What Should I Do with Marketing Qualified Leads?

In the B2B landscape, handling marketing qualified leads (MQLs) efficiently can significantly impact your business growth. Converting MQLs into loyal customers requires a strategic approach. Here are key steps to ensure you maximize the potential of your MQLs.

1. Understand Your MQLs

First, recognize what makes a lead "marketing qualified." MQLs are individuals who have engaged with your marketing efforts, showing interest in your products or services. They’ve downloaded resources, filled out forms, or interacted with your website. This engagement indicates a higher likelihood of becoming a customer, making them prime targets for your sales team.

2. Nurture the Leads

MQLs aren’t always ready to buy immediately. Implementing an effective lead nurturing strategy is crucial. Utilize email marketing campaigns to provide valuable content, such as industry insights, case studies, and product updates. Personalized content tailored to their interests can build trust and keep your brand top-of-mind.

3. Segment Your Leads

Not all MQLs are created equal. Segment your leads based on their behaviors, interests, and demographics. This segmentation allows for more personalized and targeted communication. By understanding their specific needs and pain points, you can tailor your messaging to resonate better and move them through the sales funnel.

4. Score and Prioritize

Lead scoring is a technique to rank your MQLs based on their engagement level and potential value. Assign scores based on actions such as email opens, content downloads, and website visits. High-scoring leads should be prioritized for immediate follow-up, while lower-scoring leads may require further nurturing.

5. Align Sales and Marketing Teams

Collaboration between your sales and marketing teams is essential. Ensure both teams have a clear understanding of what constitutes an MQL and the process for handing them off to sales. Regular meetings and shared KPIs can foster better alignment and smoother transitions.

6. Utilize CRM Tools

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools are invaluable for managing MQLs. CRMs allow you to track interactions, monitor lead status, and analyze data to refine your strategies. Integrate your CRM with marketing automation platforms to streamline the process and maintain consistency in communication.

7. Provide Sales with Insights

Equip your sales team with detailed insights about each MQL. Information such as the lead's behavior, preferences, and previous interactions with your brand can help sales reps tailor their approach and address specific needs, increasing the chances of conversion.

8. Measure and Optimize

Continuously measure the effectiveness of your MQL strategies. Track metrics such as conversion rates, lead velocity, and customer acquisition costs. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your approach for better results.

Conclusion

In conclusion, transforming MQLs into customers requires a blend of personalized nurturing, strategic segmentation, and seamless collaboration between marketing and sales. By implementing these best practices, you can enhance your lead management process and drive sustained business growth. For more insights and personalized guidance, give us a call at (330) 994-1349 or contact us online to get started and see how we can support your growth journey.

Where Can I Find Intent Data for Targeting B2B Leads?

Does your sales team waste hours chasing leads that might be interested—sending emails into the void and hoping something sticks? That’s an expensive way to waste your time.

What if you could stop guessing?

Intent data changes the game. It tells you who is actively researching solutions like yours, what they care about, and when they’re ready to engage. Instead of waiting for leads to raise their hands, you get ahead of the curve—reaching them at the right moment with the right message.

The challenge is that most B2B teams aren’t using intent data correctly—or at all. Many are stuck relying on outdated prospecting methods, struggling to separate serious buyers from tire-kickers. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

But that’s also an opportunity. A solid intent data strategy gives you a competitive edge—helping you reach the right prospects before your competitors even know they’re in the market. And the best part? You don’t need a massive budget or a data science degree to get started.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

• Where to find intent data (from free tools to premium providers)

• How to use it to prioritize leads and drive better engagement

• Practical steps to integrate intent signals into your sales and marketing strategy

No fluff, no theory—just a clear path to turning intent data into revenue.

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Want to see how intent data works in the real world?

Check out our case study with Excite Exhibits—where smarter targeting and sharper outreach boosted their conversion rate to 33%.

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What Is Intent Data? (And Why Does It Matter?)

According to Forrester, over 85% of companies using intent data have achieved business benefits, including increased response rates from outbound marketing and more successful sales prospecting.

That’s because intent data removes the guesswork from lead generation. Instead of chasing cold leads, your team can focus on prospects actively researching solutions like yours.

What Is Intent Data?

Intent data tracks online behaviors that indicate buying interest—things like:

• Website visits (pages viewed, time spent, return frequency)

• Content engagement (downloads, webinar sign-ups, case study views)

• Search queries (keywords and topics prospects are researching)

• Social media interactions (comments, shares, and discussions)

By analyzing these signals, businesses can identify who is seriously considering a purchase and what they care about—allowing for more strategic outreach.

Why Does Intent Data Matter?

1. Enhanced Lead Prioritization
   Not all leads are created equal. Intent data helps identify which prospects are actively looking for a solution, so your team can focus efforts where they’re most likely to convert.

2. Improved Personalization
   Knowing a prospect’s interests enables tailored messaging that resonates—leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

3. Better Sales & Marketing Alignment
   Intent data bridges the gap between marketing-generated leads and sales outreach, ensuring both teams are working from the same insights.

4. Shorter Sales Cycles
   Engaging prospects who are actively researching means faster decision-making and quicker deal closures.

5. Competitive Advantage
   By reaching buyers before competitors do, you increase the chances of becoming their first choice.

Incorporating intent data into your strategy keeps you ahead of the competition. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, those who harness the power of intent data will be better equipped to meet the needs of their prospects and drive business growth.

Related Article: Market Trend Analysis: 7 Strategies to Spot Shifts Before Your Competition

Where to Find Intent Data

Not all intent data is the same. Some comes from your own digital properties, while other insights come from third-party providers tracking activity across the web. A strong strategy combines both for a complete picture of buyer behavior.

1. First-Party Intent Data (Your Own Channels)

First-party intent data is the most valuable and cost-effective because it comes directly from your audience. You own it, control it, and can use it immediately.

Where to find it:

• Website analytics—Track page visits, time on site, repeat visits, and form submissions.

• Email engagement—Open rates, click-throughs, and responses can indicate interest.

• CRM data—Past interactions, deal history, and behavioral patterns help spot engaged prospects.

How to use it:

• Identify visitors who repeatedly check out high-intent pages (like pricing or case studies).

• Score leads based on behavior to prioritize follow-ups.

• Personalize outreach based on content they’ve engaged with.

2. Third-Party Intent Data (Industry-Wide Insights)

Third-party intent data tracks buying signals beyond your website, helping you identify prospects researching solutions in your industry—even if they haven’t interacted with you yet.

Is it privacy-compliant?

Reputable third-party providers comply with privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA by aggregating data at the company level rather than tracking individuals. They use anonymized insights and consent-based data collection to ensure compliance. When choosing a provider, always verify that they follow legal and ethical data practices.

Where to find it:

• Bombora—Tracks B2B content consumption to identify companies researching specific topics.

• TrustRadius—Shows companies reading competitor reviews and comparing software.

• LinkedIn & social media—Engagement with relevant posts or groups can indicate buying interest.

How to use it:

• Spot prospects before they visit your website.

• Reach out with relevant insights instead of cold pitches.

• Align sales and marketing to target accounts showing active interest.

3. Publicly Available Data (Free Insights to Leverage)

Not ready to invest in third-party tools? You can still tap into intent signals from publicly available sources.

Where to find it:

• Google Trends—See what industry topics are trending in search.

• Social listening tools (Hootsuite, Sprout Social)—Track discussions and questions from potential buyers.

• Job listings & press releases—A company hiring for a key role or announcing a major initiative often signals upcoming buying needs.

How to use it:

• Identify companies showing growth signals (hiring, expansions, funding).

• Join relevant LinkedIn or Twitter discussions where prospects are asking questions.

• Use trending search topics to create timely, relevant content.

Why a Multi-Source Approach Matters

Relying on just one type of intent data limits your visibility into buyer behavior. Research shows that combining first-party and third-party data sources gives businesses a more complete picture of their prospects, leading to better targeting and higher engagement.

By leveraging insights from your own data, industry-wide behavior, and public trends, you gain a clearer understanding of who’s actively researching solutions—and how to reach them at the right moment.

How to Use Intent Data to Drive Results

Harnessing intent data effectively can transform your B2B marketing and sales strategies. Here's how to put this powerful tool to work:

1. Prioritize High-Intent Leads

Challenge: Not all leads are ready to buy, and sifting through them can be time-consuming.​

Solution: Use intent data to identify prospects actively researching solutions like yours. By focusing on these high-intent leads, your team can allocate resources more efficiently and increase conversion rates. ​

Action Steps:

• Analyze behavioral signals such as content downloads, frequent website visits, and engagement with industry topics.​

• Develop a lead scoring system that assigns higher values to these intent indicators.​

• Prioritize outreach to leads with the highest scores.

2. Personalize Outreach Efforts

Challenge: Generic messages often fail to resonate with potential customers.​

Solution: Leverage intent data to tailor your communications based on a prospect's specific interests and behaviors. Personalized outreach can significantly enhance engagement and response rates. ​

Action Steps:

• Segment your audience based on the topics they've engaged with.​

• Craft customized content that addresses their unique pain points and interests.​

• Utilize personalized email campaigns, targeted ads, and tailored landing pages to create a cohesive experience.​

3. Align Sales and Marketing Teams

Challenge: Misalignment between sales and marketing can lead to missed opportunities and inefficiencies.​

Solution: Intent data serves as a common thread, providing both teams with insights into a prospect's journey. This shared understanding fosters collaboration and ensures a unified approach to lead nurturing.

Action Steps:

• Implement regular meetings between sales and marketing to discuss intent data findings.​

• Develop joint strategies for engaging high-intent prospects.​

• Use shared dashboards to monitor lead progress and adjust tactics as needed.​

4. Enhance Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Strategies

Challenge: Identifying and engaging the right accounts can be daunting without clear insights.​

Solution: Intent data enables you to pinpoint accounts showing interest in your solutions, allowing for more targeted and effective ABM campaigns. ​

Action Steps:

• Identify accounts exhibiting intent signals relevant to your offerings.​

• Customize your ABM content to address the specific needs and interests of these accounts.​

• Coordinate personalized outreach efforts across multiple channels to engage key stakeholders.​

5. Identify Upsell and Cross-Sell Opportunities

Challenge: Recognizing existing customers' evolving needs can be challenging.​

Solution: Monitor intent data to uncover signals that current customers are interested in additional products or services, enabling timely and relevant upsell or cross-sell offers. ​

Action Steps:

• Track customer engagement with content related to your other offerings.​

• Reach out proactively with tailored recommendations based on their demonstrated interests.​

• Provide exclusive offers or incentives to encourage further purchases.​

By implementing these strategies, you can transform raw intent data into actionable insights, driving meaningful results for your business. Ready to take the next step? Let's explore how to get started with intent data integration.

Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Approach

Intent data can be a game-changer, but only if you know how to implement it. Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing strategy, here’s a step-by-step approach to integrating intent data into your sales and marketing efforts.

Step 1: Identify Your Goals

Before diving in, clarify what you want to achieve with intent data.

Are you looking to:

• Generate more high-quality leads?

• Improve sales outreach and engagement?

• Strengthen account-based marketing (ABM) efforts?

• Reduce churn and find upsell opportunities?

Setting clear objectives will guide which data sources, tools, and strategies make the most sense for your team.

Step 2: Choose the Right Type of Intent Data

Based on your goals, determine which type of intent data will be most valuable:

• First-party intent data – Ideal for refining outreach to prospects already engaging with your brand (website analytics, email engagement, CRM data).

• Third-party intent data – Best for discovering new prospects actively researching industry solutions (Bombora, G2, TrustRadius).

• Publicly available data – Great for identifying market trends and competitive insights (Google Trends, social listening tools, press releases).

Many companies combine multiple types to create a more complete picture of buyer behavior.

Step 3: Select the Right Tools

Before investing in new platforms, start with what you already have—most businesses are already sitting on valuable first-party data that can be put to use immediately. Website analytics, CRM insights, and email engagement metrics offer powerful intent signals without any additional cost. Once you've tapped into these resources, you can layer in third-party and social listening tools to expand your reach and uncover new prospects.

• CRM & Marketing Automation – HubSpot, Salesforce, Marketo (for first-party data integration).

• Third-Party Intent Platforms – Bombora, Demandbase, 6sense (for broader market insights).

• Social Listening & Search Trend Tools – Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Google Trends (for public intent signals).

Step 4: Align Sales and Marketing

Intent data is most effective when sales and marketing teams are working from the same insights. To ensure alignment:

• Define what intent signals matter most for prioritizing leads.

• Create a shared dashboard where both teams can track real-time intent data.

• Set up regular sync meetings to discuss top prospects and adjust strategies accordingly.

Step 5: Test, Optimize, and Scale

Intent data strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all. Start with a pilot program by applying intent data to a small segment of your audience, then track performance.

Key metrics to monitor:

• Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate (Are you engaging more qualified prospects?)

• Email response rates and ad engagement (Is personalization improving results?)

• Sales cycle length (Is intent data helping close deals faster?)

Use these insights to refine your approach and gradually scale intent data efforts across all outreach and marketing campaigns.

Quick Win: Start with the Data You Already Have

If you’re new to intent data, don’t overcomplicate it. Start by analyzing first-party data—identify website visitors who frequently check pricing pages, webinar attendees, or prospects who engage with multiple emails. These are your warmest leads.

Following these five steps will help you build a structured, effective intent data strategy that improves targeting, personalization, and sales efficiency.

Turn Intent Data into Action

Most B2B teams are sitting on more buyer insights than they realize. Intent data isn’t just a trend—it’s a competitive advantage. When used correctly, it helps you stop chasing cold leads and start engaging the right prospects at the right time.

By following a structured approach—leveraging first-party data, integrating third-party insights, aligning sales and marketing, and continuously optimizing your strategy—you can turn intent signals into revenue-driving actions.

Ready to Get Started?

You don’t need a massive budget or complex tech stack to start using intent data effectively. Begin with the data you already have, test small, and refine your approach as you go.

If you need some help implementing intent data into your lead generation strategy, we can help. Let’s talk about how you can put intent insights to work for your team—starting today.

What does coaching look like for an effective sales team?

Coaching is more than just feedback; it's the catalyst for growth and success in our telecommunications team. At Incept, we transform ordinary calls into extraordinary experiences. Here’s how we make it happen:

Detailed Call Reviews: Identifying Strengths and Opportunities

Our coaching approach is hands-on and involves a thorough review of employee calls. We take detailed notes highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and actionable suggestions to transform challenges into successes. We maintain a proactive and collaborative engagement with the employee throughout this process, ensuring continuous growth.

Comprehensive Feedback: Fostering Growth and Improvement

We initiate the coaching session by carefully listening to recorded and live calls while generating comprehensive feedback. This includes recommendations for aspects that went well and constructive feedback on areas that require development. We also provide specific recommendations on how to effectively address the identified areas for improvement and convert them into successful outcomes.

Interactive Training: Practical Application of Insights

Conducting interactive mock call sessions via Zoom to simulate real scenarios and practice the recommended and assumptive approaches is a well-utilized practice. This ensures employees can grasp and apply the feedback in a practical setting.

Continuous Monitoring: Ensuring Effective Integration

We encourage our employees to apply these insights in their next calls and share their completed calls for us to review, affirming the integration of recommended changes. Concurrently, we closely monitor their usage of the CRM, validating proper handling and effective management of the pipeline.

Our approach aligns more with guided coaching and active involvement rather than self-discovery. This method has proven to be highly effective in fostering continuous improvement and driving meaningful results for our clients and theirs.

Ready to Transform Your Team’s Performance?

At Incept, our coaching methods are designed to not only improve individual performance but also elevate overall team success. Contact us today to learn more about how our tailored coaching solutions can benefit your team and drive business growth!

How to Create an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Creating an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is essential for any B2B business looking to streamline its marketing efforts and drive sales. An ICP helps identify and target the most valuable customers who are likely to benefit from your product or service. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating an effective ICP:

Step 1: Analyze Your Best Customers

Start by examining your current customer base. Identify the clients who generate the most revenue, have the highest lifetime value, and are the easiest to work with. Look for commonalities in their industry, company size, location, and other relevant factors. This analysis will provide insights into the type of customers you should target.

Step 2: Collect Data

Gather as much data as possible about your best customers. Use tools like Google Analytics, CRM systems, and customer surveys to collect demographic information, purchasing behavior, and feedback. Key data points to consider include:

• Industry and company size

• Job titles and roles

• Pain points and challenges

• Buying triggers and decision-making processes

Step 3: Identify Key Characteristics

Based on the data collected, identify the key characteristics that define your ideal customer. These characteristics should include both firmographic (company-specific) and behavioral (individual-specific) attributes. Firmographic attributes might include company size, annual revenue, and industry, while behavioral attributes could involve customer goals, challenges, and buying patterns.

Step 4: Segment Your Market

Segment your market based on the identified characteristics. Group potential customers into distinct categories that share similar attributes. This segmentation allows for more personalized marketing efforts and helps tailor your messaging to each group’s specific needs.

Step 5: Develop Your ICP

Create a detailed description of your ideal customer for each segment. This description should include:

• Company size and type

• Industry and location

• Decision-makers and influencers within the company

• Common challenges and pain points

• Goals and objectives

Step 6: Validate Your ICP

Once you have developed your ICP, validate it by testing it against your current customer base and prospects. Adjust the profile as necessary based on feedback and performance metrics. Continuous validation ensures your ICP remains accurate and relevant as market conditions change.

Step 7: Implement and Monitor

Implement your ICP into your marketing and sales strategies. Use it to guide your lead generation efforts, content creation, and sales pitches. Regularly monitor the performance of your ICP and make adjustments based on its effectiveness in attracting and converting high-value customers.

Conclusion

Creating an Ideal Customer Profile is a crucial step for any B2B business aiming to enhance its marketing and sales efforts. By analyzing your best customers, collecting data, identifying key characteristics, segmenting your market, developing a detailed ICP, and continuously validating and monitoring it, you can ensure that your marketing strategies are targeted and effective.

Remember, an ICP is not static. It should evolve with your business and market dynamics. By keeping your ICP up-to-date, you’ll be better positioned to attract and retain the customers who are most valuable to your business.

Incept specializes in helping businesses develop and refine their Ideal Customer Profiles, ensuring that your marketing and sales efforts are always on target. For more insights and personalized guidance, give us a call at (330) 994-1349 or contact us online to get started and see how we can support your growth journey.

Understanding The Future Of B2B Lead Generation: 4 Trends To Watch In 2024 & Beyond

Change is the only constant. So if you run a B2B company and are looking to stay on top of lead generation, it’s important to understand the latest trends. In this blog, we’ll discuss four trends that we’ve noticed in 2024 – and that we think will continue to influence B2B lead generation strategies for years to come.

1. Continued Growth Of AI And Automation

In some form or another, AI and machine learning (ML) have been used in marketing and lead generation for more than a decade, ever since the “big data” boom in the early 2010s. But thanks to the latest increase in AI development, AI tools are more flexible and powerful than ever.

Today, marketers have tons of ways to use AI and automation to save time and generate more leads. Powerful and scalable chatbots help sell your products automatically, AI can be used to extract data from spreadsheets, and automated email drip campaigns help keep leads engaged. 

The rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT is also significant. These tools can be used to quickly outline and develop content like blogs, email newsletters, and video scripts.

Want more ideas? Check out a previous blog post for more ideas about how to use generative AI in B2B lead generation.

2. Personalized Video For Better Lead Engagement

In today’s crowded B2B environment, personalization is one of the best ways that you can set yourself apart from the pack and make a real connection with potential customers. According to statistics compiled by Adam Connell, 90% of marketers say that personalization “makes businesses more profitable,” and personalized CTAs have a 200% higher conversion rate compared to non-personalized CTAs.

And what’s more personalized than a video pitch? With today’s high-quality webcams and smartphones, it’s easier than ever to record short videos and use them to pitch your products and services to potential customers. 

This sets you apart from competitors who may only be using traditional methods like emails and cold calls. There are even some tools out there that help simplify the process of recording personalized pitch videos – such as Hippo Video and Vidyard.

Related Post: Understanding The Importance Of Personalization In B2B Prospecting

3. A Higher Focus On Buyer Intent Data 

Along with personalization, gathering and properly understanding buyer intent data is critical for B2B lead generation. As the name suggests, intent data measures how interested a particular person or company may be in your products or services.

This data can consist of lots of different things – traffic to your website from a particular IP address, downloading whitepapers or other resources, someone viewing your LinkedIn page or engaging on other social media platforms, and more.

Tracking buyer intent data allows you to figure out who’s the most interested in your products and services – and to take actions to bring them in. This could include ad retargeting, sending personalized offers based on their behavior, and much more.

4.  Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Focusing On Quality Over Quantity

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is growing in popularity among B2B companies, and it’s not hard to understand why. Instead of marketing to the widest possible audience, ABM makes you work “backward” from your existing clients to identify your ideal customer profile.

You start by looking at data about your existing customers, identifying their characteristics, and then finding businesses that are similar – and therefore may be interested in what you have to offer. These are often called “ Marketing Qualified Accounts” or MQAs for short.

Once you’ve identified your MQAs, you can create marketing and sales campaigns that are custom-tailored to the specific needs, pain points, and expectations of each one – maximizing your chances of converting them into a paying customer.

Conclusion

In the dynamic realm of B2B lead generation, adapting to trends like AI and automation, personalized video content, buyer intent data, and account-based marketing is essential for staying competitive. By embracing these innovations, you can not only streamline your processes but also create more meaningful connections with potential clients. Change is inevitable, and those who harness it effectively will lead the charge in achieving sustained success. Stay ahead, innovate, and watch your B2B growth flourish.