## Why an API?

Your sales team uses dozens of tools - CRM, sequencing, enrichment, analytics. Relationship intelligence shouldn't live in a silo. The Draftboard API lets you bring relationship data directly into the tools your team already uses.

### What the API Provides

- Find all paths between your team and target accounts
- See first and second-degree connections
- Get relationship scores for each path

- Employment overlap details
- Duration and recency of connections
- Multiple overlap indicators

- Match prospects to your team's network
- Bulk lookups for account lists
- Real-time enrichment

### Common Use Cases

**1\. CRM Enrichment** Add relationship data directly to Salesforce, HubSpot, or your CRM of choice.

- Reps see warm paths without leaving CRM
- Relationship score as a lead scoring factor
- Automatic routing based on relationship strength

**2\. Outbound Sequence Personalization** Feed relationship context into Outreach, Salesloft, or Apollo.

- Dynamic email personalization with mutual connection names
- Segment sequences by relationship score
- Trigger different cadences based on path strength

**3\. Account Prioritization** Use relationship coverage as an ICP scoring factor.

- Prioritize accounts with strong warm paths
- Surface "hidden gem" accounts with unexpected connections
- Balance ICP fit with relationship accessibility

**4\. Custom Dashboards** Build relationship intelligence into your internal tools.

- Network coverage reporting
- Connector leaderboards
- Path analysis by segment

### API Capabilities

**Endpoints:**

\`GET /paths\` Find relationship paths between team members and targets.

\`GET /accounts/{id}/paths\` Get all paths to a specific account.

\`GET /relationships\` Query relationships by various filters.

\`POST /match\` Bulk match a list of prospects to your network.

- Connector (your team member)
- Target (the prospect)
- Path type (1st degree, 2nd degree)
- Relationship score (0-100)
- Overlap context (company, duration, recency)

### Example: CRM Integration

**Goal:** Show relationship data on Account and Contact records in Salesforce.

**Approach:** 1\. Call Draftboard API when Account/Contact is created or updated 2. Store relationship paths in custom fields 3. Display in page layout

**Sample response:**

```
{
  "target": {
    "name": "Sarah Johnson",
    "company": "Acme Corp",
    "title": "VP of Sales"
  },
  "paths": [\
    {\
      "connector": "Mike Chen",\
      "relationship_score": 85,\
      "path_type": "2nd_degree",\
      "context": {\
        "shared_company": "Stripe",\
        "overlap_years": 3,\
        "recency": "2023"\
      }\
    },\
    {\
      "connector": "Lisa Park",\
      "relationship_score": 62,\
      "path_type": "1st_degree",\
      "context": {\
        "connection_type": "linkedin",\
        "mutual_connections": 12\
      }\
    }\
  ]
}
```

- "Mike Chen has a strong path (85) via Stripe"
- "Lisa Park is directly connected (62)"

### Example: Outbound Personalization

**Goal:** Automatically personalize cold emails with relationship context.

**Approach:** 1\. Before sequence enrollment, query Draftboard API 2. Add relationship data to custom fields in sequencing tool 3. Use fields in email templates

**Template:**

```
Hi {{first_name}},

{{#if has_mutual_connection}}
I noticed we're both connected to {{mutual_connection_name}} -
{{connection_context}}.
{{/if}}

[Rest of email...]
```

**Output:** \> "I noticed we're both connected to Mike Chen - you worked together at Stripe a few years back."

### Getting Started

**Step 1: Get API credentials** Contact your Draftboard account manager or sign up at draftboard.com/api.

**Step 2: Review documentation** Full API docs at docs.draftboard.com/api.

**Step 3: Start with a simple integration** Begin with a single use case (e.g., CRM enrichment) before expanding.

**Step 4: Monitor and iterate** Track how relationship data impacts your metrics.

### Integration Patterns

**Real-time enrichment:** Query the API at the moment data is needed (e.g., when a rep opens a record).

_Pros:_ Always fresh data _Cons:_ Latency, API rate considerations

**Batch sync:** Periodically sync relationship data to your systems.

_Pros:_ No latency for end users, efficient _Cons:_ Data can be stale between syncs

**Webhook-driven:** Trigger updates when relationships change.

_Pros:_ Best of both worlds _Cons:_ More complex to implement

### Security & Compliance

**Authentication:** API key-based authentication with scoped permissions.

- Relationship data is derived from LinkedIn public profiles and team-connected accounts
- No email content or private messages accessed
- Compliant with LinkedIn ToS

**Rate limits:** Standard rate limits apply. Contact us for enterprise limits.

### What Teams Are Building

- Relationship data in Salesforce page layouts
- Warm path alerts when high-value accounts are created
- Prioritization scoring incorporating relationship strength

- Network coverage dashboards
- Attribution tracking for relationship-sourced pipeline
- Territory planning based on relationship density

- Relationship intelligence embedded in their own platforms
- Customer-facing warm intro features
- Partner network mapping

### Conclusion

Your GTM stack becomes more powerful when it understands relationships. The Draftboard API lets you bring relationship intelligence wherever your team works - CRM, sequences, analytics, or custom tools.