Intent data promises to be the secret weapon for modern sales and marketing teams – revealing which companies are actually in-market and ready to buy.
Yet, despite heavy investment, many businesses still struggle to turn these “hot” signals into real pipeline – let alone revenue.
In fact, 79% of marketers using five or more intent sources say over half their leads become sales-accepted – but for many companies, those numbers don’t translate to closed deals.
So where’s the disconnect?
The reality is that intent data alone won’t drive sales. Without a strategy to activate it, you’re just sitting on a goldmine you can’t access – wasting budget, missing opportunities, and frustrating your sales team.
Let’s break down the common pitfalls and, more importantly, how to fix them.
Why Your Intent Data Isn’t Driving Sales
1. Relying on One Intent Source
If you’re only using a single provider for intent data, you’re flying blind — because no one source captures the full buyer journey.
Buyers leave clues everywhere — from search behavior to content downloads to tech research — and focusing on just one source means missing critical signals.
The Fix:
Leverage multiple intent sources — including third-party data, technographics, and real-time behavioral signals — for a comprehensive view of your buyers.
2. Sales and Marketing Are Out of Sync
Marketing is capturing signals. Sales is ignoring them — or worse, acting on them too late with the wrong messaging.
If sales and marketing aren’t working from the same playbook, leads fall through the cracks fast.
The Fix:
Align on an activation process:
- Marketing qualifies and enriches intent signals.
- Sales knows when and how to follow up — with context that makes outreach relevant and timely.
3. No Activation Strategy
Collecting intent data is one thing. Knowing what to do with it is another.
If you don’t have a clear workflow for turning signals into action, even the hottest leads will go cold.
The Fix:
Build a repeatable activation plan, including:
- Real-time alerts for high-intent accounts.
- Automated nurture sequences that warm leads until sales-ready.
- Defined handoff between marketing and sales to avoid missed opportunities.
4. Slow Follow-Up
When it comes to buyer intent, speed wins.
Companies that engage leads within five minutes are 100 times more likely to connect and convert than those that wait. Yet many teams are still following up days later – or not at all.
The Fix:
Automate follow-up to trigger instant, personalized outreach — whether it’s an email, LinkedIn message, or call. Strike while the intent is hot.
Turning Buyer Signals Into Sales: A 3-Step Fix
If you’re investing in intent data but not seeing results, it’s time to rethink your approach. Here’s how to close the activation gap and drive revenue:
Step 1: Multi-Source Intent Data for Accuracy
Gather intent signals from multiple sources — including content engagement, competitor research, and third-party data (like Lead Onion’s partnerships with top providers) — to build a clearer, more actionable picture of in-market buyers.
Step 2: Sales and Marketing Alignment for Fast Action
Create a shared, seamless process where marketing surfaces and qualifies hot accounts, and sales follows up with the right message at the right time — no delays, no guesswork.
Step 3: Automated Outreach for Speed and Scale
Set up intent-triggered workflows that automatically launch personalized, multi-channel sequences – so no signal gets left behind, and every opportunity is followed up fast.
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Ready to stop guessing and start selling?
Lead Onion’s AI-Powered Buyer Intent Agent delivers real-time, multi-source intent signals – so you know exactly who’s ready to buy and when.
Automatically surface high-intent accounts, prioritize leads, and trigger outreach the moment buyers start researching.
Turn buyer signals into sales conversations – faster, smarter, and at scale.
