Key Points
• [Definition] Connectors are the people whose relationships are mapped by The Swarm • Clay-managed mapping automatically adds the company employees as Connectors and maps their work and education overlaps and the company’s shared investors. It doesn’t include LinkedIn connections!
• Companies above 50 employees see better initial results due to more employee = more relationships mapped
• This initial mapping requires ~2 hour wait time for first-time domain processing
• Clay-managed key provides 3-10% hit rates depending on company size
• BYO (Bring Your Own) key setup increases match rates because users can add more Connectors manually (investors, advisors, partners, customers, etc.) and get Connectors’ LinkedIn connections and email and calendar contacts, on top of the passively mapped data
🚀 Getting Started: The Three-Tier Approach
1. Crawl (No Swarm Account Required) Start with the Clay-managed integration for immediate results:
Enter your target domain in the
Find warm intros to personactionWait 2-3 hours for initial one-time mapping (subsequent runs are instant)
Swarm automatically maps employee work and education overlaps
Note: This does NOT use LinkedIn network connections
2. Walk (BYO Connectors) Enhance hit rates with your own Swarm account:
Create account at app.theswarm.com (14-day free trial)
Add "passive connectors"(customers, investors, partners)
Use your API key in Clay for increased match rates
Import LinkedIn CSVs for passive connectors
3. Run (Maximum Coverage) Fully optimize your warm intro discovery:
Invite "active connectors"via Swarm web app
Connect LinkedIn profiles using Chrome extension
Optionally connect email/calendar for additional paths
Leverage full network effect across all connector types
⏱️ Timing and Performance Expectations
Initial Setup Timeline
First domain mapping: 2-3 hours
Subsequent enrichments: Instant
Account setup and connector import: 15-30 minutes
Hit Rate Benchmarks
Clay-managed key: 3-10% typical, up to 30% for large companies
BYO key with connectors: 10-20% depending on network quality
Full setup with active connectors: 20-50%+ achievable
Important: Larger companies perform better because more employees = more overlap opportunities
🔧 Implementation Best Practices
Table Setup for Demos Create a dedicated warm intros table with filtering:
1. Run Swarm enrichment on your prospect list 2. Create filter: "Warm Intro Found"= True 3. Show only successful matches ("show the money") 4. Group results by connector for easy scanningOutput Configuration Essential fields to capture:
Lead full name
Company name
Connector name (who can make the intro)
Relationship type (work/education overlap)
Connection strength/confidence score
Sorting Strategy Sort table by connector name to identify:
Which connectors can make multiple intros
Highest-value connector relationships
Batch outreach opportunities
🎯 Demo Optimization Techniques
Visual Impact Strategies
Pre-filter tables to show only successful matches
Use checkmarks and visual indicators for positive results
Group connections by introducer for cleaner presentation
Hide zero-result rows to maintain momentum
Narrative Flow
Start with the problem: "Cold outreach has 2% response rates"
Show the solution: "Here are 6 warm paths to your target company"
Demonstrate scale: "Alex alone can introduce you to 7 people"
Connect to action: "Now we can craft personalized intro requests"
💡 Advanced Configuration Options
Multi-Connector Strategy Structure your output columns for maximum flexibility:
- Primary Connector Name - Primary Connector Relationship - Secondary Connector Name (if available) - Secondary Connector Relationship - Total Path Count
Orchestration Workflow After identifying warm paths:
Export connector-grouped lists
Draft templated intro request emails
Personalize based on relationship context
Connect to sales engagement tools (Lemlist, Outreach, etc.)
Track intro success rates for optimization
🛡️ Troubleshooting Common Issues
Zero Results on Limited Data Sets
Verify 2-3 hour initial mapping completed
Check company size (smaller companies = fewer overlaps)
Consider upgrading to BYO key setup
Ensure domain is correctly formatted
Low Hit Rates with Clay Key
Expected for smaller companies or niche industries
Solution: Create Swarm account and import your network
Add passive connectors from your CRM
Invite team members as active connectors
POC Environment Considerations When building POCs in customer workspaces:
Use Clay-managed key for simplicity
Set expectations: "This is baseline performance"
Document upgrade path to BYO setup
Provide clear ROI calculations for full implementation
📊 Scaling and Optimization
Batch Processing Best Practices
Process large tables (10,000+ records) in segments
Monitor API performance during active runs
Use Clay's scheduling features for overnight processing
Implement result caching to avoid redundant lookups
Connector Network Building Priority order for adding connectors:
Current customers (highest trust)
Investors and advisors
Strategic partners
Team members and alumni
Industry connections
Success Metrics to Track
Overall hit rate percentage
Intro request acceptance rate
Meeting conversion rate
Average deals sourced per connector
Time to first meeting
✅ Bottom Line
The Swarm integration transforms cold outreach into warm introductions by leveraging work and education overlaps across your network. While the Clay-managed key provides immediate value with 5-30% hit rates, creating a dedicated Swarm account with imported connectors can double or triple your warm path discovery. Success depends on three factors: allowing proper initial mapping time (2-3 hours), building a quality connector network, and presenting results effectively through filtered views that highlight successful matches. For maximum impact, treat this as a progressive enhancement strategy—start with the free Clay key to prove value, then upgrade to BYO setup once the warm intro motion proves successful.