5 Ways to Activate Person-Based Intent Signals (That Actually Work)

August 8, 2025

Turn buying signals into pipeline – without the guesswork.

So, you’ve got your hands on person-based intent data. You know exactly who’s researching solutions in your space, what they care about, and where they are in their buying journey.

Now what?

Having that level of intelligence is a massive step forward—but it’s how you activate it that really drives impact. Below are five practical ways Lead Onion customers are using person-based intent signals to power high-performing sales and marketing strategies.

1. The “Perfect Timing” Email Sequence

There’s a world of difference between a cold email and a well-timed, laser-focused message.

One Lead Onion user overhauled their entire outreach strategy using person-based intent. Rather than sending generic “just checking in” emails, they now trigger a three-part sequence the moment someone shows consistent interest in their solution category.

Here’s what makes it effective:

The subject line ties directly to the topic the prospect has been researching
The content addresses real questions based on the buyer’s research stage
The CTA aligns with where that person is in their journey

Pro Tip: Don’t make it feel intrusive. Avoid phrases like “I saw you were researching XYZ.” Instead, position it like:
“Based on conversations with other companies in your space, I thought this would be helpful…”

2. The Multi-Person Approach

In B2B, decisions are rarely made in isolation. The average buying committee includes 6–10 stakeholders. Person-based intent shows you exactly who within the account is engaged—not just the one person who filled out a form.

One enterprise client used this to rethink their entire ABM approach. When they spotted multiple individuals from the same company researching their solution, they launched a coordinated campaign featuring:

Role-specific messaging (e.g. technical content for IT, ROI-based messaging for Finance)
Multi-touch outreach via email, LinkedIn, and direct mail
Custom landing pages based on individual research topics

Pro Tip: Personalise at the persona level. The CMO and CTO are researching with different priorities in mind—tailor your message accordingly.

3. The Sales Priority Dashboard

Sales reps are constantly asking the same question: Who should I call first today?

One Lead Onion customer in financial services solved this with a daily dashboard powered by intent. It highlights:

The most recent intent signals across target accounts
The exact topics each person is researching
The intensity of research (light browsing vs deep dive)
A match score based on ICP fit

Reps now begin their day with a ranked list of hot prospects and conversation starters that actually land.

Pro Tip: Keep it focused. Too much data = decision paralysis. Prioritise 3–5 key signals that move the needle.

4. The Content Recommendation Engine

Your content is only valuable if it answers real questions—and lands at the right time.

One marketing agency using Lead Onion took a simple but powerful approach:
When someone showed interest in a specific topic, they automatically triggered a content send that answered that exact question.

No forms. No friction. Just value—delivered at the perfect moment.

Pro Tip: Focus on being helpful, not salesy. At this stage, your job is to build trust, not book a meeting.

5. The “Perfect Pitch” Presentation

Ever walked into a meeting and realised you’re pitching the wrong message? Person-based intent fixes that.

One software company using Lead Onion built a dynamic pitch deck builder. It pulls in topics each stakeholder has been researching and generates a customised presentation—weighted by intensity of interest.

So if the Head of Product and the CFO are both in the meeting, your deck speaks to both, in the right measure.

Pro Tip: Give sales reps the flexibility to edit—but arm them with a data-informed starting point.