- August 28, 2018
- Intent Data
Serving Up an Ace: How Real Intent Gives Sales a Decisive Advantage
The US Open is here. While I enjoy the unfolding drama of long rallies, unforced errors, and incredible winners, sometimes I like to see the pure power of the ultimate tennis shot: the ace.
The ace is the biggest weapon in tennis, and many US Open legends past and present have it. Back in the 80s and 90s, Boris Becker’s serve earned him the nicknames Boom Boom and Der Bomber. US legend Pete Sampras served over 11 aces per match while five-time US Open winner Roger Federer has more than 10,000 aces in his career.
The great thing about the ace is the immediate advantage it brings the players who have it in their arsenal. Those who don’t have an ace in their back pocket may still win, but they’ll always be at a disadvantage, especially in key moments. An ace can be unleashed to win a tiebreak, consolidate a lead, or come back from a tight spot. So how can sales teams hit their aces and make quicker inroads and drive more productive sales conversations?
The answer is with real intent data.
How to Hit an Ace with Real Intent
The ace is characterized by both speed and accuracy. A 160 mph ball into the net or out into Flushing Bay is spectacular but useless. Likewise an accurate but sluggish serve against big returners like Djokovic will not end well. In order to build pipeline, win deals and increase revenue, sales teams need the right team, strategy, tools and support. But to penetrate active accounts, just like an ace, their most important advantage is: you got it – speed and accuracy.
Speed
For a serve to be an ace, it must typically be fast. For sales teams to win, they also need to be fast. To win deals, sales needs to quickly identify who is in the market for their solutions and prioritize which accounts to target. Real intent data enables sales teams to act with speed as it reveals which accounts and named prospects are actively researching topics related to their solutions allowing sales teams to quickly make decisions about who to prioritize with their outreach. To win, the messaging needs to be accurate.
Accuracy
To win the point on the spot, an ace must be hit with lethal accuracy to evade the racket of the returner and land in the service area. The depth and accuracy of real purchase intent data—which includes vital account-level insight about who is researching what topics and when, as well as the account’s current tech stack, and vendor preferences—gives sales teams the hooks they need to quickly make inroads into accounts with meaningful, fruitful conversations.
What It Takes to Win: Powerful Intelligence to Shape Deals in Your Market
To win the US Open, players need a full arsenal of strokes as well as physical and mental strength and stamina. They also need best-in-class equipment and a supportive team. But the ability to serve up an ace—whether it’s the opening point of the tournament or championship point—is a decisive advantage. Sales teams might have everything in place to do well—the right team, the right tools—but to get a meaningful and immediate edge into shaping deals in their market, they need real intent data. Armed with quick inroads and demonstrable and timely understanding of customer challenges, your sales conversations will lead to more pipeline and more revenue.
To learn more about how real intent data can be your sales team’s biggest weapon, watch this short video.
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