If you’re in sales or account management, you know the pain: Too many accounts, too many signals, and not enough hours in the day. You need to spot real opportunities—before your competitors do—but most dashboards just drown you in noise. If you’re using Infotelligent (see [infotelligent.html]), you actually have a decent shot at getting the signal you need. The trick is using the analytics dashboard well and, just as important, ignoring the stuff that doesn’t move the needle.
This guide is for you if you want to track what your key accounts are really up to—without getting buried in fluff. We’ll cover how to set up the dashboard, focus on what matters, and keep things simple enough that you’ll actually do it every week.
1. Get Your Key Accounts List Right
Before you even touch the dashboard, nail down what “key accounts” actually means for you. This sounds obvious, but most teams try to track too many or the wrong companies.
- Start small. If you’re new to account-based tracking, pick your top 10-25 accounts. More than that and you’ll get lost.
- Refresh quarterly. Accounts change. Don’t treat your initial list as gospel.
- Quality over quantity. Focus on accounts that really matter to your goals—revenue, expansion potential, or whatever drives your comp plan.
Pro Tip: If you’re just handed a list from above, sanity-check it. Are these accounts active? Is there even a real opportunity? If not, push back or adjust.
2. Set Up Account Tracking in Infotelligent
Now, let’s get hands-on. Log in to the Infotelligent dashboard. Here’s what you actually need to do:
A. Add Accounts to a Custom List
- Use the “Lists” feature to create a named group for your key accounts.
- Add companies manually, or import a CSV—just make sure the account names match Infotelligent’s naming, or you’ll end up with mismatches and missing data.
B. Confirm Data Coverage
Not all companies are tracked equally well. For each account: - Check if Infotelligent has recent activity and contact info. - If data is missing, flag it—and consider alternate sources for that account.
C. Set Notification Preferences
Infotelligent lets you set up email or in-app alerts for account activity (like company news, leadership changes, funding, etc.). - Don’t turn on everything. Pick 2-3 triggers that correlate to real opportunity (e.g., executive hires, product launches, funding events). - Review notification frequency—daily is overkill for most, weekly is usually enough.
3. Learn Which Metrics Actually Matter
Infotelligent tracks a lot—firmographics, news, intent data, buying signals. Here’s what’s worth paying attention to, and what you can probably ignore.
Watch Closely:
- Executive Moves: New decision-makers often signal budget changes or new initiatives.
- Funding Announcements: Fresh cash = new projects (and sometimes new vendors).
- Product Launches or Expansions: Signals need for new partnerships, tech, or services.
- Intent Data: If tracked correctly, spikes here mean increased research or buying activity.
Ignore (Most of the Time):
- Press Mentions: Unless it’s major, this is usually just noise.
- Random Employee Hires: Unless a wave of hires in a key department, don’t get distracted.
- Generic Industry News: Nice to know, but rarely actionable at the account level.
Pro Tip: Don’t chase every “signal.” Focus on changes that map to actual buying or expansion cycles in your industry.
4. Slice and Dice the Dashboard for Real Insights
Infotelligent’s analytics dashboard has lots of filters. Here’s how to use them without getting lost.
Key Filters to Use:
- Time Range: Look at 30- or 90-day windows to spot trends, not just one-off blips.
- Activity Type: Filter by the specific signals that matter (see above).
- Account Owner: If you’re on a team, see activity by rep or territory.
What to Avoid:
- Don’t get fancy with custom charts unless you really need them.
- Skip “vanity metrics” (like total news mentions or follower counts). They rarely predict anything useful.
Practical Workflow: 1. Open your key account list. 2. Filter to “activity in last 30 days.” 3. Sort by signal strength or relevance (not just recency). 4. Flag anything actionable for follow-up.
Spend 10 minutes a week doing this—not 2 hours building pretty graphs.
5. Dig Deeper When You Spot Real Signals
When something interesting pops up—a new exec, a funding round, a product launch—don’t just log it and move on.
- Check for Patterns: Is this part of a bigger trend (e.g., multiple exec changes, hiring sprees)?
- Cross-Reference: See if other tools (LinkedIn, news, your CRM) confirm the same info. Infotelligent’s data is good, but not infallible.
- Prep for Outreach: If you see a real opportunity, tailor your message to the event—don’t use a generic pitch.
What Not to Do: Don’t spam every exec at the account just because you saw a new press release. That’s how you get ignored (or worse, blacklisted).
6. Automate What You Can—But Don’t Set and Forget
Infotelligent offers basic automation—alerts, scheduled reports, CRM integration. Use them to save time, but don’t trust them to do the thinking for you.
- Set up a weekly digest for your key accounts. Avoid real-time pings unless you’re in a high-velocity industry.
- Push relevant signals into your CRM, but make sure they’re tagged clearly (e.g., “Infotelligent: Exec Change”).
- Review automation settings quarterly. Vendors love to add new “features” that just add clutter.
Warning: Automation can create false confidence. You still need to review and interpret the data.
7. Measure What’s Working (and Scrap What Isn’t)
Every tool looks great in a vendor demo. In real life, some features will be duds.
- Track outcomes: Did following up on a signal actually lead to a meeting or deal? If not, rethink which signals you pay attention to.
- Ask your team: What are people actually using from the dashboard, and what’s getting ignored?
- Iterate: Don’t be afraid to drop features or reports that don’t help.
Pro Tip: If you find yourself ignoring certain alerts or dashboard widgets, that’s a sign they’re not useful. Cut ruthlessly.
8. Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Trying to track too many accounts: More data isn’t better if you can’t act on it.
- Overcomplicating the dashboard: Fancy charts won’t win deals. Clarity beats complexity.
- Chasing every alert: Not every “signal” is a real opportunity. Be skeptical.
- Assuming the data is perfect: Always double-check before acting on big decisions.
Keep It Simple—And Actually Use It
The best dashboard is the one you actually check. Pick your key accounts, focus on a handful of meaningful signals, and review them regularly. Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Start simple, ignore the hype, and tweak as you go. The real win is spending less time on busywork and more time on conversations that matter.