Sales teams waste a ton of time chasing leads that never go anywhere. If you’re tired of seeing reps spin their wheels, or you just want a better shot at hitting your numbers, you need a way to separate the tire-kickers from the real buyers. That’s where lead scoring comes in.
This guide is for anyone who’s new to lead scoring, or anyone using Leadonion and not seeing results yet. You’ll get honest advice on what actually works, what’s a distraction, and step-by-step help setting up a lead scoring system that your team will actually use.
Why bother with lead scoring?
Let’s be real: your sales team’s time is limited. Lead scoring isn’t magic, but it’s a practical way to make sure you spend that time where it counts. Done right, lead scoring helps you:
- Prioritize leads based on real buying signals, not gut feeling.
- Spot hot prospects before your competitors do.
- Avoid wasting time on leads that’ll never buy.
But don’t expect perfection. No lead scoring model will catch every great lead or weed out every dud. The goal is to get you moving in the right direction, not to automate your sales brain.
What is lead scoring in Leadonion, really?
In Leadonion, lead scoring is about assigning points to your leads based on their behavior and characteristics. Visit your pricing page? That’s a few points. Download your whitepaper? More points. CEO at a target company? Jackpot.
You set the scoring rules, and Leadonion tallies up the points. The higher the score, the higher the chance this lead is worth your attention. It’s simple in theory, but—like most tools—it’s only as smart as the rules you set up.
Step 1: Know your best leads (don’t skip this)
Before you even open Leadonion, stop and think: who are your best customers? What do they have in common? What did they do before they bought?
If you skip this, you’ll build a scoring system that’s basically random. Here’s what you should figure out first:
- Firmographics: Are your best buyers in a certain industry, company size, or region?
- Behavior: Do they always download case studies? Book a demo? Open your emails?
- Role: Are decision-makers more likely to buy, or are you usually talking to researchers first?
Jot these down. They’ll be your scoring “ingredients.”
Pro tip: Talk to your best sales reps (or look at closed-won deals) to spot real patterns. Don’t just guess.
Step 2: Map out your scoring criteria
Now, translate your “best lead” notes into concrete, scorable actions and attributes. You want to score two main types of things:
1. Demographics (who they are)
Typical criteria: - Job title (e.g., C-level, Director, Manager) - Company size - Industry - Location
2. Behaviors (what they do)
Typical criteria: - Website visits (and specific high-value pages) - Email opens/clicks - Webinar sign-ups or attendance - Content downloads - Demo requests
Don’t overthink this. Start with the 3–5 things that actually matter for your business.
What to ignore:
Don’t fall for the “score everything” trap. Not every data point matters. If you can’t prove it leads to more deals, skip it for now.
Step 3: Set up your scoring rules in Leadonion
Time to get your hands dirty. Here’s how to set up lead scoring in Leadonion (as of mid-2024):
- Log in and head to the Lead Scoring section.
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It’s usually under Settings or a dedicated “Scoring” tab. If you can’t find it, use the search bar—Leadonion’s UI isn’t always intuitive.
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Create a new scoring model.
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Name it something obvious, like “Default Sales Lead Scoring.”
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Add demographic rules.
- For each attribute (job title, industry, etc.), set up a rule and assign points.
- Example: “Job Title contains ‘Director’ = +10 points.”
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Be conservative. More points should go to deal-breakers, not nice-to-haves.
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Add behavioral rules.
- Map out the actions you care about, and set points for each.
- Example: “Visited pricing page = +15 points.”
“Opened 3+ emails = +5 points.” -
Don’t double-count. If someone downloads three ebooks in a row, should that really triple their score? Sometimes yes, sometimes no—use your judgment.
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Set negative scores (optional, but worth it).
- Subtract points for “bad fit” behaviors or attributes.
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Example: “Personal email address = -10 points.”
“Unsubscribed from emails = -25 points.” -
Set your threshold.
- Decide what score makes a lead “hot” or “sales-ready.”
- Start with a number that feels right, but expect to tweak it later as you see real results.
Pro tip: Don’t get cute with decimal points and overly complex rules. You’ll just confuse everyone (including yourself).
Step 4: Test your scoring (before you go live)
Don’t just turn it on and hope for the best. Run your new scoring system against a few months of old leads first. This is your “sanity check.”
- Pull up a list of closed-won and closed-lost leads.
- See how their scores stack up.
- Do your best customers actually have the highest scores?
- Are you accidentally promoting junk leads?
If the scores look off, adjust your rules and try again. This is normal. The best scoring models are tweaked over time, not set-and-forget.
What usually goes wrong:
- Overweighting easy-to-get behaviors (like email opens)
- Underweighting must-have demographics
- Forgetting to subtract points for obvious dead ends
Step 5: Roll it out (and actually use it)
Now you’re ready to put your scoring model to work.
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Train your sales team.
Don’t just email them a link. Show them what the scores mean, how to find high-scoring leads, and what actions to take. -
Build workflows around the scores.
For example: - Hot leads get assigned to senior reps right away.
- Medium scores go into a nurture sequence.
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Low scores get minimal attention (or go back to marketing).
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Report on what’s working.
Track which scores are converting and which aren’t. Share this with your team. If they see it’s working, they’ll actually use it.
Pro tips (from hard-won experience)
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Don’t obsess over “perfect” scores.
You’ll waste weeks. Good enough is good enough to start. -
Review and update quarterly.
Your business changes; so should your scoring. -
Listen to sales feedback.
If your reps keep saying, “these scores are junk,” don’t dismiss them. Dig in and fix what’s broken. -
Avoid black-box scoring.
If nobody can explain how the scores work, nobody will trust them. -
Don’t treat the score as gospel.
It’s a guide, not a mind reader. Real conversations still matter.
Keep it simple, keep it moving
Lead scoring with Leadonion won’t make your sales team perfect overnight, but it will help you focus on the right leads faster. Don’t get lost in the weeds or chase some mythical “AI-powered” model. Start simple, make it work, and iterate as you go. You’ll see more deals—and a lot less wasted time.