MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth
Episode: Investing In Clay Vs Sourcing Your Own Data
Release Date: April 9, 2025
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Jordan Crawford, Founder of Blueprint GTM

Introduction

In this insightful episode of the MarTech Podcast™, host Benjamin Shapiro engages in a compelling discussion with Jordan Crawford, the founder of Blueprint GTM. The conversation delves into strategic decisions marketers face when choosing between investing in platforms like Clay or sourcing their own data. The episode provides valuable perspectives on data infrastructure, cost-efficiency, and the future of go-to-market strategies.

Investing in Clay vs. Sourcing Your Own Data

Jordan Crawford introduces the core topic by posing a critical question to Benjamin: "Would you choose to invest in Clay or sources where you own your own data? If you have to pick one." [01:15]

This question sets the stage for exploring the merits and drawbacks of leveraging third-party data platforms versus developing proprietary data sources.

Guest's Perspective on Clay

The unnamed guest offers a strong endorsement for Clay, explaining his investment decision despite the company's recent funding round. "I actually did just invest in Clay even at their crazy round. I also have equity in the company already." [01:40]

Key Reasons for Investing in Clay:

1. Infrastructure Over Answers:
   The guest emphasizes that Clay aims to provide the foundational infrastructure for go-to-market strategies rather than offering direct solutions. "Clay is trying to be the infrastructure for go to market, not the answers for go to market." [01:40]

2. Flexible API Integration:
   Clay's pricing model is highlighted as a significant advantage. "They allow you to bring your API keys in and they do not charge you a tax for that. It's really their pricing model innovation." [01:40] This flexibility enables users to integrate their own data tools without incurring additional fees.

3. Cost Efficiency Over Time:
   By allowing the use of external API keys and data tools, Clay helps reduce overall costs. "Over time you actually can reduce your cost on Clay by like buying directly from the data vendors." [01:40] This approach makes Clay a cost-effective choice for sustained business growth.

4. Discovery and Action Tool:
   The guest describes Clay as a discovery and action tool rather than a "tool to tax you," underlining its utility in enabling marketers to access and utilize data seamlessly. "Clay is a discovery and action tool, not a tool to tax you. This is why I believe in it." [02:27]

Host's Response

Benjamin Shapiro expresses surprise at the guest's confidence in Clay, given that Crawford has developed his own data sources. "I'm a little surprised. And not that you're bullish on Clay. I know you wrote a course on it, you're active on the platform, I'm sure you have some sort of relationship with the people there. But you've also created your own data sources. And it seems like that's core to your business. Why are you buying investing in Clay, not the ownership of your own data?" [02:27]

This question probes the strategic reasoning behind choosing an external platform over proprietary data management, seeking to uncover deeper insights into Crawford's business philosophy.

Deeper Insights on Data Ownership

The guest responds by clarifying the distinction between data ownership and data storage. "How your business runs, like, how come you don't own it when you operate it on Google Sheets, it's like, no, Google Sheets just stores the information. It does not own the sell data." [02:45]

Key Points:

1. Minimal Reliance on Clay Credits:
   The guest highlights that his usage of Clay credits is negligible. "I'm not paying clay. I spend almost no Clay credits, basically." [02:45]

2. Cost-Effective Alternatives Within Clay:
   By utilizing tools like Klay Gen, which accesses web data and only requires payment for OpenAI tokens or API fees, the guest achieves substantial cost savings. "You can use a tool called the Klay Gen. It searches the web and you just pay OpenAI tokens. You just pay the API... So you're just paying those people. Clay just passes that through. And some. That is like pennies. That's like fractions of a penny per row." [02:45]

3. Leveraging Cheaper Tools Within Clay:
   The guest emphasizes that integrating more affordable tools within Clay's platform can lead to significant cost reductions. "Basically, I'll use tools that are just 10x cheaper than clay inside of clay. And that's why it's valuable." [02:45]

Conclusion

In wrapping up the episode, Benjamin Shapiro summarizes the key takeaways from his conversation with Jordan Crawford. He underscores the importance of strategic investments in marketing technology and the value of platforms like Clay that offer flexible, cost-effective solutions for data management. Shapiro encourages listeners to explore Blueprint GTM's offerings and stay updated through their LinkedIn Live sessions.

“Until next time, my advice is to just focus on keeping your customers happy.” [03:25]

Notable Quotes

• Guest on Investing in Clay:
  "Clay is trying to be the infrastructure for go to market, not the answers for go to market." [01:40]

• Guest on Cost Efficiency:
  "Over time you actually can reduce your cost on Clay by like buying directly from the data vendors." [02:27]

• Host on Data Ownership:
  "Why are you buying investing in Clay, not the ownership of your own data?" [02:27]

• Guest on Cost-Effective Tools:
  "I'll use tools that are just 10x cheaper than clay inside of clay. And that's why it's valuable." [02:45]

Final Thoughts

This episode of the MarTech Podcast™ provides a nuanced perspective on the strategic choices marketers must make regarding data infrastructure. By weighing the benefits of investing in platforms like Clay against developing proprietary data sources, Jordan Crawford offers actionable insights that can guide marketers in optimizing their go-to-market strategies for sustained business growth. Listeners gain a deeper understanding of the balance between leveraging existing technologies and cultivating unique data assets to drive success in the competitive marketing landscape.

For more information on Jordan Crawford and Blueprint GTM, visit blueprintgtm.com or connect via LinkedIn. Don’t forget to subscribe to the MarTech Podcast™ for more expert discussions on the intersection of marketing and technology.