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2. Lists and qualification

What is lead scoring?

Lead scoring assigns points to each lead for how well the company and person fit your target buyer and for what they have done, so a team can contact the strongest leads first. The total score is a sorting aid, not a verdict.

The formula

Lead score

lead score = fit points + behavior points

The parts

  1. Fit pointsPoints for who the lead is: company size, job title and industry. Fit changes rarely, so these points are stable.
  2. Behavior pointsPoints for what the lead did: replied to a message, visited the pricing page or clicked a link. These move as the lead acts.
  3. A thresholdA line, for example a score at which a lead goes to a seller. Without a line the number does not change anyone's work.
  4. Regular reviewCompare high scorers with the leads that became customers, then adjust points that do not match.

Worked example: two leads at a scheduling software company

Tidal Calendar, a fictional company, awards fit points of 20 for company size, 15 for job title and 10 for industry, and behavior points of 25 for a reply, 10 for a pricing visit and 5 for a link click. Leads at 60 or more go to a seller.

By hand

  1. Lead one: fit 20 + 15 = 35 points. Behavior 25 + 10 = 35 points.
  2. Lead one score: 35 + 35 = 70.
  3. Lead two: fit 10 points, behavior 5 points, score 15.
  4. Threshold 60: lead one goes to a seller, lead two keeps nurturing.
Lead one70 points
Lead two15 points
Threshold60 points

Lead scores against a threshold of 60

How to apply it

  1. List the traits your best customers share and give each a small number of fit points.
  2. List the actions that show interest and give each behavior points that reflect how close it is to buying.
  3. Set a threshold that sends a lead to a seller, and start with a round number you can change.
  4. Every quarter, compare scores with real outcomes and move points that mislead.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Scoring every click equally, so a newsletter open counts as much as a pricing visit.
  • Never lowering a score, so old activity keeps a cold lead near the top.
  • Treating the score as a decision instead of a way to order the work.

Lead qualification

Lead qualification is the step of checking whether a lead is worth a sales conversation: whether the company fits your profile, whether there is a real need and whether the person can act.

Read more

Marketing qualified lead

A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a contact who has met an agreed standard of fit and activity, so they are worth passing from marketing to sales.

Read more

Ideal customer profile

An ideal customer profile (ICP) is a written description of the type of company that gets the most value from what you sell and is easiest to win and keep.

Read more

Questions

What is the lead scoring formula?
Lead score equals fit points plus behavior points.
Should fit and behavior count equally?
Not necessarily. Many teams weight behavior more once a lead has acted, because action shows timing. Choose weights from your own results.
How many points should a lead need?
There is no universal number. Set a threshold and adjust it until sellers say the leads above it are worth their time.
Can a lead lose points?
Yes. Subtracting points for long silence keeps stale leads from sitting at the top.

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