Process
Lead Scoring
A methodology for ranking prospects based on their likelihood to convert into paying customers.
What is Lead Scoring?
Lead scoring assigns numerical values to prospects based on attributes (company size, industry, role) and behaviors (website visits, content engagement, email opens) to prioritize sales follow-up. Higher scores indicate higher likelihood of conversion.
Why Traditional Lead Scoring Fails in B2B SaaS & Dev Agencies
Volume-based lead scoring systems create a false sense of precision. They assign points based on data fields that may or may not indicate buying readiness:
- Job title = VP → +20 points (but VPs at 10-person startups have no budget)
- Downloaded whitepaper → +15 points (but they were researching for a blog post)
- Company size 200-500 → +10 points (but they just had layoffs)
The result: your sales team chases high-scoring leads that are not actually qualified.
Manual Qualification vs. Volume-Based Scoring
| Dimension | Lead Scoring | Manual Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Instant | 15-20 min per prospect |
| Context | Data fields only | Full business context |
| Accuracy | 15-25% qualified | 70-85% qualified |
| Nuance | None | High |
| Cost per lead | $0.50-2 | $15-30 |
| Cost per qualified meeting | $800-2,000 | $200-400 |
// SCORING vs QUALIFICATION
lead_score_100: VP at 200-person company who downloaded a PDF
manual_qualified: CTO at Series B SaaS who just hired 3 engineers
and is evaluating platforms identical to yours
which_one_books_a_meeting: manual_qualified (every time)
I do not use lead scoring. Every prospect is manually qualified by a human researcher who evaluates ICP fit, buying signals, decision-maker status, and personalization opportunities.