scoring emails getting more replies? Maybe your audience likes a more casual style.
- Check out the “why” behind low scores—overly complex sentences, too much jargon, or weird formatting.
- Use the feedback to coach your team, not to enforce rigid rules.
What to ignore:
- Don’t force every email to hit a 90+ score. Real conversations don’t sound like a textbook.
Pro tip:
If you’re seeing high-scoring emails with lousy reply rates, trust the results—not the algorithm.
Step 4: Break down results by rep, template, or segment
One of the best ways to use Lavender’s dashboard is to slice your data:
- By rep: Who’s getting the most replies? What are they doing differently?
- By template: Which messaging actually lands? Kill the ones that don’t.
- By segment: Are certain industries or titles more responsive? Adjust your targeting.
What works:
- Run quick A/B tests with different templates and compare reply rates side by side.
- Share real examples in team meetings—don’t just tell people “do better,” show them what’s working.
What doesn’t:
- Don’t overcomplicate it with too many templates or micro-segments. You’ll just create noise.
Step 5: Watch for patterns over time, not just one-off wins
Everyone gets lucky now and then—a reply from a big prospect, a fluke meeting booked. That’s not a reason to rewrite your whole playbook.
How to use time-based analytics:
- Look at trends by week or month. Are reply rates improving?
- Did a new messaging test fizzle out after the initial batch?
- Are certain times of year better for outreach in your industry?
What to ignore:
- Don’t freak out over a single bad week. Look for real, sustained trends.
Step 6: Use “negative signals” to prune what’s not working
This is where most teams drop the ball. They’ll keep using a template that never gets replies, just because it “feels” right or because someone in management likes it. Use Lavender’s dashboard to spot dead weight.
How to do it:
- Identify templates with consistently low reply rates. Be ruthless—if it’s not working, kill it.
- If certain reps are struggling, look for patterns in their messaging. Are they too formal? Too long-winded?
- Use the “worst performers” as learning opportunities, not just for finger-pointing.
Pro tip:
Set a regular cadence (biweekly or monthly) to review and clear out underperforming messaging. Don’t let bad templates linger just because they’re familiar.
Step 7: Share insights—don’t hoard them
A dashboard isn’t a crystal ball. The real value comes from sharing what you learn so the whole team gets better.
How to make it stick:
- Hold short, focused reviews. Skip the hour-long meetings. Share what’s working and what’s not.
- Highlight specific examples (“This subject line got 4x the replies, here’s why…”)
- Encourage reps to share their own takeaways—people are more likely to try ideas from a peer than from a manager.
What Lavender’s dashboard can’t do (and what to watch out for)
Let’s get real: No tool is magic. Lavender gives you useful data, but it won’t close deals for you. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- It can’t tell you why someone replied. Sometimes, people reply just to say “take me off your list.” You’ll need to look at reply content, not just reply rates.
- It doesn’t fix bad targeting. If you’re emailing the wrong people, no dashboard will save you.
- It’s not a replacement for real feedback. If you can, talk to prospects who do reply. What caught their attention?
And don’t get sucked into “score chasing.” The best emails are often the ones that break the rules a little.
Quick checklist: Making the most of Lavender analytics
- [ ] Is everyone using Lavender for their outreach?
- [ ] Are you focusing on reply rates, not just opens?
- [ ] Do you use quality scores as a guide, not a goal?
- [ ] Have you cut underperforming templates?
- [ ] Do you check trends by rep, template, and segment?
- [ ] Are you reviewing (and sharing) what’s working regularly?
Keep it simple, iterate, and don’t chase shiny objects
You don’t need a 20-tab spreadsheet or a fancy consulting report to get better at B2B outreach. The best teams keep it simple:
- Use the data to make small, regular tweaks.
- Kill what’s not working—even if you wrote it.
- Share wins and fails with your team.
Lavender’s analytics dashboard is a solid tool if you use it to tune your GTM strategy, not as a crutch or a scoreboard. Don’t overthink it. Start with reply rates, look for patterns, and keep moving forward. The rest is just noise.