At Connectd we are always striving to improve our platform, boost usability and give our members a range of features to give them total control of all their data, connections and critical information in one easy to manage, integrated hub. Pulse boasts smart match technology and integrated metrics which allow you to create powerful data sets, presented in bespoke dashboards, to provide investors with the information they want to see when making investment decisions.
How do I use Pulse & Integrated Metrics?
Integrated metrics
To set up the integrated metric solution, simply sign into the Connectd platform, visit the Manage Data tab in Pulse and connect your accounting software (e.g. Sage, QuickBooks) and commerce provider (e.g. Stripe, Zettle, Square etc). All you need to do is sign in and we do the rest. Your data will only travel from your accounting and commerce platforms to Connectd, we won’t share your data with anyone, and you can disconnect integrated metrics at any time.
We are constantly working to expand the range of integrations and you will soon be able to integrate even more platforms and providers including Shopify.
Why match with metrics?
Investors can filter companies on the Connectd platform based on seven key metrics:
- ARR
- CAC
- LTV
- MRR
- Number of customers
- Revenue
- Valuation
These are the north star metrics that investors use to find startups that fit their investment thesis; by providing these seven data sets, you will be more likely to match with the right investors for your business. This information can be made available to investors whatever your stage, so investors can search by both actuals and forecasts, meaning you can start building your visibility, even if you are not yet revenue generating.
We understand that integrity of data and privacy are of utmost importance to founders so investors are able to search only in predefined increments (e.g. 20k increments for MRR), meaning they cannot deep dive into your specific numbers to obtain sensitive information about your business.
Who can see my data?
Data is the key driver for startups seeking investment but we understand that founders should have total control over who sees what, and when. Users can choose from four dashboard settings:
Public (Connectd Community)
The Community setting allows your reports to be seen by all investors and advisors on the Connectd platform, providing a shop window and the opportunity to stand out from the crowd. All investors and advisors on the Connectd network have gone through a stringent verification process, so you can be sure you’re sharing data with the right people to help your startup’s growth.
Connections
This setting allows anyone you have connected with to access your reports and is particularly useful if you are in the early stage of conversations and investor outreach. Making your data visible to investors after initial discussions can help to pique interest and progress conversations. With Pulse, you can now annotate your data using free text boxes allowing you to add qualitative information to enhance, explain and move your metrics beyond the figures alone.
Close Connections
You can select exactly who has access to your data. This setting is perfect if you want to keep your existing investors in the loop and ensure they have up-to-date information about your startup’s performance.
Private
This setting allows you, and you alone, to access your data. If you are not yet ready to put your metrics in front of investors or need time to work on your existing metrics, this setting is ideal. Users can share their dashboards with external investors through an expiring link, which will only work for a limited time specified when the link is created. Once it expires, the link is no longer valid, meaning users have total control over that data set.
The different settings available allow members to use their data for a number of purposes, from creating compelling, bespoke dashboards to attract and engage new investment, to ensuring existing investors get the data they want to see. We will be refining and enhancing Pulse by adding advanced analytics and benchmarking in the coming weeks.
To get the most out of Pulse and Smart Match, we recommend adding as much information and data as possible, as this will provide a more complete picture of your business and allow investors to see its full value and potential.
To learn more about integrated metrics, visit https://www.connectd.co/resource/metrics-vs-integrations
