If you're in B2B sales or revenue ops, you know the drill: there's never enough time or budget, and you're stuck sifting through a sea of accounts just to find the ones actually worth your attention. If you've landed here, you probably use—or are considering—Rev, and you want to get past the surface-level features to actually identify high intent accounts. Good. This guide is for you.
Below, I’ll walk you through using filters and segmentation in Rev to cut through the noise. I’ll also flag what’s worth your time, what isn’t, and how to avoid common traps.
1. Get Clear on What “High Intent” Means for You
Before you start clicking around in Rev, take a breather and decide what you actually mean by "high intent." Not every account that matches your ICP (ideal customer profile) is ready to buy—or even looking.
Ask yourself: - What signals do you associate with high intent? Is it certain job titles? Recent funding? Tech stack? - Are you looking for accounts showing in-market behavior, or just a tighter ICP fit? - Do you have any “dealbreaker” attributes (size, location, industry) that rule accounts out, no matter what?
Pro tip: Write this list down. It’ll save you a ton of time later and make your filtering less random.
2. Start with the Basics: Using Filters in Rev
Rev’s filters are your first tool for narrowing things down. But don’t get lost in the endless options.
The Core Filters That Matter
- Firmographics: Company size, industry, location, revenue, headcount. The basics, but still useful.
- Technographics: What tools or software are they using? This can be a quick way to spot accounts ripe for your solution.
- Intent Signals: If you have access, Rev can surface accounts showing signs of buying activity—like content consumption, search trends, or product research.
- Recency: Filter by recent activity—funding, hiring, press releases. Fresh signals beat stale ones.
How to Actually Use Them
- Start broad, then get specific: Don’t stack 12 filters before you see what’s out there. Start with your must-haves, then narrow down.
- Save your filter sets: If you stumble onto a goldmine (say, “SaaS companies in the US with recent Series B funding using Salesforce”), save that filter for future runs.
- Ignore the noise: Some filter options look tempting (like “number of Twitter followers”), but rarely move the needle. Stick to what’s proven to matter in your deals.
3. Segment Like a Human, Not a Spreadsheet
Segmentation in Rev is where you move from “anyone who COULD buy” to “people who might actually WANT to buy right now.”
Useful Segments to Consider
- Accounts with Surging Intent: If Rev is surfacing intent data, segment those showing spikes in relevant topics or competitor research.
- Recent Buyers in Your Niche: Segment by similar companies who’ve recently made a purchase (public funding, job postings, tech adoption).
- Current Customers Lookalikes: Use Rev’s lookalike modeling (if available) to find accounts that resemble your best customers—not just in industry, but in behavior.
- “Dead Zone” Accounts: Segment those that never engage or have gone cold. This helps you avoid wasting cycles.
Don’t Overcomplicate
- More segments ≠ better results. Focus on 2-3 segments that align with your current plays and sales motion.
- Test, don’t assume. Segments that look good on paper don’t always convert. Run a few test campaigns before betting big.
4. Combine Filters and Segments for Laser Focus
Rev lets you layer filters within segments, or vice versa. This is where the magic (and sometimes the headaches) happen.
Building a High-Intent List
- Pick a segment (e.g., “Accounts researching CRM solutions in the last 30 days”).
- Layer on filters: Maybe you only care about US-based companies with $10M+ in revenue and at least 200 employees.
- Check the list size: If your result drops below 10 accounts, you’ve probably gone too narrow. If it’s in the thousands, tighten it up.
What Actually Works
- Recency + Intent: Accounts showing recent intent are gold. Old signals are mostly useless.
- Firmographic + Technographic: Combining these usually surfaces the most relevant targets for mid-market and enterprise sales.
- Ignore Vanity Metrics: Followers, random “engagement” scores, or generic account grades don’t predict intent. Stick to real activity.
5. Validate Before You Act
Here’s where most teams go wrong: they trust the filters and segments blindly, dump the list to their reps, and wonder why nothing closes.
Sanity-Check Your List
- Spot check a handful of accounts: Look them up. Do they actually fit your ICP? Any obvious duds?
- Gut check the signals: Are the “intent” signals real, or just noise? (For example, one visit to your blog last month isn’t intent.)
- Ask your sales team: Reps can usually smell a “bad” list in seconds. Get their feedback before rolling out a new segment.
Watch Out For…
- Overfitting: If your list looks too perfect, you’ve probably filtered out the real world. Loosen up and see what else shows up.
- Stale data: Rev’s data is solid, but no platform is perfect. If you see weird results, check the timestamps.
- False positives: Not every signal is a buying signal. Dig in before you start running campaigns.
6. Iterate, Don’t Automate Away Your Brain
Set it and forget it? Doesn’t work here. Filters and segments are tools, not magic. What worked last quarter might flop this one.
Keep Your Lists Fresh
- Review filters monthly: Markets shift, your ICP evolves, and intent signals change. Don’t let your lists go stale.
- Test new segments: Try new combinations—maybe target a new industry or company size. See what lands.
- Kill what doesn’t work: It’s tempting to hang on to “promising” segments. If they don’t convert, cut them loose.
Pro Tips and Common Pitfalls
- Don’t chase every new filter: Rev adds features, sure, but more options can mean more distractions. Stick to what drives pipeline.
- Document your logic: If you strike gold with a segment, write down why you think it worked. Future you (or your teammate) will thank you.
- Keep sales in the loop: The best filters in the world don’t matter if your reps ignore the lists. Collaborate, don’t dictate.
Keep It Simple and Keep Moving
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Rev’s filters and segmentation can help you zero in on high intent accounts, but only if you stay critical and keep things simple. Start with clear intent signals, layer on the basics, validate your results, and adjust as you go. Most of all, don’t fall for shiny new filters or overengineered segments—just focus on what actually brings in deals.
Now get back to work. The best accounts won’t wait around.