Do you struggle to hit numbers? Is Outbound getting harder?
If these resonate, something is awaiting your attention.
In today's competitive business landscape, sales representatives face an uphill battle to reach potential customers, qualify leads, and close deals.
Traditional sales methodologies are ineffective, leaving reps struggling to identify the right prospects and engage them in meaningful conversations.
This is where intent data comes into play: it's the secret weapon of top-performing sales teams.
Why use sales intent data?
Intent data are a game-changer for sales teams, providing valuable insights to create and close more potential customers. These information empower outbound activities to target efforts focusing on leads that are most likely to convert.
The benefits of intent data are undeniable. Studies have shown that companies that use intent data experience a 55% increase in sales pipeline visibility, a 32% increase in close rates, and a 27% decrease in sales cycle length.
Moreover, intent data helps sales reps build stronger relationships with prospects by allowing them to personalize their outreach and provide relevant solutions.
⚠️ Without any structure or strategy. You listen out for “everything” and contact any company or contact showing the slightest example of a buying signal. A signal alone used by an individual doesn’t perform.
Display of intent data in a Salesforce
Different types of intent data
There are two kinds of Intent data:
Blackbox intent
You should contact Gong.io to sell them something today!
✅ Pros:
Easy to use and read
Simple to activate (on paper)
❌ Cons:
Why?
Which message related to the intent can I use?
Is it relevant?
Do I contact all the companies? My personas?
Precise outbound intent data
Precise Intent data can trigger various actions by all GTM teams (sales and marketing).
Examples of precise intent triggers:
Competitor used
-> 1st openers and prioritization criteria for 30% of sales repsJob movements (Job changes + new hires)
-> Increase "meetings to closed deals" conversion rate from 1.5% to 9.5% for a software companyJob postings / Hiring
-> You can find more intelligence about a targeted company in job offers than in any other sourcesDownloaded content (ebook, webinar)
-> The response rate from evangelized contacts who downloaded content increased by 20%In a community (slack, etc)
-> The connection acceptance rate for contact sharing a community is 70% higherAttended at an event
Social selling (like, comment, post)
Fundraising
Website traffic
Tech stack changes
Example: My champion from the Segment deal we lost 7 months ago changed jobs to Orum.
✅ Pros:
it's a signal that I understand and use daily as a Sales
I write relevant sequences for my past champions (sequence playbook here)
it's actionable for me and my marketing team. We work closely to book more meetings
❌ Cons:
hard to capture at scale
difficult to activate for GTM teams (sales and marketing) when I save it manually
I lose time daily to capture
Example of Job Postings/Hiring intent ready to use for reps. Help to detect Competitor uses, pains and project fitting value proposition and internal tech stack.
The benefits: a game changer for the pipeline
Outbound intent data offers a competitive edge to revenue teams (sales and marketing):
Increase Pipeline: Outbound intent data uncovers hidden opportunities, expanding the sales pipeline with qualified leads that are actively considering a purchase
Improve Close Rates: By focusing on high-intent leads, sales reps engage with prospects who are most likely to convert, leading to improved close rates and increased revenue
Shorter Sales Cycles: Intent data-driven outreach eliminates wasted time and effort, shortening the sales cycle and accelerating deal closures
Enhance Personalization: Understanding a company's buying intent allows sales reps to personalize their messaging, addressing specific pain points and offering relevant solutions
Align GTM teams: The marketing team works closely with Sales, targeting accounts with ads to reinforce awareness, while Sales initiates conversations to create opportunities. Lowering CAC, increasing win rates, and qualified pipeline.
Revenue stack with intent data
Use cases to leverage outbound Intent data signals
To effectively leverage outbound intent for targeted sales success, consider these strategies:
Identify Key Intent Signals: Prioritize the intent signals that align with your business objectives and target audience. For instance, focus on job postings, competitor activities, tech stack changes, and job changes if these factors align with your sales goals.
Segment and Prioritize Accounts: Utilize intent data to segment accounts into tiers based on their buying intent. Focus outreach efforts on high-intent accounts, where the likelihood of conversion is highest.
Personalize Outreach and Messaging: Tailor your outreach to individual prospects based on their unique intent signals. Address specific pain points, highlight relevant solutions, and demonstrate how your company can address their needs.
Utilize Intent Data for Sales Enablement: Equip sales reps with intent data-driven insights to improve their conversations and increase their chances of closing deals.
Identifying New Opportunities: Identify companies actively needing and researching your solutions.
💡Outbound intent data isn't just a signal but a must-have for outbound performance in 2024.