When using a sales navigator tool like LinkedIn Sales Navigator or ZoomInfo to search for prospects, it can be overwhelming to get hundreds or even thousands of results. Having a strategy to prioritize the most promising companies to focus on first is crucial for an efficient and effective sales process.
Why is company prioritization important?
With limited time and resources, sales reps need to identify their most likely potential customers. Trying to research and reach out to every company that matches certain attributes will quickly become unmanageable. Prioritizing allows salespeople to concentrate their efforts on their best-fit accounts.
Company prioritization helps sales teams in a few key ways:
- Focuses prospecting efforts on companies more likely to buy
- Saves time researching and reaching out to lower-priority accounts
- Increases efficiency by identifying the most promising opportunities
- Maximizes revenue potential from limited sales resources
- Improves sales productivity metrics like calls and demos booked
Without a prioritized approach, sales teams waste time on companies that are unlikely to become customers. Establishing an ideal customer profile and ranking criteria allows reps to go after the accounts with the highest potential first.
How should you prioritize companies in a sales navigator search?
There are several factors salespeople should consider when determining priority levels for companies returned in a sales navigator search. Some of the top criteria to use include:
Company Size/Number of Employees
In general, larger companies represent greater revenue potential. Enterprise-level companies with 1,000+ employees should be prioritized over smaller businesses in most B2B sales cycles. The number of employees also indicates buying power and budget.
Industry/Vertical Market
Certain industries are a better fit for your product or service than others. Prioritizing companies in your target vertical markets increases relevancy. This could include specific industries, sub-industries, or market segments.
Technologies Used
When your product integrates with other technology platforms, companies using those systems become higher priority. For example, a Salesforce integration app would prioritize customers using Salesforce.
Buying Signals
Companies demonstrating active buyer intent through their website activity, technologies used, or business initiatives should be prioritized. This indicates they have a potential need your offering can fulfill.
Title/Seniority of Contacts
More senior-level contacts at a company generally have greater buying influence. Prioritizing VPs, directors, managers, etc. over individual contributors typically yields better results.
Connected Relationships
The presence of 2nd and 3rd degree connections at a company through your network is a positive sign. Warm introductions to those contacts facilitate outreach and increase potential interest.
Firmographic Data
Details like company revenue, growth trends, funding raised, geographic location, and other attributes can factor into prioritization. Certain combinations indicate a higher propensity to buy.
Ideal Customer Profile Match
Companies that closely match your ideal customer profile (ICP) should be higher priority. Rank them based on how well they align to your ICP criteria.
Combining several of these ranking factors provides a more comprehensive view of the highest potential accounts. For example, an enterprise-level company in your target industry using technologies you integrate with that has multiple contacts showing buyer intent would be a prime prospect.
What are some methods to categorize priority levels?
Once you’ve determined the key variables to use for prioritization, you need a system to categorize companies into different priority levels. Here are some common methods:
Numerical Scoring
Assign point values to certain criteria, then calculate overall scores for each company. For example:
Criteria | Points |
---|---|
Employees > 1000 | 5 points |
Target industry | 10 points |
Uses key tech platforms | 10 points |
Matching ICP | 15 points |
Then segment scores into High/Med/Low priority levels.
Color Coding
Visually color code companies in your CRM or sales navigator tool for quick visual prioritization. For example:
- Red = High priority
- Yellow = Medium priority
- Green = Low priority
Alphabetical Buckets
Group companies into A, B, and C buckets. A is high priority, B is medium, and C is low. Assign companies alphabetically based on your criteria.
Tiered Model
Many sales teams use a tiered model such as:
- Tier 1 – High potential strategic accounts
- Tier 2 – Vertical/sector-specific targets
- Tier 3 – General target profile matches
The tier system allows multiple levels of priority while still keeping it simple and organized.
How can you automate and scale company prioritization?
For larger sales teams, manually categorizing and prioritizing every company returned in a sales navigator search can become unfeasible. Luckily, many tools have capabilities to automate prioritization based on rules and criteria.
Here are some ways to use technology to scale company prioritization:
Predictive Lead Scoring
Lead scoring tools score and rank companies algorithmically based on characteristics like company size, industry, technographics, intent signals, and more. Set rules that reflect your ideal customer profile and buying signals.
Segment Search Filters
Save segmented searches in your sales navigator tool based on target attributes like industry, employee count, technologies used, location, etc. The returned companies will be pre-filtered to match your ICP.
Automated List Building
Many sales tech platforms allow creating dynamic lists of companies automatically filtered and sorted by field values and criteria. Update the rules as your ICP evolves.
Integrated Analytics
Tools with built-in analytics visualize account data to highlight high propensity accounts based on historical customer trends and signals.
AI-Driven Recommendations
Advanced AI capabilities can recommend next best actions on accounts based on massive data sets and machine learning algorithms. AI learns your ICP to provide smart recommendations.
Leveraging technology accelerates company prioritization so sales teams can focus on revenue-generating activities. Automated scoring, segmentation, analytics, and AI eliminate much of the manual work around defining and categorizing target account lists.
What are some tips for account prioritization?
Here are some additional guidelines to keep in mind when prioritizing target company accounts:
- Update criteria regularly based on new insights into your ideal customer.
- Involve leadership, sales, and marketing in defining prioritization rules.
- Use multiple data points for a more complete picture.
- Test and refine rules over time.
- Adopt workflows to ensure follow-up on highest priority leads.
- Document methodology for consistency across all sales reps.
- Integrate prioritization with your CRM system.
- Review a sample of lower priority companies to catch potential mistakes.
- Provide reps visibility into how leads are scored for transparency.
Well-defined account prioritization improves efficiency, results, and scale. But it requires an intentional process backed by data and insights. Following best practices will maximize your sales team’s prospecting efforts.
Conclusion
Implementing a sound approach to company prioritization enables sales teams to concentrate on the most promising accounts returned in a sales navigator search. Factors like company size, industry fit, intent signals, relationships, and technology used help determine priority levels. Scoring, color coding, alphabetic buckets or a tiered system can categorize priority levels. Automated lead scoring, analytics, and AI-driven recommendations scale the process for growth. With a thoughtful strategy for ranking and segmenting accounts, salespeople can focus on high-potential opportunities and accelerate revenue.