You’ve built the sequences. You’ve nailed the messaging. You’ve filled your cadences with leads that fit your ICP.
So why aren’t they replying?
If your outbound emails are getting opened but not answered—or worse, not opened at all—the problem likely isn’t your copy. It’s your timing, targeting, or both.
According to HubSpot, only 23.9% of sales emails are opened, and less than 9% get a response.
Why? Because most sales teams are blasting generic sequences to static lists without knowing if their prospect even wants to buy.
The Traditional Sequence Problem
Sales cadences are often built using personas, verticals, and assumed pain points. They rarely take into account live buying behaviour.
And while tools like automation platforms have made it easier to deliver sequences at scale, they haven’t solved the real issue:
Reps are still contacting people who aren’t ready to engage.
Without buyer intent data, you’re relying on hope—not signals.
How Intent Signals Fix the Sequence Gap
Buyer intent data shows you who is:
- Researching your product or solution
- Comparing vendors in your space
- Engaging with content related to your value proposition
Lead Onion pulls this data from 20+ premium sources and scores it based on recency, frequency, and depth of engagement. This means you can:
- Prioritise outreach to high-intent accounts
- Launch sequences when a prospect is actually ready
- Customise messaging to their specific research topic
How to Build Intent-Driven Sequences That Convert
Step 1: Segment by Intent Stage
Early-stage = send helpful content. Late-stage = CTA to speak. With Lead Onion’s signal tracking, you know where each account sits in their journey.
Step 2: Match Messaging to Topic
If a company is researching “B2B intent platforms,” reference that topic directly. This relevance dramatically boosts reply rates.
Step 3: Trigger Sequences on Spikes
Set up alerts so sequences start automatically when intent spikes occur. This makes sure you’re always hitting at the right moment.
Step 4: Adapt Your CTA
Not all intent is created equal. Adjust your CTA to match their readiness:
- Early intent: “Would you find this resource useful?”
- Late intent: “Open to a quick call this week?”
Real-World Sequence Example
Day 0: Account spikes in “pipeline acceleration” intent
- Email 1: Subject: “A quick idea to boost sales velocity at {{Company}}”
- Message: Custom intro + value prop based on pain
Day 2: Opened, no reply
- Email 2: Share relevant case study
Day 5: Further engagement detected
- Email 3: Meeting ask
By aligning your message with real-time buyer behaviour, you move from cold to contextual outreach.
Tools That Power This Strategy
With Lead Onion, your sequences are fuelled by:
- Real-time intent data from 20+ sources
- Contact Reveal to find the right decision-makers
- Sales Triggers to automate outreach when activity spikes
- CRM integrations to sync everything into your existing workflows
Results You Can Expect
Sales teams using intent-driven sequences see:
- 50%+ increase in reply rates
- 30% lift in meetings booked
- Faster deal velocity and higher win rates
- Fewer wasted touches and more focused activity
Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Send More. Send Smarter.
Your sequences aren’t converting because you’re not matching message to moment. Intent signals change that.
When you reach out at the right time, with the right message, to the right person—you win more conversations.
👉 Try Lead Onion for free and start sending sales sequences that convert.
