If you’re in B2B sales, you know the brutal truth: most leads go nowhere. You waste hours chasing companies that aren’t even looking for your solution. What if you could spot the ones that are actually in the market—before your competitors do?
This guide is for sales and marketing pros who want to cut through the noise and actually use intent data—not just talk about it. We’ll look at how to use Enlyft intent signals to find the right accounts, sort real interest from noise, and focus your outreach where it counts.
What Are Enlyft Intent Signals, Really?
Let’s cut through the buzzwords. Enlyft pulls data from a bunch of sources—web activity, content consumption, social signals, and more—to figure out which companies are showing signs they might need your product.
An “intent signal” is basically a clue that someone at a company is sniffing around topics (or competitors) related to what you sell. Think of it as a digital trail of breadcrumbs. Did someone at Acme Corp download three whitepapers about cloud security in a week? That’s a stronger signal than someone who glanced at a blog post six months ago.
But here’s the thing: Not all signals are worth your time. Some are weak, some are just noise. The key is knowing which ones matter for you—and how to put them to work.
Step 1: Define What a “Good” Intent Signal Looks Like for You
Don’t just grab every signal Enlyft throws your way. Start by getting clear on your own criteria:
- Which topics matter? Ignore signals about products you don’t sell.
- Which company sizes and industries do you actually want? Don’t waste cycles on companies that can’t buy.
- How recent is recent enough? A signal from last quarter isn’t worth much.
Make a simple checklist. For example:
- “We want intent signals about cloud ERP from companies with 500+ employees in healthcare, in the last 30 days.”
Pro tip: Get sales and marketing on the same page here. If you’re not aligned, you’ll burn time arguing about what counts as a real lead.
Step 2: Set Up Enlyft to Filter Out the Noise
Enlyft’s data is only as good as the filters you set. Take the time to set up your account right:
- Topic filters: Pick only the buying signals that map to your actual products.
- Company filters: Use firmographic filters (size, industry, geography) to cut out irrelevant accounts.
- Recency filters: Tighten up the time window. Signals older than 30 days are usually stale.
You can set up these filters right in Enlyft’s dashboard. If you can, save these as default views so you’re not reinventing the wheel each time.
What to skip: Don’t bother with “vanity” signals (companies just reading news, or students doing research). Focus on actions that suggest real buying intent—like deep dives into case studies, comparisons, or pricing pages.
Step 3: Score and Prioritize Accounts
Not all intent is created equal. Use a simple scoring model to rank accounts so your team knows where to focus.
Consider:
- Signal strength: Multiple recent actions > single old action.
- Engagement type: Downloading a detailed guide > watching a 2-minute video.
- Fit: Is this account in your sweet spot?
Here’s a low-fuss way to score:
- Assign points for each factor (e.g., +3 for recent, +2 for high-value content, +1 for perfect fit).
- Add up the totals for each account.
- Sort your list—focus on the highest scores.
You don’t need fancy AI for this. A shared spreadsheet works fine to start.
What doesn’t work: Overcomplicating your scoring model. If it takes an hour to explain, no one will use it.
Step 4: Hand Off the Right Accounts to Sales
Once you’ve got your prioritized list, it’s time to get those accounts in front of your sales team—fast.
- Send only the best. Resist the urge to dump every “possible” lead into the CRM. You’ll just annoy your reps.
- Give context. Include why you think the account is hot (e.g., “Viewed your competitor’s demo three times last week”).
- Set up alerts. Use Enlyft (or your CRM) to notify reps when new high-intent accounts pop up.
Pro tip: Have a quick feedback loop. If sales says a lead was junk, figure out why. Tweak your filters and scoring as you go.
Step 5: Personalize Outreach Using Intent Insights
This is where intent data pays off. Use what you know to make outreach less generic and more relevant:
- Mention the specific topic or competitor the account showed interest in.
- Reference the type of content they engaged with (“Saw you’ve been digging into cloud ERP comparisons—can I help?”).
- Skip the “just checking in” emails. You already know what’s on their mind.
What to ignore: Don’t get creepy or over-personalize (“I see you read our pricing page at 9:13 pm!”). Stick to broad signals, not surveillance.
Step 6: Track What’s Working and Adjust
Intent data isn’t set-it-and-forget-it. Keep an eye on what’s actually moving the needle:
- Are high-scoring accounts turning into real conversations?
- Are certain topics or actions better predictors of buying?
- Is your sales team happy with the quality of leads?
Adjust your filters and scoring every month or so. Kill what’s not working; double down where you see traction.
Pro tip: Salespeople will tell you (bluntly) if your intent signals are garbage. Listen to them.
The Honest Truth: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What Works
- Tight filters. Quality > quantity every time.
- Fast handoff to sales with context.
- Simple, transparent scoring models.
- Personalizing outreach based on real intent, not just demographics.
What Doesn’t
- Chasing every signal. You end up overwhelmed and distracted.
- Overcomplicating your rules and automations.
- Using intent data as a “magic bullet.” It’s a tool, not a silver platter.
What to Ignore
- “Lookalike” signals with no buying intent.
- Ancient signals—anything older than a month is usually dead.
- Vanity metrics (e.g., “number of companies showing some intent”). You want real opportunities, not big numbers for a dashboard.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t get seduced by dashboards and “AI-powered” models. Most of the value comes from setting clear rules, filtering hard, and acting fast. Start simple, listen to your sales team, and be ready to adjust as you learn.
Intent data’s not magic, but it is useful—if you cut through the noise and focus on signals that actually mean something. Stick to the basics, and you’ll spend a lot less time chasing ghosts.