If you’re tired of chasing cold leads and burning time on “maybes,” intent data promises a way out. But let’s be real: most sales teams either ignore it, drown in it, or use it wrong. This guide is for anyone who wants to get practical—how to use Cognism intent data to actually focus your sales outreach on prospects who might buy, not just those who open your emails.
Why Intent Data Matters (But Isn’t Magic)
Intent data is basically digital breadcrumbs showing which companies are poking around topics related to what you sell. In theory, it means you get to talk to people who care, instead of cold-calling the universe.
But here’s the catch: - Not everyone who reads an article is ready to talk to sales. - Not all “intent” signals are created equal. - If you treat intent data like a silver bullet, you’ll just waste time in a new way.
Intent data is best for prioritizing—helping you figure out where to focus, not who to call blindly.
Step 1: Understand What Cognism Intent Data Actually Is
Cognism combines different types of intent signals, like: - First-party intent: What people do on your website (e.g., visiting pricing pages, downloading resources). - Third-party intent: What companies do elsewhere online—searching for topics, reading articles, or attending webinars related to your solution.
The magic is in the combo. But don’t assume more data is better—what matters is how recent and relevant the signal is.
Pro tip: Always check how Cognism is getting its intent data and what they actually define as “intent.” Not all vendors mean the same thing.
Step 2: Set Up & Fine-Tune Your Intent Topics
Cognism lets you pick topics or keywords that trigger intent signals. If you just pick broad stuff like “marketing” or “sales,” you’ll get a firehose of noise.
Instead: - Get specific: Use keywords that map to your real value props. “B2B data compliance” beats “data.” - Work with your best reps: Ask which pain points actually come up in conversations. Use those as topics. - Test and adjust: Start narrow. If you’re not getting results, broaden a little. If you’re getting too much junk, tighten up.
Things to ignore: Don’t just copy and paste your website’s keywords. That’s SEO, not sales intent.
Step 3: Connect Intent Data to Your CRM or Sales Tools
Cognism can push intent data into your CRM, sales engagement tool, or wherever you work. Here’s why that matters: - You don’t want reps logging into five dashboards. - Intent signals should show up next to company and contact info, not in a silo.
How to do it: - Work with whoever owns your sales tools to set up the integration. - Make sure the intent fields are visible in your lead or account view. - Set up alerts or reports for companies showing strong intent (recent, high-score signals).
Pitfall to avoid: Don’t flood your CRM with every weak signal. Set a threshold—only push in companies with strong or repeated intent.
Step 4: Build a Prioritization Workflow (Not Just a List)
This is where most teams blow it—they get a list of “intent accounts” and hand it to sales. That’s not a workflow. Here’s what works better:
- Score or tier accounts: Combine intent with other signals—firmographics, ICP fit, past engagement. Example: “High intent + ICP fit + never spoken to us = top of the queue.”
- Assign owners: Make sure someone is responsible for each batch of intent accounts. Otherwise, stuff falls through the cracks.
- Set a time window: Focus on recent intent. A company researching you last month is a cold lead today.
- Document next steps: What does a rep do when they see an intent signal? (Research, personalize outreach, etc.)
Pro tip: Automate as much as you can, but don’t treat every intent signal like a lead. Use human judgement.
Step 5: Personalize Outreach Based on the Actual Signal
Intent data isn’t a free pass to spam people. The best use is to tailor your message to what you know they care about. For example: - If the intent topic is “GDPR compliance,” mention that in your email or call. - Reference recent activity (“I saw your team’s been digging into data compliance solutions…”). - Use intent to start a conversation, not to hard sell.
What doesn’t work: “I saw you’re interested in our product!” That’s creepy and vague. Don’t do it.
Step 6: Track Real Outcomes (Not Just Activity)
It’s easy to get excited about “more meetings booked.” But the real question is: Are your intent-driven leads actually moving down the funnel?
How to keep it honest: - Track conversion rates for intent leads vs. regular leads. - Measure deal size and sales cycle—are intent leads closing faster or for more? - Get feedback from reps: Are these accounts legit or just noise?
If intent data isn’t leading to real pipeline, revisit your topics and thresholds. Don’t just assume the data is bad—sometimes it’s how you’re using it.
Step 7: Keep Tuning (And Ignore the Hype)
Intent data is not “set and forget.” Markets change, keywords change, people change jobs. Review your setup every month or so: - Are the right accounts showing up? - Are reps using the data, or ignoring it? - Is it actually saving you time and effort?
If not, tweak your topics, thresholds, or process. And don’t be afraid to dial it back if it’s just creating noise.
What to ignore: Fancy dashboards and “AI-powered” recommendations that don’t translate into real, workable lists for sales. Focus on practical signals your team actually uses.
Quick FAQ: Common Questions (and Straight Answers)
Is Cognism intent data better than Bombora or ZoomInfo?
Honestly, all these vendors have strengths and weaknesses. The main difference is in coverage and how fresh/accurate the signals are. Try before you buy. Don’t get stuck in endless demos—ask for sample data and test it on your own targets.
Should I tell prospects I’m reaching out because of intent data?
No. Use the insight to personalize, not to spook people. “I noticed your team researching…” is fine if you can back it up, but don’t overshare your sources.
What if my reps say the leads are still cold?
Review your intent topics and scoring. Sometimes the problem is “false positives”—companies showing interest in the wrong context. Tighten up your filters, and ask for honest rep feedback.
Wrapping Up: Start Simple, Improve Over Time
Cognism intent data isn’t a shortcut to easy sales, but it can help you spend your time where it counts. Start with a clear process, keep your topics relevant, and don’t get distracted by every new signal. The simpler your workflow, the more likely your team will actually use it—and get value. Try, tweak, repeat. That’s how you get intent data to work for you, not the other way around.