If you’re in sales or biz dev, you know most outbound leads go nowhere fast. Sifting through a pile of “maybe” prospects is tedious—and it wastes everyone’s time. This guide is for anyone who wants to stop spinning their wheels and start qualifying outbound leads with less guesswork, using Champify software to do the heavy lifting.
I’ll skip the fluff and walk you through the steps, what actually works, what to ignore, and a few watch-outs. This isn’t theory—it’s what happens when you need results, not more dashboards.
Step 1: Get Your House in Order Before You Touch Champify
Let’s be honest: No software can save you from a dirty CRM or a scattershot outbound process. Before you even log in to Champify, do these quick checks:
- Clean your CRM. Remove obvious junk, dead accounts, and duplicates. If your CRM data is garbage, your outreach will be too.
- Know your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). Have a clear, written description of your best-fit customers. Don’t rely on “gut feel” or vague personas.
- Get your outreach sequences ready. Don’t let qualified leads sit in limbo while you scramble to write emails.
Pro tip: If your team fights about what counts as a qualified lead, fix that first. No tool can solve fuzzy definitions.
Step 2: Set Up Champify for Real-World Use
Champify can surface high-potential outbound leads by flagging contacts who’ve left customer accounts and landed somewhere new. That’s gold—if you use it right.
- Connect your CRM and marketing tools. Champify works best when plugged into Salesforce, HubSpot, or whatever you actually use. Don’t skip this or you’ll miss out on data syncing.
- Double-check permissions. Make sure you’re not running into privacy or compliance headaches. The best lead list is useless if you’re not allowed to use it.
- Configure alerts and notifications. Set up Champify to ping you (or your reps) when it finds a “champion” in a new company. Otherwise, you’ll forget to check and miss the window.
What’s Worth Your Time
- Focus on recent job changes. Someone who switched companies in the last 90 days is more likely to talk.
- Prioritize decision-makers or influencers. Don’t chase every ex-customer—stick to those who can actually get a deal moving.
What to Ignore
- Random connections. If a “champion” is now a junior analyst, don’t waste cycles. Look for people with buying power.
- Over-complicated scoring. Champify has filters—use them, but don’t get lost in the weeds trying to build a perfect model.
Step 3: Qualify Leads Like You Actually Mean It
Here’s where most teams go wrong: They treat every alert as gold. It’s not. Here’s how to separate the real opportunities from the noise.
- Check the new company’s fit. Just because your contact moved doesn’t mean their new employer matches your ICP. Take 60 seconds for a quick LinkedIn or website check.
- Look at their role. Did they move up, sideways, or down? Promotions can mean more buying power; lateral moves might be less interesting.
- Research recent funding, growth, or news. If their new company is hiring or just raised money, they’re more likely to buy.
Pro tip: Don’t get hung up on “champions” who were only lightly involved before. Prioritize those who were real power users or project leads.
Fast Qualification Checklist
- Is their new company in your target industry/size?
- Does their title (or their boss’s) have budget authority?
- Are they in a growth phase?
- Do you have a personal connection or warm intro angle?
If you get three out of four, it’s probably worth reaching out.
Step 4: Personalize Outreach Without Wasting Time
Nobody likes mass emails, and your ex-customer doesn’t want to feel like a number. But you also can’t spend an hour on every prospect. Here’s a middle ground:
- Reference your shared history. A simple “Congrats on the new role! We worked together at [Previous Company]” goes a long way.
- Mention a specific win or project. If you helped them solve a real problem before, remind them.
- Tie your message to their new company’s goals. Don’t just pitch what you sell—connect it to what they care about now.
What to Skip
- Overly formal intros. You know each other, so don’t suddenly sound like a robot.
- Long-winded value props. Keep it short—two to three sentences max before your ask.
Pro tip: Use templates, but customize the first sentence and the “why you” part. Otherwise, you’re just another sales email.
Step 5: Track, Measure, and Ruthlessly Cull
Not every lead will pan out, and that’s fine. The trick is to quickly spot which leads are real and which are dead ends.
- Log outcomes in your CRM. Even a simple “Interested/Not Interested” tag helps you spot patterns later.
- A/B test your outreach. Try two different email approaches and see which gets more replies. Don’t assume you know what works—check.
- Review conversion data monthly. If Champify leads are closing faster (or at higher rates) than cold outbound, double down. If not, tweak your filters or messaging.
What to Ignore
- Vanity metrics. Opens and clicks are nice, but meetings and deals are what matter.
- Over-analyzing lost leads. Learn what you can, but don’t obsess. Focus on leads you can actually move.
Bonus: Realistic Watch-Outs and Honest Advice
- Don’t expect magic. Champify is great at surfacing warm leads, but it’s not a silver bullet. You still need a good pitch and solid follow-up.
- Avoid chasing every signal. Not every job change is an opportunity. Stick to your ICP and don’t let “fear of missing out” clog your pipeline.
- Keep compliance in mind. If a contact opted out at their last company, respect that. Don’t let eager reps get you in hot water.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Qualifying outbound leads doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Start with a clean CRM, use Champify to spot high-value job changers, qualify fast, and personalize just enough to stand out. Track what works, ditch what doesn’t, and don’t get distracted by shiny features.
The best process is the one your team actually uses, so keep it simple and improve as you go.