If you’re in B2B sales, you know lead scoring sounds smart on paper—until you try to get your CRM to do it automatically and half your team tunes out. This guide is for sales ops folks and sales leaders who want to actually use automated lead scoring in Orcaforce, not just talk about it in meetings. Whether you’re switching from spreadsheets or just tired of “AI-powered” tools that promise magic, let’s cut the fluff and get you a practical scoring workflow that your team will actually use.
Why Bother With Automated Lead Scoring?
Let’s be real: most sales teams chase the wrong leads because nobody has time to manually review every new contact. Automated lead scoring is about sorting the haystack so you can actually find the needles. But not every scoring model is worth your time. You want something:
- Simple enough to maintain
- Clear enough that your team trusts it
- Customizable for your actual sales process
- Automated so you’re not buried in busywork
Orcaforce (see here) claims to make this easier. It can—if you set it up right and skip the shiny distractions.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Makes a Good Lead (For Real)
Before you touch Orcaforce, talk to your sales team. What actually predicts a win? Don’t just guess based on what marketing says. Look at the deals you’ve closed in the last year:
- What industry or company size do they come from?
- Which job titles usually get the deal moving?
- Are there certain actions (like booking a demo) that almost always lead to a sale?
Write these down in plain English. Don’t overthink it or invent 20 criteria you’ll never maintain.
Pro Tip: Start with 3-5 factors you know matter. You can always add more later.
Step 2: Map Your Criteria to Orcaforce Fields
Now, translate your “good lead” criteria into actual fields or data points in Orcaforce. This is where most teams go off the rails—if you can’t capture the data, you can’t score it.
- Company size → “Number of Employees” field
- Industry match → “Industry” dropdown/picklist
- Seniority → “Job Title” or “Seniority” field
- Engaged actions → Activity logs (emails opened, demos booked, etc.)
If your fields are inconsistent or missing, fix that first. Garbage in, garbage out.
Step 3: Build Your Scoring Model (Keep It Simple)
Orcaforce lets you set up scoring rules based on field values and activity. Here’s how you can keep it practical:
- Assign points to each criterion. Example:
- “Software” industry = +10 points
- 100–500 employees = +8 points
- Title contains “Director” or “VP” = +7 points
- Booked demo = +10 points
- Avoid negative points for now. It just confuses people in the beginning.
- Set a max score (like 30 or 40). This makes it easy to see who’s truly hot.
What to Skip: Don’t bother with 100 micro-points for tiny behaviors (“clicked an email = +1”). Focus on things that actually matter.
Step 4: Set Up the Workflow in Orcaforce
Time to actually automate it. In Orcaforce, workflows are usually built in the “Automation” or “Lead Scoring” section. Here’s the process (menus may shift—if something looks different, dig around or check their help docs):
- Go to Automation > Lead Scoring.
- Create a new scoring rule. Name it something obvious, like “2024 B2B Lead Score.”
- Add rule criteria:
- For each field, choose the value and set the point amount.
- For activities, select the trigger (e.g., “Demo Booked”) and assign points.
- Set thresholds. Decide what score counts as “Qualified” or “Hot.”
- Set actions. When a lead crosses a threshold, automate something:
- Alert the rep
- Move to a new pipeline stage
- Trigger a task or email
Pro Tip: Test your workflow on a few leads before rolling it out to everyone. Nothing tanks trust faster than a busted scoring system.
Step 5: Test With Real Data (and Real Reps)
Automation isn’t magic. Once your workflow is live, grab a sample of real leads—preferably some winners and some duds. Check:
- Are your top-scoring leads actually good fits?
- Is the score easy to explain to your team?
- Are any junk leads sneaking through as “hot”?
Sit down with a couple of reps. Walk through the leads and listen to their feedback. If everyone’s confused, your model’s too complex. If everyone agrees, you’re on the right track.
What to Ignore: Don’t obsess over perfection. You’ll tweak it as you go.
Step 6: Roll Out to the Team (and Set Expectations)
Now, tell your team what’s happening—but keep it simple. Most people just want to know:
- What does the score mean?
- How should I use it?
- Can I ignore it if my gut says otherwise?
A quick Slack message or a 10-minute meeting works fine. Show a few examples, and remind them the score is a tool, not a replacement for their brains.
Step 7: Tune and Tweak (But Don’t Overcomplicate)
Check your lead scores every couple of weeks. Are good leads getting flagged? Are you missing folks you should be talking to?
- If scores are too high for everyone, tighten up criteria.
- If nobody is scoring high, loosen them.
- If reps ignore the scores, ask why. (Hint: They probably don’t trust the data.)
Don’t add a bunch of fancy rules unless you know they help. Most great scoring systems are boring—because they work.
Honest Pros, Cons, and Gotchas
What Works Well: - Orcaforce’s workflow builder is straightforward once you map your data. - Automations save tons of time for sales ops—no more manual sorting. - Easy to adjust as your sales process evolves.
What Usually Doesn’t: - Overly complicated models. If you need a PhD to explain it, nobody will use it. - Scoring on “vanity” behaviors (like clicking a newsletter) rarely predicts anything meaningful. - Ignoring rep feedback. They’ll just work around the system if it doesn’t reflect reality.
Watch Out For: - Outdated or missing data. Your scoring is only as good as your inputs. - “AI” recommendations that don’t match your actual sales process. Use your judgment.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Review Often
Lead scoring in Orcaforce isn’t something you set and forget. Start with clear, obvious criteria. Automate the basics. Get feedback from your team and adjust. Don’t waste time chasing “perfect”—just make sure the scores help your team focus on the right leads. Iterate every quarter, and you’ll get more value (and less eye-rolling) from your lead scoring workflow.
Now go build something your sales team will actually use—then get back to selling.