SmallWorld unlocks the power of REAL relationships, transforming how you get in front of prospects with trust + timing

Introduction

Sitting in my initial demo of SmallWorld, I couldn’t help but feel surprised that they aren’t a household name in B2B Sales yet! While the team has only been up and running for 3 years, I was struck by how completely and succinctly they are solving a key pain point by operationalizing trusted introductions. 

In their own words, the SmallWorld relationship activation platform “helps sales and marketing teams accelerate revenue growth through warm introductions at scale”. 

In sales, having the right connections can make all the difference. But trying to figure out who knows who—and how strong those relationships are—can be overwhelming. That’s where SmallWorld comes in. It’s a tool designed to help sales teams find and execute on trusted introductions, speeding up the sales process and improving their chances of closing deals. Some of the main uses cases include intros to new leads, intros that will help you get multi-threaded on a deal, accessing more authority, or getting an intro to your new stakeholder when your main POC leaves a customer account.

We have probably all had this kind of painful exchange with the sales team: 

• "Hey Mallory, I see you know Jonny. He works at my target account. Can you make an intro?"
• "Sorry but I have no idea why we're connected. I don't really know him..."
• "Oh ok, never mind. I'll try someone else."

How much time is wasted in these efforts? How many connections will the rep try? 

Now, imagine you explore relationships instead like you see in the image below: 

Key Features

• Referral Management: One of the main features of SmallWorld is that it organizes and formalizes the referral process. You can easily ask for introductions from participating "connectors", and the platform helps track everything from the request to the final outcome. It makes it simple for connectors—people who can make introductions for you—to see who they know that you want to meet.
• Salesforce Integration: If you use Salesforce, SmallWorld integrates directly into your CRM, making it easy to access relationship data without leaving the system. You can manage your referrals and introductions from inside Salesforce, streamlining the workflow for busy sales teams.
  • I can imagine that I'd use Salesforce dashboards that show the progress of the introductions and their impact on the funnel.
• Slack Integration: The Slack integration makes it easy for connectors to quickly answer questions about their relationships. 
• Intent Data and ICP Matching: The platform also pairs well with intent data sources like 6Sense, Bombora, and Demandbase. It combines timing (when the prospect is ready to buy) with trust (who can introduce you). Plus, it matches relationships with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), so the introductions you get are more likely to be helpful, avoiding dead-end leads.
• Daily Relationship Leads: SmallWorld gives salespeople a fresh set of "relationship leads"—people who fit your target accounts and who your connectors know well. I love that SmallWorld makes these suggestions and ‘takes credit’ for the lead generation. These leads don’t need to be in your CRM already, so they really are new. Talk about a good way to show the ROI of this platform.

What Users Love

There’s a lot to like about SmallWorld, especially how it tackles the common problems salespeople face when trying to get warm introductions.

• Makes Referrals Easy: The platform simplifies the process of getting referrals by giving it structure. You can quickly see who knows someone important, rate how strong that relationship is, and send an introduction request, all in one place. You can reach out via email too and still get the same tracking. Connectors voluntarily sign up and connect their gmail, which tells you they are engaged and willing to help. 
• Avoids Bad Introductions: One of the best parts of SmallWorld is that it prevents you from wasting time on introductions that won’t go anywhere. By measuring relationship strength and matching people to your ICP, it ensures that when you request the introduction, it's worth everyone’s time.
• Scales Your Network Beyond LinkedIn: While you are certainly going to sync LinkedIn data, the tool pulls from other sources like email. Lastly, no Sales Navigator? No problem. 
• Inbound Relationship Leads: Many users echo the excitement of getting a strong relationship lead from SmallWorld. Intros on the platform convert to meetings at about a 50% rate. This takes any form of intent data to the next level. 

Areas for Improvement + Other Considerations

• No HubSpot Integration Yet: Right now, Salesforce is the only CRM integration. They likely plan to roll out a Hubspot integration in the future, but it’s not available yet. So, non-Salesforce users will have to wait for that functionality. Note: the CRM integration isn’t a necessary feature for using SmallWorld. But, it’s a big plus to have one less place for reps to login. 
• User Interface: Some users have mentioned that the interface can be a bit tricky or confusing at times. This is not surprising given the relatively short time on market - and it’s something the team will likely continue improving as they get feedback.
• Best for Enterprise Teams: The price point of SmallWorld and the level of involvement required from your connectors definitely lends itself to an enterprise sale. For larger companies I think the price point makes sense. 
• Closing the Loop: I would suggest for users to consider how they can ensure effective follow through on introduction requests. Making the use of SmallWorld part of a broader advocacy program could be a good way to provide incentives. SmallWorld's platform can remind connectors that they have outstanding intros, but you still have to rely on the trusted, warm referral being sent by the connector. [The execution isn't automated] Make sure connectors feel valued in the help they provide your team. 

What’s Next

Looking ahead, SmallWorld has some exciting developments on the way. Anticipated updates are the inclusion of job change data and 3rd degree connections. No more boring outbound emails that say "I see you changed jobs. Please buy this thing again". 

Remember roadmaps are just roadmaps, so make sure to purchase based on what's available today.