Looking for a smarter way to find companies who are actually in-market—not just “maybe, someday” leads? This guide is for you. If you’re in B2B sales, marketing, or revenue operations, you’ve probably heard about intent data. Maybe you’ve even heard that Bombora “surge scores” can tell you exactly who’s about to buy. But how do you actually use these scores to find real opportunities, and—just as important—how do you avoid chasing ghosts?
Let’s get straight into how to use Bombora surge scores to spot accounts that are genuinely ready to talk, what works (and what’s just marketing spin), and how to set up a process that won’t waste your team’s time.
What Are Bombora Surge Scores, Really?
Before we talk about using surge scores, you need to know what they actually measure. Bombora tracks what companies are reading about across thousands of B2B websites. If a company’s employees start researching topics more than usual—like “network security” or “sales enablement”—their “surge” score for that topic goes up.
Here’s the basics: - Score Scale: 0–100, but most action happens above 60. - Topic-based: One account might surge for “cloud migrations,” another for “video conferencing.” - Compared to Baseline: It’s all about a spike compared to that company’s normal behavior—not compared to every other company. - Updated Weekly: It’s not real-time, but it’s fresher than most buying signals.
Pro tip: Surge scores don’t mean someone is definitely buying right now. They just mean a company is showing more interest in a topic than usual. Treat it as a clue, not gospel.
Step 1: Get Your Bombora Data Flowing
You can’t use surge scores if you don’t have them. So, first things first:
- Access: You’ll need a Bombora subscription. Most teams pull the data into Salesforce, HubSpot, or their CRM via integration, but you can also download CSVs.
- Topic Selection: Don’t just pick the default topics. Talk to sales—what are your core product categories? What are the big pain points your buyers research before they engage?
- Frequency: Set up a weekly (or at least biweekly) sync. Old intent data is about as useful as last month’s weather report.
What to ignore: Don’t collect every possible topic under the sun. More data isn’t always better. You’ll end up with noise.
Step 2: Define What “Ready to Buy” Means for You
Don’t let Bombora (or anyone else) define “in-market” for you. What counts as a buying signal at your company?
- Score Threshold: Most teams start with 60+ as a baseline, but this is not universal. Look at your own historical data—did the leads who actually closed show surges at 65, 70, or higher?
- Topic Relevance: A company surging on “remote work” is NOT the same as surging on “enterprise password management.” Focus on topics that map directly to what you solve.
- Surge Duration: A one-week spike might be a fluke. Look for accounts that stay “hot” for 2–3 weeks.
Pitfall: If you treat every surge as gold, you’ll waste a ton of time. You want a sharp filter, not a wide net.
Step 3: Match Surge Accounts to Your Ideal Customer Profile
A surge score tells you that someone at a company is interested in a topic. That doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for your product.
- Firmographic Fit: Only keep companies that match your ICP—industry, size, region, etc.
- Existing Accounts: Make sure you’re not just surfacing current customers, unless you’re looking for expansion opportunities.
- Exclusions: Filter out students, job seekers, and anyone else whose interest doesn’t translate to sales.
Real talk: Surge data is directional, not definitive. Your “ready to buy” list should be ICP-matched accounts with strong, relevant surges, not just the biggest scores.
Step 4: Prioritize and Route Surge Accounts
Great, you’ve got a filtered list. Now what?
- Scoring: Combine surge scores with other signals—like website visits, open opportunities, or sales rep input. Don’t rely on Bombora alone.
- Routing: Set up alerts or workflows to get high-priority accounts in front of sales—fast. Don’t just dump a spreadsheet in someone’s inbox.
- Enrichment: Use tools like LinkedIn or Clearbit to identify key contacts at these accounts. Bombora tells you the company is interested, not the person.
What not to do: Don’t fire off generic emails to every surging account. That’s a quick way to get ignored (or marked as spam).
Step 5: Craft Your Outreach—Don’t Be Creepy
The last thing you want is a prospect asking, “How did you know we’re looking at this?” Use intent data as a prompt, not a script.
- Personalize by Pain, Not by Stalking: Reference the problem, not the surge. (“Many companies are rethinking their cloud security strategy—how are you approaching this?”)
- Timing: Reach out while the account is still surging. Wait too long and the interest will cool off.
- Multi-Touch: Use intent data to guide not just emails, but ads, phone calls, and content offers.
Quick tip: Your first contact should feel like it’s based on insight, not surveillance.
Step 6: Track Results and Adjust
This is where most teams drop the ball. You need to know if surge-based outreach actually leads to pipeline.
- Win Rates: Are surge accounts closing at higher rates? If not, tweak your thresholds or topic selections.
- Feedback Loops: Get sales input. Are these leads legit, or is the data too noisy?
- Iterate: Adjust your filters, topics, and outreach based on what’s working—not just what Bombora’s marketing says should work.
Caution: There’s no silver bullet. Surge data is a tool, not a magic wand. If your process isn’t working, don’t blame the data—fix the workflow.
What Works—and What Doesn’t
What works: - Using surge scores as a trigger for targeted, relevant outreach—not mass blasts. - Layering surge data with your own CRM and website analytics. - Letting sales and marketing collaborate on which topics matter.
What doesn’t: - Treating every surge as a buying signal. - Relying on intent data alone (it’s not a replacement for real research or relationships). - Ignoring the “why” behind a surge. Not every spike means a deal is imminent.
Ignore this: Any vendor who tells you that intent data will “revolutionize” your pipeline overnight. It’s helpful, not magical.
Keep It Simple and Keep Iterating
Bombora surge scores are a sharp tool for finding in-market accounts—when you use them with a clear head and a strong filter. Don’t overcomplicate things. Start with a tight ICP, focus on the topics that actually matter, and test your process in the real world. The best teams keep it simple, learn fast, and get better each quarter.
If you’re just starting out, remember: no intent data can replace good sales instincts. Use Bombora to point you in the right direction, but let your team’s experience do the rest.