Domestique's Approach to Lead Scoring: A Blueprint for Success

Why Lead Scoring Matters

Effective lead scoring is the backbone of a high-performing go-to-market (GTM) team. It ensures that marketing generates quality leads, sales prioritizes the right leads, and the entire revenue engine moves efficiently.

At Domestique, we view lead scoring not as a set-it-and-forget-it process but as a dynamic system that continuously evolves based on data, feedback, and real-world conversion rates.

The Domestique Lead Scoring Framework

We break lead scoring into three core dimensions:

1. Fit (Who they are)

2. Engagement (What they do)

3. Buying Intent (How ready they are)

Each of these categories carries different weights depending on historical conversion patterns and business priorities.

1. Fit Score: Does This Lead Match Your ICP?

The Fit Score ensures that leads meet the profile of your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). This is based on firmographics, demographics, and technographics such as:

• Industry (e.g., are they in a high-propensity vertical?)

• Company Size (SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise?)

• Revenue Band (Do they have the budget?)

• Job Title (Are they the decision-maker or influencer?)

• Tech Stack (Do they use complementary or competitive tools?)

Example:

• Target industries: +10 points

• Ideal job titles: +20 points

• Company size match: +15 points

• Uses a key integration: +15 points

Pro Tip: Fit scoring should be refined over time. Look at Closed-Won deals and analyze commonalities. Use these insights to adjust the weightings.

2. Engagement Score: Are They Paying Attention?

The Engagement Score tracks the level of interest a lead has shown in your company’s content, campaigns, and outreach. Key activities include:

• Website visits (High-value pages like pricing or demo request?)

• Content downloads (Are they consuming mid-to-bottom funnel assets?)

• Email interactions (Opening and clicking on emails?)

• Event/Webinar attendance

• Sales engagement (Are they responding to SDR or AE outreach?)

Example:

• Viewing the pricing page: +25 points

• Downloading a case study: +15 points

• Clicking an email link: +5 points

• Registering for a webinar: +20 points

Pro Tip: Engagement decays over time! Leads should lose points if they haven’t engaged in a set period (e.g., -10 points if inactive for 30+ days).

3. Buying Intent Score: Are They Ready to Purchase?

Buying intent measures real purchase signals that indicate whether a lead is in an active buying cycle. This can come from:

• Direct demo requests (Highest intent!)

• Third-party intent tools (Bombora, 6sense, G2, etc.)

• Repeated visits to key pages (Pricing, product comparisons, case studies)

• Engaging with sales multiple times

Example:

• Demo request: +50 points

• Multiple visits to pricing page in 24 hours: +30 points

• G2 report showing buyer activity: +40 points

Pro Tip: Set a threshold for SQL handoff based on intent. Example: If Fit + Engagement + Intent Score > 80, trigger a BDR follow-up.

Lead Scoring Best Practices

1. Start with Historical Data

   • Analyze past Closed-Won deals to understand what common attributes and behaviors lead to conversions.

2. Balance Fit & Intent

   • A perfect ICP lead with zero engagement isn’t ready. A highly engaged lead with a bad fit is a waste of time. Blend both.

3. Score Decay & Freshness Matters

   • Leads should lose points over time if they go inactive.

   • Recency of engagement matters (e.g., a demo request this week is more valuable than one from 3 months ago).

4. Automation & Routing Must Be in Sync

   • Ensure that when leads cross a scoring threshold, they automatically route to the right sales team.

   • Use tools like LeanData, Salesforce, and HubSpot to trigger instant alerts.

5. Regularly Audit & Optimize

   • Revisit your lead scoring model every quarter.

   • Look for false positives (high-scoring leads that don’t convert) and adjust the model accordingly.

The Business Impact of Lead Scoring Done Right

When executed well, a strong lead scoring framework leads to:

✅ Higher conversion rates – Reps focus on the right leads at the right time.

✅ Faster response times – High-intent leads get immediate follow-up.

✅ More pipeline & revenue – Less time wasted on unqualified leads.

✅ Better alignment – Marketing & sales have a shared definition of quality.

Ready to Optimize Your Lead Scoring?

At Domestique, we’ve helped companies refine and scale their lead scoring models to improve pipeline efficiency and sales performance. If you need help implementing or optimizing lead scoring, let’s talk!