Want your account-based marketing (ABM) to actually work, not just make pretty dashboards? You need to focus on the accounts that matter, not just the ones you wish would buy. That’s where intent data and tools like Intentsify come in. This guide’s for B2B marketers, demand gen folks, and anyone who’s tired of “spray and pray” tactics that sound good in meetings but don’t actually drive pipeline.
Below, I'll walk through how to use Intentsify to prioritize accounts for ABM. I’ll spell out what’s useful, what’s just noise, and how to avoid drowning in data. No hype—just the steps you need.
Why Intent Data Matters for ABM—And Where It Usually Goes Wrong
Let’s get something out of the way: intent data isn’t magic. It won’t solve bad product-market fit, fix your messaging, or turn uninterested companies into eager buyers. But it can help you find the accounts that are actually poking around for what you sell—if you use it right.
Most teams mess this up by:
- Chasing every “hot” account, even if it’s not a good fit.
- Trusting every intent signal as gospel.
- Overcomplicating things with scoring models that look impressive but don’t hold up.
If you want to avoid these traps, keep reading.
Step 1: Get Clear on Who You Actually Want
Before touching Intentsify, lock down your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). If you’re fuzzy here, you’ll waste time on accounts that never buy.
What you need:
- Firmographic details: industry, company size, region, revenue
- Technographics: tech stack requirements, if relevant
- “No-go” zones: industries, company sizes, or geos you don’t want
Pro tip: Don’t let sales dump their “wish list” into your ABM program. Stay honest about what’s actually winnable.
Step 2: Set Up Intentsify Properly
Don’t just plug in your domain list and hope for the best. Intentsify’s only as good as the inputs you feed it.
Here’s what matters:
- Upload a clean account list: Start with your ICP. Remove accounts you know are dead ends.
- Define your topics carefully: Be specific—avoid broad, generic topics. If you sell cloud security, “cloud computing” is too vague; “cloud security breach” is better.
- Integrate with your CRM/marketing automation: This is how you’ll actually action the data.
What to ignore:
Don’t get caught up with every data source Intentsify offers. Start with the signals that map closely to your value prop. More data isn’t always better—sometimes it just creates noise.
Step 3: Build (Simple) Intent Scoring That Doesn’t Lie to You
Scoring is where most teams trip up. It’s easy to create a Frankenstein’s monster of a model that’s impossible to explain, let alone use.
Keep it simple:
- Use clear thresholds: For example, “Any account showing 2+ intent spikes in the past 2 weeks on our core topics = high priority.”
- Combine with fit: Intent alone isn’t enough. Only prioritize accounts that also match your ICP.
- Don’t over-weigh one weird spike: A single blip doesn’t mean a real opportunity.
Pro tip: Your first scoring model should fit on a sticky note. Complicate it later if you need to.
Step 4: Prioritize and Tier Your Accounts
Once you’ve got intent signals and a score, use them to tier your accounts:
- Tier 1: High fit + strong intent. These get the most love—personalized outreach, custom content, maybe even direct mail if you’re into that.
- Tier 2: Good fit + moderate intent. Keep them warm, maybe with targeted ads or SDR sequences.
- Tier 3: High fit, no current intent. Nurture them, but don’t burn cycles.
What NOT to do:
Don’t chase low-fit accounts just because they’re showing intent. That’s how you end up with wasted budget and grumpy sales teams.
Step 5: Activate—Don’t Just Sit on the Data
Intent data is only useful if you actually do something with it. Here’s how to put it to work:
- Sales alerts: Push top-tier intent accounts to SDRs/BDRs with context (“Company X is researching [Topic]”).
- Personalized outreach: Reference what the account’s shown interest in—not in a creepy way, but enough to show you’re paying attention.
- Targeted ads: Sync your prioritized list to ad platforms so you’re not paying to reach everyone, just those who matter.
- Content strategy: Create or surface content that matches the topics your high-intent accounts are researching.
Don’t:
- Blast generic emails to every “intent” account. You’ll burn your sender reputation and annoy people.
- Over-personalize to the point it’s obvious you’re tracking them. No one likes that.
Step 6: Measure What Matters—And Ignore Vanity Metrics
You’ll get a ton of data from Intentsify, but most of it doesn’t map to real business outcomes. Focus on:
- Meetings booked with high-intent, high-fit accounts
- Pipeline created and sourced from those accounts
- Close rates vs. non-intent accounts
Ignore:
- “Engagement rates” that don’t tie to pipeline
- Number of accounts “showing intent” with no action taken
Pro tip: Regularly gut-check your process. Are you actually seeing better pipeline, or just more dashboards?
What Works—and What Doesn’t
What works:
- Using intent to narrow your focus, not expand it
- Simple, clear scoring and prioritization
- Tight feedback loops with sales
What doesn’t:
- Blindly trusting every intent spike
- Chasing after every account that blips on your radar
- Over-engineering your model before you’ve tested the basics
Things to ignore:
- Vendor promises of “AI-driven pipeline growth on autopilot.” There’s still work to do.
- FOMO about missing every possible intent signal. You’re better off missing a few than chasing ghosts.
Real-World Tips
- Talk to sales weekly: Find out which intent accounts actually responded and which were duds.
- Review your topics quarterly: The market shifts—make sure you’re tracking the right stuff.
- Don’t be afraid to cull: If certain accounts never engage, drop them from your lists.
- Start small: Pilot with one segment or region first. Expand once you see what’s working.
Keep It Simple. Test. Iterate.
You don’t need an army of consultants or a year-long roadmap to get value from Intentsify. Start with a clean ICP, keep your scoring simple, and focus on what actually moves pipeline. Intent data is a tool—not a silver bullet. Treat it like that, and you’ll avoid most of the usual headaches.
Don’t overthink it. Set up, test, adjust, repeat. That’s how you get results that actually matter.