If you’re spending hours sorting through leads and still missing the best ones, you’re not alone. Lead scoring sounds complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. This guide is for sales and marketing folks who want to set up automated lead scoring in Gradual without getting bogged down in theory, hype, or a million settings you’ll never use. Let’s get you from zero to a working system—fast.
What is Lead Scoring (And Why Automate It)?
In plain English, lead scoring is just a way to rank your leads so you can focus on the best ones first. Think of it like triaging—who’s hot, who’s not, and who’s just browsing.
Manual lead scoring is tedious and inconsistent. Automation removes the grunt work, keeps things objective, and helps your team react faster. If you’re using Gradual, you already have tools to make this happen—no need to duct-tape spreadsheets or chase down engineers.
Step 1: Define What Makes a Good Lead for You
Before you touch any settings, get clear on what a “good lead” actually means for your business. Don’t just copy generic scoring models from the internet—they rarely fit your real buyers.
Ask yourself: - What actions do your best customers take before buying? (E.g., download a whitepaper, attend a webinar, request a demo) - What firmographics matter? (Industry, company size, job title, etc.) - Are there any deal-breakers? (Competitors, students, people outside your service area)
Pro tip: Talk to your sales team. They usually know which signals matter and which are noise.
Write these criteria down. You’ll use them to set up rules in Gradual.
Step 2: Get Your Data Ready
Automated scoring is only as good as the data you feed it. Garbage in, garbage out. Before setting up scoring in Gradual, make sure you have:
- All your lead sources connected (website forms, event signups, CRM, etc.)
- Key fields mapped correctly (email, company, job title, etc.)
- Activity tracking in place (e.g., page visits, email opens, content downloads)
If your data’s a mess, pause and clean it up. Otherwise, your scores will be off and you’ll waste time chasing bad leads.
What to ignore: Fancy integrations you don’t need. Start with your main data sources—add the rest later if it actually helps.
Step 3: Log into Gradual and Find the Lead Scoring Feature
Once you’re in Gradual, head to the admin dashboard. Look for “Lead Scoring” or something similar—it’s usually under Automation, Settings, or Lead Management.
If you can’t find it: - Check Gradual’s help docs or support chat. - Make sure your plan includes lead scoring (some features might be gated).
Honest take: If the UI makes you feel lost, you’re not alone. Most platforms bury this stuff—don’t be afraid to ask support for the exact clicks.
Step 4: Set Up Your Scoring Model
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. There are two main ways to score leads in Gradual:
1. Rule-Based (Points for Actions and Attributes)
This is the most common (and safest) place to start: - Assign points for actions (e.g., +10 for demo request, +5 for webinar signup, +2 for email open) - Assign points for attributes (e.g., +8 for “VP” in job title, +5 for target industry) - Subtract points for negative signals (e.g., -10 for competitor email, -5 for missing company info)
How to do this in Gradual: - Click “Add Rule” or similar. - Choose the trigger (action or attribute). - Set the point value. - Repeat for your list.
What works: Keep it simple. Start with 5-7 main rules. You can always tweak later.
What doesn’t: Getting too granular. If you have 30 rules, nobody will remember what matters and your scores will be mush.
2. AI or Predictive Scoring (If Available)
Some Gradual plans offer machine learning-based scoring. It sounds cool, but treat it as a supplement, not a replacement, until you see it’s actually accurate for your data.
- Turn it on if you want, but compare its results to your rule-based model.
- Don’t trust a “black box” score unless you can see what signals it’s using.
Pro tip: AI models need a lot of clean, historical data to work well. If you’re new to Gradual or don’t have much data, stick with rules for now.
Step 5: Set Up Score Thresholds and Actions
Scoring is useless if you don’t do anything with the results. Here’s how to make scores actionable:
- Define thresholds: What score counts as “hot,” “warm,” or “cold”? (Example: 50+ = hot, 30-49 = warm, below 30 = cold)
- Set up automations: Trigger next steps when scores cross a threshold:
- Assign “hot” leads to sales reps
- Send a personalized email to “warm” leads
- Mark “cold” leads for nurture campaigns
How to do this in Gradual: - Go to the automation or workflow builder. - Set a trigger: “When lead score crosses X…” - Choose the action (assign, notify, email, etc.)
What to ignore: Overcomplicating your flows with too many branches. Start with one or two key actions per segment.
Step 6: Test with Real Leads
Before you trust your shiny new scoring model, see how it works in the wild.
- Run your last 30–50 leads through the system.
- Did the “hot” leads actually convert? Are the “cold” ones truly unqualified?
- Ask your sales team for honest feedback. (Not all reps will agree, but look for patterns.)
What works: Iterate quickly. Adjust point values and thresholds based on what you learn.
What doesn’t: Setting it and forgetting it. Lead scoring is a living thing—tune it every month or so.
Step 7: Roll Out and Monitor
Once you’re happy with the scoring, roll it out to your full team.
- Train sales and marketing on what the scores mean (and what they don’t).
- Set up regular check-ins: Are good leads still getting flagged? Are any slipping through?
- Monitor for false positives or negatives—no system is perfect.
Pro tip: Document your rules and logic. People will forget, and it saves headaches later.
Step 8: Keep it Simple, Tune as You Go
There’s a temptation to over-engineer lead scoring. Resist it. The best systems are clear and easy for everyone to understand.
- Review your scoring every quarter. Update rules as you learn.
- Kill rules that aren’t predicting real buying intent.
- Don’t chase perfection—you just need “better than random.”
Final Thoughts
Automated lead scoring in Gradual should make your life easier, not harder. Start simple, use the data you actually have, and tune your system based on real outcomes—not wishful thinking or vendor hype. The best setups are the ones you actually use. Don’t be afraid to adjust as you go. The goal isn’t a perfect model—it’s spending more time on leads that matter, and less on those that don’t.