3rd-Party Intent Data: A Broken Promise or Just the Wrong Lens?
The third-party intent data industry—a sector championed by tools like Bombora, 6sense, and ZoomInfo—has ridden a wave of hype for years, much like the high-flying promise of a get-rich-quick scheme. On the surface, these tools seem like a silver bullet for sales and marketing teams: delivering leads that are "ready to buy" and offering insights that supposedly unlock the holy grail of outbound effectiveness. But now, as companies scrutinize their tech stacks and demand tangible results, the cracks in this once-flawless facade are beginning to show. Sales and marketing leaders are asking tough, overdue questions: Where's the ROI these platforms promise? Are we chasing phantom leads instead of actionable opportunities? We paid $120K for what exactly?
It's time we confront an uncomfortable reality. 3rd party Intent signals, as they currently exist, are simply not cutting it. They’re not the magic solution they’re marketed to be; instead, they often resemble a fortune teller at a carnival, spinning enticing narratives but rarely delivering meaningful outcomes. Just like the carnival psychic, intent data platforms can seem eerily accurate at first glance—dropping hints and making predictions that seem tailored to your needs. Yet, when you dig deeper, you often find yourself disappointed, realizing that the "signals" were little more than generic patterns and guesses dressed up to feel personal. The promises sound compelling, but the delivery too often leaves sales and marketing teams stranded, clutching vague insights instead of actionable data. It’s time to demand better—tools that deliver precision, accountability, and results you can actually count on.
The Reality of Blanket Signals
Intent data has been marketed as a game-changer: a way to know what accounts are in the market for your solution. But here’s the problem: signals that are too broad, too generic, and lack actionable specificity are practically useless.
For example, an “intent signal” might tell you that a company has been searching for “CRM solutions.” That’s a good starting point, right? Not so fast.
- Who at the company is searching?
- Why are they searching? Are they in buying mode, or are they just doing competitor analysis?
- Are these signals relevant to the actual decision-makers?
The lack of granularity—both at the account and contact levels—makes many of these signals little more than noise. Sales teams chase them, only to hit a wall when the people they reach out to aren’t even aware of the "intent" flagged by the tool.
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Fit Matters More Than Signals
Another glaring issue? These platforms assume that “intent” alone is enough. It’s not. Fit matters just as much, if not more. And fit goes beyond titles and revenue bands. Here are key considerations:
- Relevant Contacts: If the “intent” isn’t linked to the right people within the account, it’s a dead end. And by “right people,” we mean those with both influence and budget.
- Deeper Insights: Knowing a company’s tech stack, recent strategic hires, or funding announcements can be more actionable than vague signals. These data points provide context—context that intent data alone rarely delivers.
- Dynamic Changes: A static "list" of signals becomes outdated fast. The ability to update data in real time is critical, and few intent platforms deliver this reliably.
The Fall of HG Data and Technographics
Take technographic data as an example. Companies like HG Data pioneered the use of hiring posts and job boards to infer what technologies a company might be adopting. But here’s the kicker: the fruit has been picked, and the vine isn’t yielding like it used to. These signals are increasingly irrelevant because everyone has access to them. They’re no longer special or differentiated. Worse yet, they don’t provide the specificity needed to drive sales conversations.
Tagging: Filling the Gaps in Frustrated ABM Strategies
If third-party intent data is a blunt instrument, tagging is a scalpel. Here’s why:
- Relevance: Tags can be applied at both the account and contact levels, allowing for granular segmentation.
- Coverage: Rather than relying on one-dimensional signals, tagging integrates multiple layers of insights, from firmographics and technographics to real-time hiring and funding data.
- Actionability: Tags can fuel playbooks—geo-specific campaigns, competitor displacement, or warm intro strategies—that deliver immediate, measurable results.
Imagine a sales team armed with precise tags for “Recently Funded”, “New Strategic Hire”, and “Actively Hiring for CRM Admins”. These tags aren’t just signals; they’re a roadmap for engagement.
A Better Way Forward
The problem isn’t the concept of intent data—it’s the execution. Sales and ABM teams don’t need more vague signals. They need:
- Signals tied to specific contacts who matter. You sell to people not an entity.
- Fit-driven insights that go beyond intent.
- Real-time, actionable data that evolves with the account.
In this new era, where data saturation is a reality, relevance is king. It’s time to rethink our approach to account-based strategies. Stop chasing the illusion of intent and start using tools that provide actionable, precise, and relevant insights—not just noise.
Tagging isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the solution to a problem the intent data industry has failed to address. And until these platforms evolve, the ROI will remain elusive.
