Are leads prioritized by score or readiness?

[mostakimvip06]

In sales and marketing, the prioritization of leads is a critical process that directly impacts efficiency and conversion rates. While both lead score and lead readiness are crucial elements, they work hand-in-hand rather than being mutually exclusive. Ultimately, a balanced approach that considers both is most effective.

Lead Scoring: Quantifying Potential

Lead scoring is a systematic methodology that buy telemarketing data assigns numerical values (points) to leads based on predefined criteria. These criteria typically fall into two main categories:

Explicit Data (Demographics/Firmographics): This includes information a lead provides directly or that is gathered about them, such as:
Job title (e.g., decision-maker vs. individual contributor)
Company size and industry (alignment with Ideal Customer Profile - ICP)
Geographic location
Budget and authority
Implicit Data (Behavioral/Engagement): This tracks a lead's interactions and engagement with your company, such as:
Website visits (specific pages visited, time spent)
Content downloads (whitepapers, case studies)
Email opens and click-through rates
Webinar attendance
Social media engagement
Requests for demos or pricing
Each action or attribute is assigned a positive or negative point value based on its correlation with conversion likelihood. For example, visiting a pricing page might earn more points than reading a blog post, while visiting a careers page might deduct points. The higher the lead score, the more "valuable" or "promising" the lead is considered.

Lead Readiness: Gauging Intent and Urgency

Lead readiness, often closely tied to lead scoring, refers to a lead's actual state of being prepared and willing to engage with sales and potentially make a purchase. It focuses on the lead's position in the buying cycle and their demonstrated intent. While a high lead score indicates a good "fit" and engagement, readiness specifically highlights their current likelihood of conversion.