When sales consistently rates your “hot” leads as garbage, the problem isn’t with sales.
The Mistake: Building lead scoring models based on marketing activity rather than actual buying signals and sales feedback.
Why It Happens:
- Scoring based on engagement volume vs. buying intent
- No input from sales on what makes a quality lead
- Set-it-and-forget-it mentality after initial setup
- Confusing research activity with purchase intent
The Real Cost:
- Sales loses trust in marketing leads
- Good prospects get ignored due to poor timing
- Marketing gets blamed for low conversion rates
- Wasted sales time on unqualified prospects
The Fix – 5-Step Recalibration:
- Interview Sales on Lead Quality Indicators
- What questions indicate real buying intent?
- Which behavioral signals predict deal progression?
- What disqualifies a lead immediately?
- When do prospects typically convert vs. when do they research?
- Implement Intent-Based Scoring
- Weight buying committee expansion heavily
- Score solution-specific content consumption higher
- Add negative scoring for competitor research
- Include firmographic fit as multipliers, not standalone scores
- Create Behavioral Trigger Scoring
- Demo requests or trial signups = immediate qualification
- Pricing page visits from multiple company contacts
- Return visits within 48 hours
- Email engagement from multiple stakeholders
- Build Decay and Recency Models
- Fresh activity scores higher than old activity
- Set activity expiration dates (30-90 days)
- Weight recent behavioral changes heavily
- Reset scores after long periods of inactivity
- Establish Feedback Loops with Sales
- Weekly lead quality reviews with sales
- Track conversion rates by score ranges
- A/B test threshold adjustments
- Quarterly model optimization based on closed-won data
Ask your sales team this week: “What makes you excited to call a lead?” Then compare their answers to your current scoring model.
Marissa Homere 