If your sales team is drowning in leads but closing too few, you're not alone. Manual lead sorting is a time sink, and gut instincts only get you so far. Automated lead scoring sounds like a silver bullet, but most setups are either too simplistic (“just use demographics!”) or so complicated no one actually uses them. This guide is for anyone who wants a no-nonsense, step-by-step way to set up automated lead scoring in Prospeo so you can stop chasing dead ends and start focusing on leads that might actually buy.
Let’s get your pipeline humming, minus the fluff.
Why bother with automated lead scoring?
You’ve probably heard the pitch: “Lead scoring will transform your sales pipeline!” Reality check—it can save you a lot of hassle, but only if you do it right. Here’s what automated lead scoring in Prospeo can actually help with:
- Prioritizing leads that fit your ideal customer profile
- Surfacing prospects who are ready to talk sales (not just downloading freebies)
- Freeing up time for your salespeople to focus on real deals
- Cutting down on endless debates about which leads are “good”
What it won’t do: magically make bad leads buy, or fix a broken sales process. It’s a filter, not a miracle.
Step 1: Get clear on what a “good lead” looks like
Before you start clicking buttons in Prospeo, pump the brakes. Automated lead scoring is only as smart as the criteria you feed it.
Don’t skip this: Build your lead profile
- Talk to your sales team. Ask who actually closes—and why.
- Look at closed-won data. What do your best customers have in common? Job title, company size, industry, location, or something else?
- Watch for red herrings. Don’t just copy someone else’s scoring template. What matters for a SaaS company isn’t the same as a B2B manufacturer.
Pro tip: Be ruthless about what doesn’t matter. If you’ve never won a deal from a 10-person startup, stop scoring those leads highly.
Step 2: Map out your scoring criteria
Now, take those “good lead” traits and translate them into something Prospeo can automate. You’ll want a mix of:
- Demographic data: Company size, industry, revenue, role.
- Behavioral data: Website visits, email opens, webinar sign-ups, demo requests.
- Engagement signals: Replies to emails, meeting bookings, downloads.
Things that don’t work well: - Overweighting vanity metrics (e.g., “clicked one email” ≠ ready to buy) - Relying on single attributes (“They’re a CEO, so they must be a fit!”) - Trying to track everything—less is more
Example scoring model:
| Attribute | Points | |--------------------------|--------| | Requested a demo | +30 | | Opened 3+ emails | +10 | | Company size 50-500 | +20 | | Job title: VP/Director | +15 | | Unsubscribed | -20 | | No website visits | -10 |
You get the idea. Make it simple enough that you can actually explain it to your team.
Step 3: Set up custom scoring rules in Prospeo
Time to open Prospeo and put your model to work.
- Go to Settings → Lead Scoring.
- You’ll see a default scoring setup. Don’t just use it out of the box.
- Click “Add Rule.”
- Choose your attribute (e.g., “Job Title contains Director”) and assign a point value.
- Repeat for each attribute you care about.
- Group similar criteria.
- For example, group all “Engagement” behaviors and cap the total possible points so one hyperactive lead doesn’t break the scale.
- Set negative scores for dead-ends.
- Mark things like “Unsubscribed” or “Not in target region” as negative points.
- Save your scoring model.
- Give it a clear name (like “Q3 SaaS ICP Scoring” so you know what it’s for).
What to ignore: Don’t get sucked into scoring for every possible data point. Start lean, then add more as you learn what matters.
Step 4: Test your scoring—don’t trust it blindly
The worst thing you can do is “set and forget.” Here’s how to sanity-check your setup:
- Pull a list of your highest-scored leads. Are they actually good?
- Spot-check a sample of low scores. Are you missing hidden gems?
- Ask your sales team to review. If they’re not seeing value, your scores are probably off.
If the results don’t line up with real-world wins, tweak your rules. Don’t be afraid to scrap what isn’t working.
Pro tip: Plan to review your scoring rules every month or two. Business changes and so should your model.
Step 5: Automate workflows based on scores
Lead scoring is pointless unless you do something with it. Here’s how to put those scores to work in Prospeo:
- Set up auto-routing: Send high-scoring leads straight to your best reps or trigger fast follow-up emails.
- Create pipeline segments: Split your pipeline into “Hot,” “Warm,” and “Cold” based on score ranges.
- Trigger nurturing campaigns: Drop low-scoring leads into an automated nurture track—don’t clog your sales team’s calendar with long shots.
- Flag stale leads: Automatically lower scores over time if leads go cold, so you’re not chasing ghosts.
Don’t try to automate everything at once. Start with the handoffs that save your team the most time.
Step 6: Train your team (and get buy-in)
Even the best scoring model is useless if your sales team ignores it or doesn’t trust it. Here’s how to avoid that:
- Walk through the logic. Show them how scores are calculated, and why.
- Ask for feedback. Your reps will spot real-world edge cases (and, let's be honest, loopholes) faster than you will.
- Make it actionable. Explain what they should do with a hot lead vs. a cold one.
- Check in regularly. If nobody is looking at scores after two weeks, something’s broken.
What to skip: Don’t force your team to use scores for every single decision. Use them as a guide, not a rulebook.
Step 7: Review and iterate (seriously, don’t skip this)
Lead scoring isn’t “set it and forget it.” Your market changes, your product changes, your prospects change. Here’s how to keep your scoring useful:
- Monthly review: Are your highest-scoring leads closing? Are you missing out on any?
- Quarterly overhaul: Big shifts in your business? Rethink your criteria.
- Feedback loop: Keep the door open for sales to flag issues or suggest tweaks.
Red flag: If your sales team starts ignoring the scoring, or you find yourself explaining away “weird” results, it’s time for a rethink.
Honest Q&A: What usually goes wrong (and how to fix it)
Q: What if my scoring isn’t surfacing the right leads?
- You’re probably weighting the wrong criteria or missing key signals. Revisit your closed-won data and ask your reps for input.
Q: Is more data always better?
- Nope. More data can mean more noise. Stick to what actually correlates with closed deals.
Q: Can I just use Prospeo’s default scoring?
- You can—but you probably shouldn’t. Defaults are a starting point, not a finish line.
Q: How do I know if my scoring is working?
- You’re seeing more qualified leads in your pipeline, and your reps aren’t wasting time on bad fits. If not, tweak it.
Keep it simple, then tune as you go
Automated lead scoring in Prospeo can save your team a ton of time and help you focus on the right deals—but only if you keep it simple and review it regularly. Don’t get distracted by every shiny feature or metric. Start lean, watch what actually works, and iterate. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you.