If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know the usual drill: too many leads, not enough time, and a mountain of data that’s supposed to make things easier—but usually just gives you a headache. You want to work smarter, not harder. That’s where products like Propensity promise to help. But what actually matters? Let’s skip the fluff and get into the real features that can help you actually optimize your go-to-market (GTM) strategy—and what you can safely ignore.
What Is Propensity Supposed to Do?
At its core, Propensity is designed to help you figure out which accounts or leads are most likely to buy, and then help you focus your sales and marketing efforts on them. The idea is simple: prioritize your time and resources on the folks most likely to say yes, so you can stop chasing dead ends. The trick is figuring out which features actually help—and which are just marketing window dressing.
1. Predictive Scoring That’s Actually Useful
Almost every GTM tool says it has some kind of “predictive scoring.” The real question: does it help you make better decisions, or just give you another score to ignore?
What works: - Propensity’s scoring model uses your own company’s data (past deals, ICP, engagement signals) rather than a generic industry model. This means the scores are tailored to what actually works for you—not what worked for someone else. - You can see why an account is scored high or low. This transparency matters. If you can’t explain it to your sales team, they won’t trust it or use it.
What to ignore: - Any “black box” scores that just spit out a number without context. - Overly granular scoring on every single lead action (like email opens). Focus on the big signals: meetings booked, demos attended, budget confirmed.
Pro Tip:
Don’t get caught up chasing the “perfect” score. Use it as a prioritization tool, not gospel.
2. Dynamic Segmentation (No More Static Lists)
Segmenting your target accounts shouldn’t be a one-and-done exercise. Markets change, people change jobs, and what worked last quarter might totally flop today.
What works: - Propensity lets you build dynamic segments—so if a company’s intent spikes or they hit a new funding round, they slide right into your hot list automatically. - Filters are straightforward. Want mid-market SaaS companies in the Midwest that have visited your pricing page in the last 30 days? Easy.
What to ignore: - Overcomplicated segmentation with dozens of micro-filters. Keep it simple; focus on your top 3–5 buying signals.
Real Talk:
If you’re still building static lists and uploading CSVs every month, you’re wasting hours you’ll never get back.
3. Intent Data That’s Actually Actionable
Intent data is everywhere now, but most of it is either too vague (“someone from BigCo read a blog”) or too late (“they’re already talking to a competitor”).
What works: - Propensity pulls in multiple intent signals—website visits, ad clicks, email responses, third-party research activity—and combines them into one view. - You can set up alerts for meaningful spikes, not just any activity. If a target account suddenly checks out your product page three times in a week, you’ll know.
What to ignore: - Vague intent signals like “general industry interest.” Focus on behaviors that show someone is actively considering your product or category.
Caution:
Intent data won’t magically hand you deals. It’s a nudge, not a guarantee.
4. Account-Level Insights (Not Just Lead Details)
Too many platforms focus on individual leads—fine for B2C, but in B2B, deals are almost always made by committees.
What works: - Propensity gives you an account-level dashboard showing all activity, engagement, and buying signals across everyone at the company. - You can see who’s most engaged, who’s ghosting you, and who might be a blocker.
What to ignore: - Overly detailed contact scoring. If you’re spending hours arguing about whether Jane or Jim is the “real” decision maker, you’re missing the forest for the trees. - Vanity metrics like total email opens—focus on meetings booked and key personas engaged.
Pro Tip:
Train your team to think in “accounts,” not just leads. That’s where big deals live.
5. Workflow Automation That Saves Time (Not Creates Busywork)
The best GTM tools don’t just give you data—they help you act on it. But automation should make things easier, not add another five steps to your day.
What works: - Propensity lets you trigger workflows based on real buying signals: assign accounts, launch campaigns, send alerts to reps, etc. - Integrates with your CRM and marketing tools, so you’re not duplicating work.
What to ignore: - Overcomplicated automation that tries to do everything. If you need an engineer to change a workflow, it’s too much. - “Set it and forget it” promises. You’ll always need to tweak and adjust as you learn.
Keep in Mind:
Start with basic automations—like flagging hot accounts for sales follow-up—then build from there.
6. Real-Time Dashboards and Reports (That Don’t Suck)
You want to know what’s happening right now—not just what happened last quarter.
What works: - Propensity’s dashboards update in real time, so you see pipeline changes, engagement, and conversion rates as they happen. - Customizable views, so sales, marketing, and execs can each get what they need without wading through irrelevant data.
What to ignore: - Reports with 20+ vanity metrics. Focus on pipeline movement, conversion, and engagement with key accounts.
Pro Tip:
Pick 3–5 key metrics to watch. If you can’t explain why a report matters, don’t look at it.
7. Easy Integration (So You Don’t Need a “Project”)
Nothing kills momentum like a six-month integration project. GTM tools should work with what you have.
What works: - Propensity connects to common CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot), marketing automation, and data tools with native connectors. - Minimal IT involvement—most teams can set it up themselves.
What to ignore: - Promises of “integrates with anything.” Check the docs, test the connection, and make sure your core workflows actually sync.
Heads Up:
If you’re stuck manually exporting and importing data, push for better native integrations or you’ll never get a full view.
What Propensity Won’t Fix
Let’s be honest: no tool, including Propensity, will fix a bad product, broken sales process, or unclear value proposition. It can help you focus, but it won’t do the hard work for you.
Don’t expect: - Instant leads or overnight pipeline. - AI that closes deals for you. - Magic answers if your ICP is a guess.
Putting It All Together: How to Actually Use Propensity
-
Define Your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile):
Do the work up front. If you don’t know who you want to sell to, no tool can help. -
Connect Your Data:
Sync your CRM, marketing automation, and web analytics. Garbage in = garbage out. -
Set Up Your Segments and Scores:
Start simple. Build a few core segments and test your scoring model. -
Pilot With Sales:
Get feedback from real reps using it. If they ignore it, find out why and fix it. -
Automate (Carefully):
Add automations only where they save time or reduce manual steps. -
Review and Adjust Weekly:
GTM is not “set it and forget it.” Look at what’s working, get rid of what isn’t, and keep iterating.
Bottom Line: Keep It Simple, Keep Moving
Propensity can help you stop guessing and start focusing your efforts where they matter. But don’t let any tool—no matter how shiny—distract you from the basics: know your customer, act fast, and keep testing what works. Start small, cut what’s not useful, and keep things moving. Simple beats complicated every time.