What is Customer Intent Data and How to Use It in B2B Sales

I’ve been in B2B sales for years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that understanding your customer is everything. But here’s the million-dollar question: How do you get inside your prospect’s head before you’ve even had a conversation with them? In my opinion, understanding buyer intent data is the answer.

BCG reports that B2B companies using advanced analytics across the deal cycle are experiencing the highest rates of revenue growth. They’re not just outperforming. They’re leaving their competitors in the dust. But why?

From what I’ve seen, the answer lies in a dramatic shift in buyer behavior. According to Bain & Company, a staggering 92% of B2B buyers now prefer virtual sales interactions. Consider the traditional sales playbook obsolete. You have to leverage customer intent data if your goal is to succeed and not just survive.

In this guide, I’m going to share everything I know about about customer intent data and how we leverage it for B2B sales.

What is Customer Intent Data?

Customer intent data is information that indicates a prospect’s likelihood to purchase your product or service. It can include website visits, content downloads, search queries, social media interactions, etc. It helps businesses identify prospects who are actively researching solutions. This allows sales teams to target their efforts more effectively and engage with leads at the right time in their buying journey.

Understanding consumer intent is a critical aspect of the customer journey. Analyzing consumer intent data can help tailor customer experiences and meet their needs effectively.

Back when I was a Sales Development Representative at Sumo Logic, we often felt like we were shooting in the dark when reaching out to prospects. We had basic firmographic data, sure, but we didn’t have a clear picture of who was actually in the market for our solutions.

Customer intent is key here. This data changes all that. It provides insights into what topics and solutions prospects are researching, which companies are actively looking for products like yours, the specific pain points and challenges prospects are trying to solve, and where prospects are in their buying journey. Honestly, oftentimes it kinda feels like magic!

Here’s a fun fact: According to a study by Gartner, B2B buyers spend only 17% of their time meeting with potential suppliers when considering a purchase. That means 83% of their time is spent on other activities – activities that generate intent data we can tap into!

Understanding Customer Intent

You need to understand the underlying motivations and goals of your potential customers. This way you can tailor your approach, engage prospects more effectively, and significantly increase your chances of closing deals.

Customer intent is a crucial aspect of understanding buyer behavior

Customer intent is the driving force behind a buyer's actions. It represents the specific purpose or goal that motivates a customer to engage with your business. By understanding customer intent, you can anticipate needs, tailor your approach, and engage your target audience at the right moment in their buying journey. This insight will help you to have more meaningful interactions and increase customer satisfaction.

Customer intent goes beyond demographics and preferences

While demographics and general preferences provide a foundation for understanding your target audience's customer behavior, customer intent digs deeper. It also reveals the immediate needs, pain points, and desires that prompt a buyer to seek out solutions. Customer intent data captures real-time signals of interest and engagement. This can offer you a dynamic view of a prospect's current priorities and challenges. This level of insight can help your sales teams move beyond broad segmentation and engage in highly targeted, relevant outreach.

Customer intent is about understanding the buyer’s goals and motivations

At its core, customer intent is about aligning your sales efforts with the buyer's objectives. It involves deciphering not just what a prospect is doing, but why they're doing it. Are they looking to solve a specific problem? Exploring options for future planning? Or ready to make an immediate purchase? By understanding these underlying motivations, you can position your offerings more effectively, address concerns proactively, and guide prospects through the decision-making process with greater precision and empathy. This, in turn, can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.

Types of Customer Intent Data

Now that we've got a handle on what customer intent data is, let's break down the different types you might encounter.

First up, we have first-party customer intent data. It includes website visits and navigation patterns, content downloads and engagement, email interactions, form fills and demo requests, and customer support inquiries. When I was at Sumo Logic, we religiously tracked our website analytics. It was addictive and incredibly insightful!

Then there's the second-party customer intent data. This is data you get directly from a partner or publisher. It might include webinar attendance, whitepaper downloads from industry publications, or engagement with sponsored content.

Last but not least, there's third-party customer intent data. This is the big kahuna – customer data collected from various external sources and aggregated by specialized providers. It can include online research behavior across multiple websites, search engine used, content consumption patterns, technology adoption signals, job postings, hiring trends, etc.

So which type of intent data is the best? Well, that's like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. They all have their strengths. In my experience, the magic happens when you combine them!

The Value of Customer Intent Data in B2B Sales

But why should you care about customer intent data? How can it actually move the needle for your B2B sales efforts?

Intent data dramatically improves lead prioritization. Say you’ve got a list of 100 leads. Without customer intent data, you’re essentially playing “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” to decide who to call first. But with intent data, you’ve got a heat map showing them exactly where the hot leads are. To put it simply, customer intent data helps you focus your efforts on prospects who are actively in-market. This can save you time AND increase your chances of closing more deals.

Not only that, but customer intent strategies can help your product team and enhance marketing campaigns.

Then there’s enhanced personalization. Remember the old days of “spray and pray” outreach? Yeah, let’s leave those in the past where they belong. With customer intent data, you can tailor your messaging to address the specific pain points and interests of each prospect. When I was at Sumo Logic, we saw a huge uptick in our response rates when we started personalizing our outreach based on the specific cloud technologies our prospects were using. We didn’t have the AI tools at that time so it was quite time consuming, but personalization worked great.

Purchase intent represents the likelihood that a customer will buy a product, differentiating it from the broader concept of customer intent, which includes various reasons for customer interactions.

Timing is everything in sales, and intent data just helps you nail it.

For those of us in the Account-Based Marketing (ABM) game, intent data is incredibly powerful. It helps ABM marketers identify which accounts are most likely to convert, allowing them to allocate their resources more effectively. At CustomerBase AI, we’ve seen how powerful this can be. Our platform helps companies validate their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and segment their market based on real data, not just gut feelings or assumptions.

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Intent data can also significantly shorten your sales cycles. When you’ve got your customer intent data, you’re not starting from scratch in every sales conversation. You already know what the prospect is interested in more or less.

Lastly, customer intent data provides valuable competitive intelligence. It can give you a heads-up when your prospects are checking out your competitors even.

Here’s a stat that might blow your mind: According to Demand Gen Report, 95% of B2B buyers choose a solution provider that provided them with plenty of content to help navigate through each stage of the buying process. Customer intent data helps you be that provider!

How to Collect and Identify Customer Intent Data

So, how do you actually collect and analyze customer intent data?

Well, first-party data is the easiest to collect, and it’s also free because, well… it’s your data. Your website analytics tools, like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Fullstory, can give you a wealth of information about how visitors interact with your site. Your CRM and marketing automation platforms, such as Salesforce, HubSpot, or Marketo, can track prospect interactions across multiple touchpoints. Don’t forget about your Content Management System (CMS) – it can provide insights into which content is resonating with your audience. And if you’re using chatbots or live chat on your site, these can be incredible sources of intent data.

When we were developing our customer intent data platform, we spent a lot of time thinking about how to make data collection and analysis easier for B2B companies. It’s one thing to have the data, and understand customer intent, but it’s another to make it actionable. These days, AI agents can determine customer intent and resolve customer requests independently (not all the time, but they are getting there), enhancing customer experience.

Moving on to second-party data collection, consider partnering with publishers. Collaborating with industry publications or event organizers can give you valuable insights into your target audience’s behavior. In my experience, co-marketing initiatives, like joint webinars or content pieces, can also be great sources of customer intent data. These can take quite some time to organize, but totally worth it if you do it right.

For third-party data collection, there are specialized B2B intent data providers that aggregate and sell customer intent data. Data Management Platforms (DMPs) can help you collect and manage data from various sources. And of course, AI-powered platforms like CustomerBase AI can help you not only collect but also analyze and act on customer intent data.

A little tip: When it comes to data collection, always prioritize quality over quantity. It’s better to have a smaller amount of high-quality, relevant data than to be drowning in a sea of useless information.

Analyzing and Interpreting Customer Intent Data

Alright, so you’ve got your data. Now what? Well, for starters, you need to ensure your customer intent data is accurate and properly formatted. Remove duplicate entries. Standardize data formats. Fill in missing information. I cannot stress this enough, you gotta invest in good data management practices from the get-go.

Then, you need to identify key signals. Not all customer intent data points are created equal though. You need to determine which signals are most indicative of customer buying intent for your specific business. This might include frequency of visits to your pricing page, customer feedback, downloads of bottom-of-funnel content, or engagement with competitor comparison pages.

Once you’ve identified your key signals, you want to create intent scoring models. Develop a system to score leads based on their intent signals. This could be as simple as a point-based system. At CustomerBase AI, we’ve developed a powerful data science framework that helps companies understand who they should be targeting and why. It’s not just about collecting data. You want to make it meaningful.

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Once you got your scoring model, you can start segmenting your target audience. Use your intent data to create targeted segments. I like to include high-intent vs. low-intent prospects, prospects interested in specific products or solutions, or prospects at different stages of the buying journey.

When you analyze your data, look for trends and patterns. Are there certain times of year when customer intent spikes? Do certain types of content consistently generate high-intent signals? These insights can help your broader marketing and sales strategies.

Finally, don’t look at intent data in a vaccuum. We always recommend our clients to integrate it with other data sources like firmographic data, technographic data, and historical sales data. This gives them a more complete picture of their prospects and their needs.

From what we observe, companies that use customer intent data see a 3-5x increase in conversion rates on their Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs).

Integrating Customer Intent Data into Your Sales Strategy and Customer Journey

Alright, now we're getting to the good stuff. How do we actually use all this intent data to close more deals? Let's break it down.

First and foremost, use customer intent data to prioritize your outreach. I like to create a tiered system for my prospects based on their intent signals. This helps me focus my time and energy on the accounts showing the highest intent. I remember back in my early days in B2B sales, we used to spend hours debating which accounts to focus on. With good intent data plus some AI, a lot of that guesswork goes out the window. I love it.

Next, personalize your messaging. Tailor your outreach based on the specific interests and pain points indicated by the customer intent data. If you know a prospect has been researching a particular feature, lead with that in your communication. It immediately makes the conversation more relevant. Just don't be too direct about it.

Again, timing is crucial. So use intent signals to determine the best time to reach out. If a prospect suddenly increases their engagement with your content, I'd give them a call 100%. Strike while the iron is hot!

At CustomerBase AI, we're big believers in aligning sales, marketing, and leadership around a unified data layer. You want to get everyone on the same page. Share intent data across your sales and marketing teams to get consistent messaging and great customer experience.

Don't forget to use customer intent data to help with your content marketing strategy. If you see a lot of prospects researching a particular topic, it might be time to create more content around that area. This helps you stay relevant and positions you as a thought leader in your space.

For ABM campaigns, intent data can help you identify which accounts to target and how to approach them.

Lastly, incorporate customer intent data into your lead scoring model to better predict which leads are most likely to convert. This helps you focus your efforts where they're most likely to pay off.

Tip: Don't just use intent data reactively. Use it to proactively identify accounts that fit your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) but haven't engaged with you yet. If you not sure how, message me on LinkedIn. I'm always happy to help.

Best Practices for Using Customer Intent Data

Alright, let’s talk about how to use customer intent data effectively. Identifying customer intent is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies. Here are some best practices I’ve picked up along the way:

• Start with a clear strategy. Make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Are you looking to improve lead quality? Shorten sales cycles? Increase win rates? Your goals will guide your approach.
• Ensure data quality. Not all customer intent data is created equal. Make sure you’re working with reputable data providers and regularly auditing the quality of your data. When we were building CustomerBase AI, data quality was one of our top priorities.
• Always respect privacy and compliance. Make sure your use of customer intent data complies with relevant privacy laws and regulations, like GDPR and CCPA. Transparency with your prospects about data usage is key.
• Don’t rely solely on one type of customer intent data. Combine first-party, second-party, and third-party data for a more comprehensive view. Each piece of the puzzle gives you a clearer picture.
• Make sure your sales and marketing teams understand how to interpret and use customer intent data effectively. Intent data is a powerful tool, but only if people know how to use it.
• Remember to test and iterate. What works for one company might not work for another. Keep testing different approaches to refine your sales strategies. Learn and improve.
• Lastly, don’t forget the human element. Customer intent data is a tool, not a crystal ball. Don’t let it replace good old-fashioned relationship building. At the end of the day, B2B sales is still about human connections.

The Biggest Customer Intent Data Mistakes Sales Teams Make

By avoiding these common mistakes, you and your sales teams can more effectively leverage customer intent data to drive meaningful conversations and improve conversion rates:

1. Over-relying on a Single Data Source.

Many sales teams make the mistake of putting all their eggs in one basket. Relying on a single intent data provider can lead to blind spots and missed opportunities. Instead, successful sales teams use multiple sources to get a more comprehensive view of customer intent.

2. Ignoring the Quality of Data.

Not all customer intent data is created equal. Some sales teams fall into the trap of prioritizing quantity over quality. It's important to regularly assess the accuracy and relevance of your intent data sources to ensure you're acting on reliable information.

3. Failing to Integrate Customer Intent Data with Existing Systems.

Customer intent data shouldn't exist in a vacuum. A common mistake is treating it as a separate entity rather than integrating it with CRM systems, marketing automation tools, and other sales tools. This integration is key to getting a holistic view of your prospects.

4. Misinterpreting Signals.

Customer intent data can be nuanced, and misinterpreting signals is a frequent pitfall. For example, a company researching a topic doesn't always mean they're ready to buy. Sales teams need to understand the context and intensity of intent signals to avoid premature or misguided outreach.

5. Neglecting Timing in Outreach.

Even with strong intent signals, timing is crucial. Some sales teams make the mistake of reaching out too early or too late based on intent data. Understanding the buyer's journey and aligning outreach with the right stage is critical.

6. Overlooking Data Privacy and Compliance.

In the rush to leverage intent data, some teams neglect data privacy regulations like GDPR or CCPA. This oversight can lead to serious legal and reputational consequences. Always make sure your use of customer intent data complies with relevant laws and regulations.

7. Failing to Personalize Outreach.

Having customer intent data doesn't automatically translate to effective communication. A common mistake is using generic messaging despite having insights into a prospect's specific interests. Personalization based on intent data is crucial for customer engagement here.

8. Not Training the Sales Team Properly.

Implementing customer intent data without adequately training the sales team is a recipe for failure. Make sure your team understands how to interpret and act on intent data effectively.

9. Ignoring the Bigger Picture.

Some sales teams focus too narrowly on individual intent signals without considering the broader context of the account or industry. This can lead to missed opportunities and misaligned sales and marketing strategies.

Measuring the Impact of Intent Data on Your Sales Performance

Let's talk numbers. How do you know if all this intent data stuff is actually making a difference? Here are some key metrics to keep an eye on:

You want to track how your conversion rates like a hawk. Track change at various stages of the funnel after implementing customer intent data strategies. Are you seeing more leads turn into opportunities? More opportunities into closed deals?

Look at your sales cycle length. Is intent data helping you close deals faster? If you're reaching out to prospects at the right time with the right message, you should see your sales cycles shortening.

Win rates are another crucial metric. Are you winning a higher percentage of deals when you use intent data to guide your approach? This can be a clear indicator of the value intent data is bringing to your sales process.

Don't forget to track your average deal size. Has intent data helped you identify and close larger opportunities? In my experience, intent data can reveal big fish you might have otherwise missed.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is another important metric to watch. Is intent data helping you acquire customers more efficiently? If you're focusing your efforts on high-intent prospects, you should see your CAC decrease over time.

Finally, calculate the overall Return on Investment (ROI) of your intent data initiatives. Look at the cost of implementing and using customer intent data solutions vs. the additional revenue they've helped generate.

Don't just look at the numbers in a vaccuum. A/B test to directly compare the performance of customer intent-driven strategies against your traditional sales and marketing strategies. This can give you a clear picture of the impact customer intent data is having on your sales performance.

Future Trends in Customer Intent Data

This one is easy, and it’s already happening, AI and Machine Learning are going to play an even bigger role. Expect to see more sophisticated AI models that can predict intent with even greater accuracy. These models will be able to process vast amounts of data and uncover patterns that humans might miss.

Understanding user intent can help in targeting potential customers effectively and enhancing their journey through tailored content and engagement methods, ultimately fulfilling their specific needs and desires.

Real-time customer intent data is another trend to watch. The lag between signal and action will continue to shrink, allowing for near-instantaneous responses to intent signals. Imagine being able to reach out to a prospect the moment they show interest. That’d be awesome! And maybe a bit… creepy. I’m still 50/50 on this one.

We’re also likely to see better cross-channel intent tracking. As sales and marketing tech evolves, we’ll see better integration of intent signals across various channels, including social media, email, and even offline interactions. This will give us a more holistic view of our prospects’ buying journey.

Privacy-first intent data is going to be huge, especially in Europe, in my opinion. As privacy regulations evolve, expect to see more innovative approaches to collecting and using customer intent data in a compliant manner. Companies that can balance personalization with privacy will have a significant competitive advantage.

Lastly, we’re moving towards intent-driven customer experiences. Customer intent data will drive personalized experiences across the entire customer journey. From the first touch to post-sale support, every customer interaction will be tailored based on the customer’s intent signals.

As I wrap up this guide here’s a mind-blowing stat for you: According to Gartner, by 2025, 60% of B2B sales organizations will transition from experience- and intuition-based selling to data-driven selling. The future is data, folks!