If you’re tired of chasing dead-end leads and want a no-nonsense way to put your sales team’s energy where it counts, you’re in the right place. This guide is for sales leaders, SDRs, and anyone who’s been promised “game-changing” intent data and just wants to see it actually work. We’ll walk through how to use Leanlayer intent signals to sort your sales prospects—so you stop guessing, and start closing.
Why Intent Signals Actually Matter (and When They Don’t)
Let’s get something out of the way: intent data is not magic. It doesn’t tell you who’s buying tomorrow. But if you use it right, it can cut through the noise and help you focus your time.
What it does well: - Spots prospects showing early signs of interest—before your competitors notice. - Surfaces accounts that are researching your category, not just your company. - Helps your team avoid “spray and pray” outreach.
What it won’t do: - Replace old-school sales work or relationship-building. - Turn cold leads hot overnight. - Tell you why someone is interested (context still matters).
So, treat it as a compass—not a map.
Step 1: Know What Leanlayer Intent Signals Actually Track
Before you start prioritizing, get clear on what you’re working with. Leanlayer intent signals are built by tracking digital behaviors that hint at buying intent. Here’s what’s usually included:
- Content consumption: Who’s reading relevant articles, guides, or product pages.
- Comparison/review activity: Visits to comparison pages or third-party review sites.
- Search patterns: Spikes in specific keyword searches that match your solution.
- Engagement with ads or webinars: Clicks, signups, or repeat visits.
Pro tip: Not all signals are created equal. Someone reading a blog post is less valuable than someone checking out pricing or attending a product demo.
What to ignore: Vanity signals—like social media likes or generic homepage visits—usually mean nothing for B2B sales.
Step 2: Set Up Leanlayer So You’re Not Drowning in Data
A lot of teams get intent data and then just stare at a wall of noise. Don’t do that. Here’s how to set up Leanlayer so you get signal, not chaos:
- Define your target accounts. Upload your ICP (ideal customer profile) list first. If you’re just tracking the whole world, you’ll get overwhelmed.
- Pick your priority signals. Decide which behaviors matter most. Usually, late-stage signals (like pricing page visits, demo signups) are gold. Early-stage (blog reads, general research) are good for warm-up, not immediate action.
- Set up filters and alerts. Only get notified for the stuff you care about. If your team gets 50 notifications a day, they’ll ignore all of them.
Honest take: The more you try to track, the more you’ll miss. Start with a few high-value signals and expand later.
Step 3: Score and Rank Prospects—But Keep It Simple
Intent data is only useful if it’s actionable. Assign scores to different behaviors so you can rank prospects and focus outreach.
How to Build a Simple Intent Scoring System
- Assign point values. For example:
- Pricing page visit: 10 points
- Demo signup: 15 points
- Attended webinar: 8 points
- Read a blog post: 2 points
- Set thresholds. Decide what qualifies as “hot,” “warm,” and “cold.” Maybe 15+ points = hot, 8-14 = warm, below 8 = cold.
- Review weekly. Intent changes fast. Someone hot last week might go cold this week.
What to skip: Don’t build a scoring system that needs a spreadsheet wizard to maintain. If your reps can’t explain the score in 30 seconds, it’s too complicated.
Step 4: Prioritize Outreach (Don’t Chase Every Blip)
Now you’ve got a ranked list. Here’s how to actually use it:
- Focus on hot prospects first. These are the accounts showing multiple strong signals in a short period.
- Stagger outreach to warm leads. Schedule follow-ups for those showing early interest, but don’t swarm them.
- Ignore cold leads for now. They’re just noise until they show real signs.
Pro tip: Pair intent data with firmographics—like company size, industry, or tech stack—to avoid wasting time on accounts that’ll never buy, even if they look “active.”
What Not to Do
- Don’t use intent data as an excuse to spam. Relevance still matters.
- Don’t ignore existing customers who are suddenly showing high intent—they might be ready to expand or, worse, churn.
Step 5: Personalize Your Messaging (But Don’t Get Creepy)
Intent signals should inform your outreach, not dictate it word-for-word. Use what you see as context, not a script.
- Reference relevant topics. If a prospect is reading about integrations, start there.
- Ask open-ended questions. “I noticed you’re looking at X—what’s driving that interest?”
- Don’t mention you’re tracking them. Nobody wants to feel spied on.
What works: Reps who use intent data to start better conversations, not just fire off generic emails, see more replies.
Step 6: Track Results and Adjust (Because Stuff Changes)
Intent data isn’t set-and-forget. Every quarter (at least), check what’s actually working:
- Are hot leads converting, or are you getting false positives?
- Are there signals you’re missing?
- Is your team following up fast enough? (Speed matters—a lot.)
If something isn’t working, change it. Don’t be afraid to drop signals that just create noise, or to adjust point values as you get smarter.
What to Ignore: The Hype Around “AI-Powered” Everything
A quick reality check: a lot of intent data tools—including Leanlayer—love to tout “AI-driven insights” and “predictive analytics.” That sounds good, but in the real world, most of your results will come from just: - Tracking a handful of high-value behaviors. - Acting quickly and thoughtfully. - Regularly cleaning up your process.
Don’t get distracted by dashboards and shiny features. If your team can’t explain how your intent signals map to actual sales wins, the tool’s not helping.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Actually Use the Data
To recap (without recapping): Intent data is only as good as your process. Start with a tight focus, keep your scoring simple, and adjust as you go. Ignore the hype, and use Leanlayer to steer your energy to the accounts that matter. The rest is just noise.
If you keep things simple and actually act on what you learn, you’ll close more deals and waste way less time. That’s the real win.