If you’re running B2B sales, you already know the pain: too many leads, not enough time, and no way to figure out who’s actually worth chasing. Automated lead scoring can help—if you set it up right. This guide walks you through creating a real lead scoring workflow in 11x that’s practical for busy sales teams (not just a checkbox for your CRM admin).
Whether you’re the first sales hire or running a small team, this isn’t about theory. You’ll learn how to set up scoring that actually works, and more importantly, how to avoid the usual traps.
Who should use lead scoring—and who shouldn’t?
Lead scoring makes sense if: - You get more leads than your team can reasonably follow up with. - Your leads are a mixed bag—some are ready to buy, some are just poking around. - You want your reps working on the hottest prospects, not wasting time on tire kickers.
Skip it (for now) if: - You get ten leads a week. Just talk to all of them. - You don’t have enough data yet to spot real patterns. - Your sales cycle is a black box. (If you can’t say why deals win or lose, scoring will be guesswork.)
If you’re in the “should use” camp, let’s get into it.
Step 1: Get your basics in order
Before you touch a single field in 11x, grab a notebook or open a doc and answer these:
- What makes a lead valuable? Is it company size, job title, website visits, email opens, demo requests, budget, location?
- What data do you actually have? Don’t score on “dream” data you never collect.
- What’s your current sales process? Where do leads get stuck? Where do reps waste time?
Pro tip: Don’t overthink your first scoring model. You’ll change it later. Start with 3–5 criteria that are easy to track.
Step 2: Map out your scoring rules
Here’s where most teams mess up: they try to build a “perfect” score with 20 variables. Don’t. Your first version should fit on a sticky note.
Example scoring model: - +10: Requested a demo - +5: Opened your last 2 emails - +5: Visited pricing page twice - +3: Job title matches your ICP (e.g., “Head of Procurement”) - -5: Used a personal email (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo)
What to skip: - Super granular behavior (e.g., “clicked footer link on blog #17”) - Vanity signals (social followers, random webinar signups) - Anything your data doesn’t reliably capture
Once you’ve got your rules, write them out in simple language. Don’t worry about the tech yet.
Step 3: Set up your fields and triggers in 11x
Now you’re ready to log into 11x. The interface is pretty straightforward, but here’s what matters:
3.1. Create a custom "Lead Score" field
- Go to your lead or contact record settings.
- Add a new field called “Lead Score” (number type).
- Optional: Set up “Score Stage” buckets (e.g., “Cold,” “Warm,” “Hot”) if your team likes labels.
3.2. Set up your data capture
- Make sure your forms, email tools, and web tracking feed the data you need into 11x.
- If you’re using third-party tools (like LinkedIn forms or chatbots), double-check the integrations.
Heads up: If 11x can’t see the data, your scoring won’t work. Don’t assume it’s connected—test it.
3.3. Build your scoring workflow
- Use “Automation” or “Workflow” features in 11x (usually under Automations or similar).
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For each rule, set up a trigger:
- E.g., “When lead submits demo form, add 10 to Lead Score.”
- “When email is opened, add 5.”
- “If email contains ‘@gmail.com’, subtract 5.”
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Set up re-scoring to happen whenever new data comes in, not just once at creation.
Pro tip: Start simple. Don’t try to chain together 20-step workflows day one. Build, test, adjust.
Step 4: Test and debug—before you roll it out
Don’t dump your new model on the sales team and walk away. Here’s how to avoid a mini-revolt:
- Test with sample leads: Create a few fake leads with different traits. Do the scores come out as you’d expect?
- Check the math: Are scores stacking up correctly? Any double counting?
- Spot check real leads: Run through a few recent deals. Would your scoring have put them in the “Hot” bucket—or missed them entirely?
What usually goes wrong: - Data doesn’t sync as expected (especially with third-party form tools). - Scores don’t update when leads take new actions. - Sales reps don’t trust the score (usually because it’s off the mark).
Step 5: Roll out to your team (and actually use it)
Here’s where most lead scoring projects die: nobody uses it. Don’t just email a guide and hope for the best.
- Walk your team through what the scores mean—and, critically, what they don’t mean.
- “A high score means they’re more likely to be a good fit, not a guaranteed closed deal.”
- Set clear rules for follow-up, e.g.:
- “All ‘Hot’ leads get a call within 1 business day.”
- “Ignore ‘Cold’ leads unless they resurface.”
- Make sure the “Lead Score” is visible on the main lead/contact view.
- Get feedback from the team after a week. What feels off? What’s working?
Pro tip: Don’t be precious about your model. If reps keep flagging false positives (or misses), tweak your rules. This is normal.
Step 6: Iterate and improve
Lead scoring isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it thing. The best teams tweak their models every month or quarter.
What to watch: - Are the highest scoring leads actually converting? - Are good deals slipping through with low scores? - Are reps gaming the system (e.g., spamming emails for higher scores)?
If you find your scoring isn’t helping reps focus, don’t be afraid to kill rules that aren’t working. Less is more.
What not to do
Let’s be honest—most lead scoring setups fail because they get too clever, too fast. Watch out for these traps:
- Overcomplicating the model: If nobody can explain how the score is calculated, it’s too complex.
- Scoring on junk data: If you assign points for “industry” but half your leads have that field blank, what’s the point?
- Treating the score as gospel: It’s a guide, not a magic eight ball. Gut checks still matter.
Summary: Keep it simple, keep it useful
Automated lead scoring in 11x can save your sales team hours and help you focus on deals that matter. But the real trick is to start small, build only what you’ll use, and improve as you go. Don’t chase some mythical “perfect” model out of the gate.
Remember: the best scoring systems are the ones your team actually uses. Set it up, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to change (or even delete) what isn’t working. In sales, simple usually wins.