By name: reference-matching description: "Match Talosix reference customers to prospect profiles based on therapeutic area, study phase, company size, and geography, with talking points and usage tracking."
Reference Customer Matching
Purpose
Strategically match the most relevant Talosix reference customers to each prospect's profile to maximize the impact of reference calls and case studies during the sales process. A well-matched reference accelerates trust-building and reduces perceived risk.
When to Use
- When a prospect requests a reference call (typically late in the evaluation)
- When building a proposal and selecting case studies to include
- When a deal is stalled and a peer reference could provide momentum
- When preparing for a competitive bake-off where social proof matters
- Proactively during discovery to mention "a customer like you"
Information Gathering
Prospect Profile
Collect these attributes for matching:
| Attribute | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic Area | Primary indication(s) under study | High |
| Study Phase | Phase I, II, III, IV, or observational | High |
| Company Type | Large pharma, mid-size biotech, CRO, academic | High |
| Company Size | Revenue range or employee count | Medium |
| Geography | HQ location and clinical operations regions | Medium |
| Previous EDC | Incumbent EDC vendor being replaced | Medium |
| Key Concern | Primary objection or hesitation to address | High |
| Use Case | Specific capability to validate (e.g., ePRO, integrations, RBM) | Medium |
Reference Customer Database
Maintain a reference database with these fields for each reference customer:
- Customer Name
- Company Type (pharma, biotech, CRO, academic)
- Company Size (small/mid/large, employee count, revenue range)
- Headquarters / Regions
- Therapeutic Areas (list all)
- Study Phases Using Talosix
- Number of Studies on Talosix
- Number of Sites / Subjects
- Previous EDC Vendor (what they switched from)
- Go-Live Date (how long they've been a customer)
- Key Use Cases (standard EDC, ePRO, integrations, RBM, CDISC, etc.)
- Satisfaction Score (NPS or CSAT if available)
- Reference Contact Name and Role
- Reference Contact Willingness (enthusiastic / willing / reluctant)
- Last Used as Reference (date)
- Times Used as Reference (count, trailing 12 months)
- Topics Comfortable Discussing
- Topics to Avoid
- Notable Success Metrics (quantified outcomes)
Matching Algorithm
Scoring Criteria
Score each potential reference match on a 0-3 scale per attribute:
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 3 | Exact match (same therapeutic area, same phase, same company type) |
| 2 | Close match (related therapeutic area, adjacent phase, similar company type) |
| 1 | Partial relevance (different area but similar complexity, different but complementary experience) |
| 0 | No match on this dimension |
Matching Dimensions and Weights
| Dimension | Weight | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic Area | 30% | Prospects trust peers in their disease area most |
| Company Type | 20% | Operational context must be similar |
| Study Phase | 15% | Complexity and regulatory context alignment |
| Previous EDC Vendor | 15% | Migration stories from the same incumbent are very powerful |
| Geography | 10% | Regional regulatory and operational similarity |
| Key Concern | 10% | Reference should directly address the prospect's primary objection |
Match Score Calculation
Match Score = Sum of (dimension score x weight) for all dimensions
Maximum possible: 3.0
| Score Range | Match Quality |
|---|---|
| 2.5 - 3.0 | Excellent match - prioritize this reference |
| 2.0 - 2.4 | Strong match - good option |
| 1.5 - 1.9 | Moderate match - use if better options unavailable |
| Below 1.5 | Weak match - avoid unless no alternatives |
Additional Filters
After scoring, apply these filters:
- Willingness Gate - Only include references rated "enthusiastic" or "willing"
- Freshness Check - Deprioritize if used as reference more than 3 times in the last 90 days
- Recency Check - Prioritize customers live on Talosix for 6+ months (enough experience to speak credibly)
- Relationship Health - Exclude any customer with open critical support tickets or known dissatisfaction
Reference Talking Points
Generate talking points for each matched reference, tailored to what the prospect needs to hear:
For the Sales Rep (Pre-Reference Call Briefing)
Reference: [Customer Name]
Contact: [Name, Title]
Match Reason: [Why this reference was selected]
Relationship Note: [Any context on the relationship, preferences]
Suggested Topics for Prospect to Ask:
1. [Topic aligned with prospect's key concern]
2. [Topic related to therapeutic area experience]
3. [Topic about migration from previous EDC]
4. [Topic about measurable outcomes]
Topics to Steer Toward:
- [Specific success metric the reference can share]
- [Feature the reference is enthusiastic about]
Topics to Avoid:
- [Any known issue or sensitive area]
- [Feature the reference hasn't used]
For the Reference Customer (Pre-Call Prep)
Prepare a brief for the reference customer:
Thank you for agreeing to be a reference for Talosix.
Prospect Overview:
- Company: [Name], a [type] focused on [therapeutic area]
- They are evaluating Talosix for [use case]
- They are currently using [competitor] and are looking to [migrate/add/replace]
What They'll Likely Ask About:
1. Your experience with [specific feature or workflow]
2. How the migration from [previous EDC] went
3. Measurable outcomes you've seen
4. What you wish you'd known before starting
We Suggest Highlighting:
- [Specific success metric]
- [Specific positive experience]
Estimated Call Duration: 30 minutes
Reference Usage Tracking
Track reference usage to prevent burnout and maintain reference willingness:
Usage Limits
| Reference Willingness | Max Uses per Quarter | Cool-Down After Use |
|---|---|---|
| Enthusiastic | 4 | 2 weeks |
| Willing | 2 | 4 weeks |
| Reluctant | 1 (only if critical) | 8 weeks |
Tracking Fields
After each reference engagement, record:
- Date of reference call/visit
- Prospect company name
- Topics discussed
- Outcome (positive/neutral/negative impact on deal)
- Reference's feedback on the experience
- Any follow-up needed (thank you, gift, discount consideration)
Reference Appreciation
Maintain reference willingness through:
- Thank-you communication after every reference engagement
- Quarterly appreciation (gift cards, conference invitations, feature previews)
- Annual reference program benefits (advisory board membership, early access)
- Reduced reference requests for customers showing fatigue
Case Study Generation
When a reference engagement leads to a strong story, propose creating a formal case study:
Case Study Structure:
- Customer profile (industry, size, therapeutic focus)
- Challenge (what problem they faced with their previous approach)
- Solution (how Talosix addressed the challenge)
- Results (quantified outcomes: time saved, cost reduced, quality improved)
- Quote from the reference contact
Output Format
- Matched References List - Ranked list of 3-5 references with match scores and rationale
- Top Recommendation - Detailed briefing for the #1 match including talking points
- Reference Prep Brief - Document to send to the reference customer before the call
- Usage Report - Current utilization of each reference in the database, flagging overused or stale references