Lead scoring sounds fancy, but it’s just a way to figure out which leads are worth your time. If you’re using the People B2B GTM software tool, this guide will walk you through setting up lead scoring that actually works—no vague promises, no unnecessary steps. If you’re in sales, marketing, or ops and want to stop wasting time on leads that’ll never close, you’re in the right place.
Why Bother with Lead Scoring?
Let’s be honest: not all leads are created equal. Some are tire-kickers, some are just bored, and a few are actually ready to buy. Lead scoring helps you separate the real opportunities from the noise, so your team can focus on what matters. The trick is not to overthink it or get lost in the weeds.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Makes a Good Lead
Before you even touch People’s settings, talk to your sales team. Ask simple questions:
- What do your best customers have in common?
- Any glaring red flags that always tank a deal?
- Which behaviors (downloads, demo requests, email replies) actually predict a sale?
Write these down. Don’t let this become a weeks-long “alignment” project—grab 15 minutes, get real answers, and move on.
Pro tip: Ignore generic traits like “job title contains ‘Manager’” unless you’ve seen those actually matter.
Step 2: Sketch Out Your Scoring Criteria
Now, take what you learned and turn it into a basic scoring model. Keep it simple at first. Most lead scoring falls into two buckets:
- Fit: Does this person/company match your ideal customer profile? (Think company size, industry, location, tech stack.)
- Behavior: Are they actually acting like a buyer? (Website visits, webinar signups, replying to emails.)
Start with a quick outline, like:
- +10: Requested a demo
- +5: Visited pricing page
- +5: Company is in target industry
- -10: Free email address (e.g., gmail.com)
Don’t stress about perfection. You can tweak this later.
What to avoid: Assigning points just because you can. Only use actions or traits that matter.
Step 3: Set Up Scoring Rules in People
Here’s where you actually build your model in People. Their UI is pretty straightforward, but here’s how to make sure you don’t trip over common hurdles.
3.1 Log In and Navigate to Lead Scoring
- Sign in to People.
- Go to your workspace or project where you manage leads.
- Find “Lead Scoring” (usually under automation or lead management).
3.2 Add Fit-Based Rules
- Choose criteria like company size, industry, location, or tech stack.
- Set point values for each. Be honest—don’t give points for traits that aren’t truly predictive.
- Add negative points for things like student emails or out-of-market regions.
3.3 Add Behavior-Based Rules
- Pick behaviors that actually show buying intent: demo booked, pricing page viewed, webinar attended.
- Assign higher points to actions closest to a sale.
- Set up triggers for recency (e.g., +3 if visited in last 7 days).
3.4 Set Decay Rules (Optional)
- If someone goes cold, their score should drop. People lets you set “decay” so a lead’s score goes down if they don’t engage for X days.
- Don’t overcomplicate—start with a simple rule like “-5 after 30 days of inactivity.”
Pro tip: Test your rules on a handful of recent closed-won and closed-lost leads. Does the score actually match reality?
Step 4: Test and Sanity-Check Your Model
Before you roll this out to your whole team:
- Run a few real leads through your scoring rules.
- Does a great lead end up with a high score? Do the duds fall low?
- Ask sales to spot-check a few results and give you honest feedback.
If things look weird (e.g., a spammer gets a high score, or your best lead doesn’t crack the top 10), tweak your rules.
What doesn’t work: Blindly trusting the tool’s “AI” or copying a generic template. People gives you flexibility—use it, but don’t let it run wild.
Step 5: Set Up Alerts and Handoffs
A score doesn’t mean much if nobody acts on it. In People, you can trigger workflows or notifications for high-scoring leads.
- Set a threshold (e.g., 50 points) that triggers an alert to sales.
- Route the lead to the right person or team.
- Make sure the handoff is clear—no “who owns this?” confusion.
Don’t over-engineer. Start with one or two simple alerts. You can get fancier later if it’s actually helping.
Step 6: Keep It Simple and Iterate
No lead scoring model is perfect on day one. The magic comes from tweaking over time:
- Once a month, look at which leads closed and which stalled.
- Adjust your points if you see patterns (e.g., maybe webinar signups aren’t as hot as you thought).
- Get feedback from the folks actually working leads—ignore “best practices” if they don’t fit your business.
Pro tip: Don’t let your model become a Frankenstein’s monster. If nobody can explain how the score works, it’s too complicated.
What to Ignore
- “AI-powered” scoring you don’t understand: If you can’t explain why a lead got its score, don’t rely on it.
- Points for vanity actions: Liking a blog post or following your company on social? Usually meaningless for B2B.
- Scoring based on fluffy, unmeasurable traits: “Innovative mindset” or “excited to partner” aren’t things you can automate.
Honest Take: What Works, What Doesn’t
Works: - Using a handful of fit and behavior signals you know are predictive. - Keeping the model simple enough for humans to understand and adjust. - Regularly checking if your scoring lines up with actual sales results.
Doesn’t Work: - Chasing every new data point or signal just because it’s available. - Letting lead scoring replace real conversations between sales and marketing. - Setting and forgetting your scoring forever—things change, and so should your model.
Wrapping Up
Lead scoring in People isn’t magic. It’s a practical tool to help you focus on the leads that matter, not an excuse to automate away all judgment. Start simple, use what you know works, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. The best systems are the ones your team actually understands and uses—everything else is just noise.