In the latest episode of B2B Outbound, Chris sat down with Kenny Anderson, our new Chief Commercial Officer at Punch!, to dive deep into the world of intent data.
Spoiler alert: It’s not the magic bullet you might think it is.
What is intent data?
Kenny breaks it down for us:
“Intent data is essentially the digital signals that people leave behind that indicate interest in a product or service. It’s not just about like a website visit; it’s truly about patterns of behavior.”
Think repeated visits to your pricing page, gobbling up case studies like they’re candy, or obsessively stalking your “About Us” section. (We see you, future customers. 👀)
The Good: Laser-Focused Targeting
When used right, intent data can be your secret weapon. It helps you:
- Prioritize prospects who are actually in-market (instead of wasting time on tire-kickers)
- Streamline your sales process
- Make your outreach smarter and more relevant
As Kenny puts it:
“Intent is not a magic bullet. It’s a tool to help you really prioritize prospects who are showing that higher intent.”
The Bad: Missing the Forest for the Trees
Here’s where it gets tricky. If you become obsessed with intent signals, you might miss out on:
- Prospects in early research stages
- People who are interested but not actively showing intent
- Opportunities to educate and build awareness
Kenny warns:
“If you’re only focusing on the people that are actively showing intent, you definitely miss out on a much larger audience who are in that early research stage.”
The Creepy: Walking the Ethical Tightrope
We’ve all gotten those “Hey [NAME], I noticed you’re breathing oxygen today!” emails. (Ugh.) So how do we use intent data without coming off like a digital stalker?
Kenny’s advice:
“Ask yourself, is this in the buyer’s best interest? If the answer is no, maybe you’re pushing too hard or exploiting data just a little bit too much.”
Pro tip: Try owning up to how you got the information. Something like, “Hey, I saw you downloaded our whitepaper. Anything I can do to help your research process, even if that means excluding us as a possibility?” Buyers appreciate that honesty.
The Human Touch: Don’t Let the Robots Take Over
While intent data can supercharge your outreach, don’t let it replace good old-fashioned human connection. Kenny emphasises:
“You should use the data to inform your personalization, not try to replace it. The intent data should make your outreach smarter, better. But you still need to have that human element.”
Key Takeaways
- Focus on buying intent signals, not just general interest
- Intent data isn’t a magic bullet – it’s a tool to prioritize prospects
- Use intent to make your sales and marketing efforts more efficient
The Bottom Line
Intent data isn’t going to miraculously close deals for you. But when used wisely (and ethically), it can help you focus your efforts, personalize your outreach, and ultimately, close more deals.
Just remember: behind every intent signal is a real person. Treat them like one.
P.S. If you want to chat more about intent data or B2B sales in general, hit up Kenny on LinkedIn. He’s always down for a good conversation (and apparently needs to update his profile – nudge nudge, Kenny).