Unlocking Growth with IQLs - The Missing Link in Your Demand Generation Strategy

By David Ronald

Attention alone doesn’t equal intent.

Marketers have become adept at capturing clicks, downloads, and webinar sign-ups, but, unfortunately, these engagement signals don’t necessarily translate into pipeline.

That’s where the Intent Qualified Lead (IQL) comes in.

An IQL is a prospect who has demonstrated clear, measurable buying intent through their behaviors and signals, both on your own channels and across the broader web.  

Unlike Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), which are typically defined by engagement with your marketing content, IQLs are identified through intent data that reflects what buyers are actually researching, comparing, and preparing to purchase. 

In this blog post I explore how to identity and leverage IQLs to unlock sales opportunities and growth revenues.

What Makes a Lead “Intent Qualified”?

Intent qualification goes beyond form fills and email opens. It’s based on actions that reveal readiness to buy, such as: 

• Visiting high-intent pages like pricing, product comparisons, or case studies.
• Consuming third-party content on review sites or analyst platforms.
• Searching for solution-specific keywords on search engines.
• Exhibiting interest in topics related to your product category.

When these signals align with your ideal customer profile (ICP), you have an IQL, a lead who is not just curious, but actively considering a solution like yours. 

Why IQLs Matter More Than Ever

Traditional lead scoring models often fall short because they overvalue engagement and undervalue context.  

A lead who downloads an eBook may simply be learning, while another who’s comparing vendors is far closer to a decision. By focusing on intent data, marketers can: 

• Prioritize leads with the highest likelihood to convert, improving sales efficiency.
• Personalize outreach based on what the buyer is researching.
• Accelerate pipeline velocity by meeting prospects at the right stage with the right message.

In an era where buyers complete up to 70% of their research before talking to sales, recognizing intent early gives your team a powerful advantage. 

How to Operationalize IQLs

1. Integrate intent data providers like 6sense, Bombora, or Demandbase to capture third-party signals.
2. Map intent keywords to your product categories and ICP.
3. Align marketing and sales around a shared IQL definition and handoff process.
4. Trigger personalized campaigns when surges occur, such as tailored ads, SDR outreach, or targeted content.
5. Track outcomes to refine scoring and optimize lead flow.

When implemented effectively, IQLs bridge the gap between marketing and sales, turning insight into action. 

Conclusion

IQLs represent the future of modern demand generation.

They shift focus from quantity to quality, ensuring that every lead your team touches is backed by real buying intent.

By embracing intent data, you’ll not only improve conversion rates, you’ll build a smarter, more predictable pipeline and give your sales team what they need most: buyers who are ready to talk.

Thanks for reading.

Would you like to discuss how to identify IQLs? If so, get in touch with me at david@alphabetworks.com and we can have a discussion.

Rethinking Social Media: From Noise to Meaningful Engagement

By David Ronald  

Social media was once a marketer’s dream.  

It promised direct access to customers, real-time engagement, and endless opportunities for creativity.  

But, somewhere along the way, that dream became a noisy, crowded marketplace – algorithms changed, feeds filled with ads, and brands began shouting, instead of speaking smarter. 

Audiences today scroll faster, expect more, and trust less.  

To stand out, businesses need to move beyond vanity metrics and refocus on what really matters – meaningful engagement that builds trust, loyalty, and advocacy. 

In this blog post I explore what businesses need to change to accomplish more with social media.

“More” is a Problem

For years, social media strategies have revolved around volume, specifically more posts, more impressions, and more followers.  

However, “more” isn’t the same as “better”, and a high follower count or viral post means little if it doesn’t lead to connection or conversion. 

Many brands confuse activity with impact – producing endless content without investigating if it resonates or not.  

What has been the result?

Diminishing returns and declining engagement rates.

The Shift from Broadcasting to Building Relationships

Modern marketing teams are treating social media as a conversation, and not as a megaphone.  

They prioritize the quality of interactions over the quantity of outputs. Instead of chasing algorithms, they focus on authenticity, value, and relevance. 

This means listening more than talking, responding in real time, and creating content that reflects the brand’s purpose and values.

Companies like Duolingo, HubSpot, and Patagonia and  have mastered this – they use social media to engage with buyers, and not just to sell.  

Their posts are intended to spark conversations – their content aligns with a larger mission, and their tone of voice feels human.

What's the takeaway? People engage with brands that engage with them, not at them.

Meaningful Engagement Starts with Listening

Social media is the largest real-time focus group in the world. Yet most brands still use it as a one-way communication channel.  

The companies that are gaining an edge are those that listen intentionally.  

They monitor not just mentions of their brand, but conversations about customer pain points, industry trends, and competitor perceptions.  

This listening enables smarter content, sharper messaging, and faster response to customer needs. 

And it also uncovers opportunities to delight customers in unexpected ways – from solving a problem before it escalates or amplifying a customer success story.

Listening builds empathy, and empathy drives loyalty. 

From Metrics to Meaning

Every social media team faces pressure to prove ROI.  

But our obsession with likes, clicks, and shares has created a dangerous trap – specifically, focusing on metrics that are easy to measure but hard to tie to business outcomes.

Meaningful engagement is about depth, not breadth.  

So, I recommend that you start asking, “Who did this post help, inspire, or move to action?”, instead of asking, “How many people saw this post?”  

Leading organizations are developing new KPIs that reflect long-term value:

• Engaged audience growth (vs. passive followers).
• Share of meaningful conversations (vs. total mentions).
• Customer lifetime value influenced by social interactions.
• Brand sentiment shifts over time.

These indicators reveal whether social media is advancing relationships, and snot just visibility

Storytelling as Strategy

The old adage, “Facts tell. Stories sell” is as powerful today as ever.  

In an era of short attention spans, storytelling cuts through noise and builds emotional connection.

Marketing teams that lead with stories about customers, employees, or their mission, differentiate themselves from competitors who rely solely on promotion.  

Effective storytelling on social media means showing, not telling.

• Showcase customer success instead of listing product features.
• Spotlight employees who embody your values.
• Share behind-the-scenes moments that humanize your brand.

Stories create meaning, and meaning builds memory.

Empowering Employees as Advocates

One of the most overlooked opportunities in social media strategy lies inside the company itself.  

Employee advocacy programs can dramatically expand reach and authenticity – buyers trust employees more than logos. When team members share company news, thought leadership, or personal experiences, they humanize the brand and strengthen its credibility. 

Businesses that invest in employee enablement, providing content, training, and encouragement, see stronger engagement rates and improved brand perception.  

In my opinion, this is not just marketing, but culture amplified.

The Power of Communities Over Channels

I may be going out on a bit of a limb, but I predict that those brands that will thrive in the next decade will be the ones that focus more on communities – specifically, places where customers, partners, and advocates interact with each other as much as with the brand.  

Private groups, Slack communities, and brand-owned forums are replacing the traditional public feed as spaces for deeper dialogue. 

Here, companies can facilitate peer-to-peer learning, gather feedback, and strengthen loyalty in ways that broadcast platforms can’t replicate.  

The future of social media marketing isn’t just social, but communal.

AI and the Return to Humanity

It’s absolutely true that artificial intelligence is reshaping how social content is created, distributed, and analyzed.  

Ironically, however, the more automated the landscape becomes, the more valuable genuine human connection will be. 

AI can accelerate research, optimize timing, and personalize delivery. But it can’t replace the authenticity of a brand voice or the empathy behind a human response.  

Businesses that use AI as a creative assistant, and not a substitute for human engagement, will strike the right balance between efficiency and empathy.

Practical Steps Toward Meaningful Engagement

To transform your social media presence from noise to meaning, I suggest beginning with the following steps:

1. Audit your current presence – identify what’s driving real engagement versus what’s creating clutter.
2. Revisit your purpose – define why your brand is on each platform, and what unique value it provides there.
3. Listen actively – use social listening tools to uncover insights about your audience’s needs and perceptions.
4. Shift your content mix – prioritize thought leadership, storytelling, and customer advocacy over pure promotion.
5. Empower your people – train and motivate employees to participate in authentic brand conversations.
6. Redefine success metrics – measure engagement quality, brand sentiment, and conversion influence, not just reach. 

Transformation can only start with intention. 

Conclusion

The era of empty social media engagement is ending because audiences are smarter, savvier, and more selective than ever.

Winning in this new landscape means returning to what made social media powerful in the first place – and that is genuine connection.

Businesses that prioritize authenticity, empathy, and value-driven storytelling will rise above the noise and turn followers into loyal advocates.

It’s time to stop shouting into the void…

And start creating conversations that matter. 

Thanks for reading – I hope you found this blog post useful.

Are you interested in discussing how you can leverage social media better? If so, let’s have a conversation. My email address is david@alphabetworks.com – I look forward to hearing from you.

5 Ways SDR Outreach Can Improve

By David Ronald  

Sales development representatives are often the first real human connection a buyer has with your company.  

They are your frontline ambassadors.  

Their outreach shapes the buyer’s first impression and sets the tone for the entire relationship.  

But too often, a sales development representative (SDR) can miss the mark, coming across as generic, pushy, or out of touch with what the buyer actually cares about.  

Improving your sales development outreach doesn’t just boost response rates, it builds trust and credibility for the brand.

Here are five practical ways SDRs can elevate their outreach and connect with prospects more effectively.

1. Be Respectful

Using a prospect’s first name is table stakes. 

Adding a greeting, such as “How is your week going? or “I hope you are keeping well?” is good practice too.

But real personalization goes deeper. 

It's a great idea to reference a recent company initiative, recognize their industry challenges, or cite a newsworthy moment that impacts them in your outreach - this shows that you’ve done your homework.  

Finally, avoid being overly familiar at the beginning and, for sure, don't ask them how their business is going - many people will view this as impertinence.

2. Educate Without Condescension

Sales development reps should avoid framing outreach in a way that suggests the prospect has a knowledge gap. 

Not every prospect will be familiar with your solution or category. That doesn’t make them uninformed – it simply means they have different areas of expertise. 

So, avoid jargon for a start.

Instead, focus on providing helpful context, resources, and insights that naturally highlight the value of your solution. 

This creates a consultative tone rather than a corrective one, which builds trust and credibility.

3. Lead with Value, Not Features

Too often sales development reps jump straight into describing product features. 

You should, instead, frame your message around the outcomes and benefits that matter most to the prospect. 

For example, instead of saying, “Our tool automates reporting,”...you might say, “Many teams save hours each week by streamlining reporting processes.” 

The shift from feature-focused to outcome-driven language positions your solution as a partner in solving problems rather than just another tool to evaluate.

4. Respect Time and Provide Options

One of the biggest mistakes sales development reps make is assuming that a buyer is ready to hear about what you are pitching. 

The reality is that even if your message resonates, people are busy. 

So, don’t push for a call as the next step.

Instead, provide your prospects with options, such as on-demand demo or a piece of content they can review on their own time.  

This flexibility acknowledges the pressures your prospects face and makes it easier for them to say “yes” without feeling like they are being rushed.

5. Follow Up with Purpose

Persistence is essential in SDR outreach, but there’s a fine line between persistence and harassment. 

Each follow-up should add something new, whether it’s a relevant case study, a timely statistic, or a piece of thought leadership. 

By layering in value, sales development reps keep the conversation fresh and give the prospect multiple angles to see the relevance of the solution.

Conclusion

Great SDR outreach it about building trust, respecting the prospect’s time, and creating value at every interaction. 

By personalizing deeply, leading with outcomes, offering flexible engagement options, educating thoughtfully, and following up with purpose, sales development representatives can dramatically improve both their response rates and the quality of their conversations. 

Ultimately, better outreach lays the foundation for lasting customer relationships. 

Thanks for reading. 

Would you like to discuss how to improve your SDR outreach? If so, get in touch with me at david@alphabetworks.com and we can have a discussion.

A Practical Guide to Identifying Your Best Sales Prospects

By David Ronald

One of the biggest challenges for anyone in sales is knowing where to focus your time and energy.

Chasing the wrong prospects can drain resources, stall momentum, and hurt morale.

On the other hand, identifying the right prospects creates efficiency, boosts win rates, and drives sustainable revenue growth.

By combining data, process, and intuition, you can create a repeatable system that ensures you’re consistently engaging with the right people at the right time.

 

In this blog post I provide a practical, step-by-step approach to help you identify your best sales prospects. 

Why Identifying the Right Prospects Matters

Not all prospects are created equal, as you know.

Some have the budget and decision-making authority to buy quickly, while others may have a need, but lack urgency, or they may never be able to buy at all.

By focusing on your best prospects, you accomplish the following: 

• Increase efficiency – less time spent on chasing low-quality leads.
• Improve win rates – more effort focused on those prospects most likely to convert.
• Shorten sales cycles – key prospects engaged with urgency and resources.
• Build stronger relationships – value created for buyers who benefit most from your solution.

It’s about working smarter, not harder.

So, here are 10 tips for identifying your best sales prospects. 

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Customer Profile

The first step in identifying the best prospects is knowing exactly who you’re looking for.

This means developing a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), a detailed description of the type of company that will gain the most value from your solution.  

Your ICP should include: 

• Firmographics – industry, company size, location, revenue, growth stage.
• Business challenges – pain points your solution directly addresses.
• Buying triggers – events that signal readiness to buy (eg, expansion, funding, regulation changes).
• Decision-makers – roles and titles of the individuals who influence or approve purchases.

Review your most successful customers today. What do they have in common? These patterns often reveal the core attributes of your ICP. 

Step 2: Segment Your Market

Not all prospects within your ICP will be equally attractive.

And this is where segmentation comes in.

Divide your potential market into smaller groups based on specific attributes, so you can prioritize and personalize outreach.

 Common segmentation methods include: 

• Industry-specific needs (eg, healthcare versus finance).
• Company size (startups versus enterprises).
• Geographic focus (local, regional, global).
• Technology stack (tools or platforms already in use).

This segmentation helps you focus on the slices of the market where your solution is most relevant and where your sales team can build repeatable wins. 

Step 3: Score and Prioritize Leads

Lead scoring is a systematic way to rank prospects based on their fit and likelihood to convert. 

You assign points to different attributes and behaviors, then focus on the highest-scoring leads first.

Here are some sample scoring criteria: 

• Fit – how closely they align with your ICP.
• Engagement – website visits, webinar attendance, email opens.
• Buying signals – budget discussions, RFP requests, demo requests.

A simple scoring model might look like this: 

• +10 points if the company is in your target industry.
• +15 points if the contact is a VP-level decision-maker.
• +20 points if they’ve requested a demo.

Prospects with the highest scores represent your best opportunities.

Step 4: Use Data and Tools Wisely

Sales prospecting has evolved far beyond manual list-building.

Today, sales teams can leverage a wide range of tools to identify and qualify prospects more effectively.  

Some useful categories include: 

• CRM systems (HubSpot, Salesforce) to track engagement and pipeline.
• Sales intelligence platforms (LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo) for firmographic and contact data.
• Intent data tools (Bombora, G2 Buyer Intent) to spot companies actively researching solutions like yours.
• Marketing automation (Marketo, Pardot) to nurture leads until they’re sales-ready.

My heartfelt advice, however, is to avoid getting drawn into the minutiae – avoid drowning in data. The goal is precision, not volume.

Use tools to narrow your focus, not expand it aimlessly.

Step 5: Look for Buying Triggers

Great prospects often reveal themselves through buying triggers, signals that suggest they’re entering a buying cycles.

Recognizing these can help you time your outreach perfectly. 

Some examples of buying triggers include: 

• Company growth – hiring surges, new office locations, funding rounds.
• Leadership changes – a new CIO or VP of Operations often brings new priorities.
• Regulatory changes – compliance requirements can create urgency.
• Technology shifts – adopting new systems that integrate with your solution.

When you spot these signals, your prospecting becomes less of a cold call and more of a timely solution to an urgent need.

Step 6: Balance Quantity and Quality

It’s tempting to pursue as many prospects as possible, but spreading yourself too thin dilutes effectiveness.

Instead, focus on balancing quality (fit and readiness) with quantity (enough pipeline to hit targets). 

A good rule of thumb is the following: 

• Dedicate 70% of effort to high-quality prospects who strongly match your ICP.
• Reserve 30% for emerging or experimental opportunities that might surprise you.

This balance keeps your pipeline healthy while ensuring you’re investing most energy in prospects that matter.

Step 7: Personalize Your Outreach

Once you’ve identified strong prospects, the next step is engaging them in a way that builds trust and opens conversations.

Generic outreach doesn’t cut it – your best prospects deserve personalized, relevant communication.

Here are some tips for effective outreach: 

• Reference a specific challenge or trigger relevant to their business.
• Highlight results you’ve achieved for similar customers.
• Keep messaging concise, clear, and value-driven.
• Use multiple channels, such as email, LinkedIn, and phone, to increase chances of connection.

Personalization shows that you’ve done your homework and positions you as a partner, not just another vendor. 

Step 8: Qualify Early and Often

Even with a strong ICP, scoring system, and buying signals, not every prospect will be the right fit.

This is why qualification is so critical. 

Use frameworks like BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) or MEDDIC (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion) to evaluate whether a prospect is worth pursuing further.

Keep in mind that disqualifying early is just as valuable as qualifying, as it frees you to focus on the prospects who truly deserve your attention.

Step 9: Build a Feedback Loop with Marketing

The best prospecting strategies involve close collaboration with marketing.

Marketing generates leads and insights, while sales provides feedback on lead quality and customer conversations.  

Together, you can: 

• Continuously refine the ICP.
• Improve lead scoring models.
• Create content tailored to buyer needs and triggers.
• Align messaging across campaigns and outreach.

When sales and marketing are in sync, identifying and nurturing top prospects becomes far more effective.

Step 10: Review and Refine Regularly

Markets change, and buyer behavior evolves.

And what worked six months ago may not work today.

That’s why prospecting should be an ongoing process, not a one-time exercise.

 Schedule regular reviews to: 

• Analyze closed deals for new ICP insights.
• Reassess scoring criteria and adjust weights.
• Identify new buying triggers emerging in the market.
• Evaluate which outreach tactics generate the best response rates.

A culture of continuous improvement keeps your prospecting sharp and your pipeline strong.  

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even seasoned sales teams can fall into traps when prospecting.

Success in sales is about focus, adaptability, and alignment.

Without regular reflection, even high-performing teams can slip into habits that limit their results.

 Watch out for these common pitfalls that quietly drain momentum and stall pipelines:

1. Chasing Logos Instead of Fit

Big-name brands are tempting because they look great on a customer list and can feel like a badge of honor.

But if they don’t align with your ICP they can drain time, energy, and resources without producing real value.

The best deals come from companies that have the right pain points, urgency, and potential for long-term partnership. 

2. Over-Reliance on Tools

Sales technology, such as CRMs, intent data, automation tools, can dramatically boost efficiency, but they’re not a substitute for human judgment.

Tools can identify signals, but it takes a skilled salesperson to interpret them, build relationships, and uncover true needs. 

Don’t let automation replace the art of conversation and curiosity.

3. Skipping Qualification

When pressure mounts to fill the pipeline, it’s tempting to push every lead forward.

But advancing unqualified prospects only leads to wasted cycles, frustrated account executives, and lower close rates.

Invest the time upfront to ask tough questions and disqualify early – your future self will thank you.

4. Neglecting Personalization

Generic outreach might check a box, but it rarely earns a response.

Prospects expect you to understand their business, industry, and challenges.  

Taking the time to tailor your message such as by referencing specific pain points or recent news, builds credibility and trust that’s essential for conversion.

5. Failing to Adjust

What worked last quarter might not work today.

Markets shift, competitors evolve, and buyer expectations change.

Teams that cling to old scripts or outdated ICPs risk falling behind.

Continuous learning, testing, and feedback loops are key to staying relevant and effective.

Top-performing teams succeed not just because of hard work, but because they stay aligned with strategy, stay human in their approach, and stay flexible in the face of change. 

Conclusion

Finding your best sales prospects is both an art and a science.

By defining your ICP, segmenting your market, scoring leads, watching for buying triggers, and continuously refining your process, you can build a prospecting system that consistently delivers high-quality opportunities.

The payoff is not just more sales, but better sales too.

You’ll spend more time with prospects who truly need your solution, close deals faster, and create customers who stay with you for the long haul.

Prospecting will never be easy, but with a practical, structured approach as described in this blog post, it becomes far more effective…

And far more rewarding.

Thanks for taking time to read this blog post.

Are you interested in improving your sales prospecting? If so, let’s have a conversation. My email address is david@alphabetworks.com – I look forward to hearing from you.

 Until next time...