Intent data: identifying prospects ready to buy
How to use purchase intent signals to target the right prospects at the right time. A practical guide for B2B teams.
In B2B prospecting, timing is just as important as targeting. Intent data · signals of buying intent · can be used to identify companies that are actively looking for solutions like yours. The result: conversion rates 2 to 5 times higher.
What is intent data?
Intent data brings together behavioural signals indicating that a company or decision-maker is interested in a specific subject. These signals come from three sources: consumption of online content (articles, webinars, white papers), searches on comparison sites (G2, Capterra), and organisational changes (recruitment, fundraising, changes in management).
Types of signals to watch out for
Strong signals: repeated visits to product/pricing pages, downloading comparisons, searching for transactional keywords. Moderate signals: consumption of educational content, participation in sector-specific webinars. Contextual signals: recruitment for positions related to your solution, recent fundraising, change of CTO/CMO.
How to integrate intent data into your prospecting strategy
Step 1: Define your "intent topics" · the subjects your prospects are looking for before they buy. Step 2: Connect an intent data source (Bombora, G2, 6sense) to your CRM. Step 3: Create priority scores combining intent + ICP fit. Step 4: Trigger personalised outbound sequences on high-scoring accounts.
Intent data at devlo
Our Intent Data service combines several signal sources to create ultra-targeted prospecting lists. For each campaign, we identify companies that are showing signs of active interest in your solution category. The result: response rates 2 to 3 times higher than traditional "cold" campaigns.
Conclusion
Intent data transforms "cold" prospecting into "warm" prospecting. Instead of contacting hundreds of prospects at random, you concentrate your efforts on companies that have already started their purchasing journey. It's the difference between knocking on every door and opening the ones that are already ajar.
In summary:
Key takeaways
- Intent data = perfect timing: identify companies in the active research phase via Bombora, G2, LinkedIn or Cognism.
- 3x more responses: prospects contacted when they are actively searching convert 3 times better than traditional cold contacts.
- Multi-channel sequence: combine cold email + LinkedIn outreach + calling on accounts with a strong intent signal.
- Recommended tools: Clay for signal aggregation, Sales Navigator for qualification, Lemlist for customised sequences.
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