Chapter 6/10 • 18 min read
Lead Management
Get the right leads to the right reps at the right time. Scoring, routing, and seamless handoffs.
⏱️ TL;DR: Build a lead scoring model combining fit (demographic) and engagement (behavioral). Route based on territory, segment, or round-robin. Create documented handoff processes with SLAs.
Lead Scoring
Lead scoring prioritizes leads by likelihood to convert.
Two Dimensions of Scoring
- Fit score: How well they match your ICP (demographic)
- Engagement score: How actively they interact (behavioral)
Fit Score Criteria
| Attribute | Points |
|---|---|
| Company size 50-500 | +20 |
| Company size 500+ | +30 |
| Target industry | +25 |
| C-level title | +30 |
| VP/Director title | +20 |
| Target geography | +15 |
| Uses competitor | +20 |
Engagement Score Criteria
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Website visit | +1 |
| Pricing page view | +10 |
| Content download | +5 |
| Demo request | +50 |
| Email open | +2 |
| Email click | +5 |
| Webinar attendance | +15 |
💡 Score Decay
Reduce engagement scores over time. A website visit 90 days ago isn't as valuable as one today.
Lead Routing
Getting leads to the right person fast.
Routing Methods
- Round-robin: Equal distribution among reps
- Territory-based: By geography or industry
- Segment-based: By company size (SMB/MM/Enterprise)
- Account-based: To existing account owner
- Skills-based: By product line or specialization
Speed Matters
Response time dramatically affects conversion:
- Response within 5 minutes: 21x more likely to qualify
- Response within 1 hour: 7x more likely
- Response after 24 hours: Lead is likely dead
Handoff Processes
Marketing → Sales Handoff
- Trigger: Lead reaches MQL threshold
- Action: Route to SDR, notify via Slack/email
- SLA: First contact within 4 hours
- Info passed: Lead source, engagement history, fit score
SDR → AE Handoff
- Trigger: SQL created after qualifying call
- Action: Create opportunity, assign to AE
- SLA: AE accepts within 24 hours
- Info passed: BANT details, call notes, stakeholders
Sales → CS Handoff
- Trigger: Deal closed won
- Action: Create customer record, assign CSM
- SLA: Kickoff call within 5 business days
- Info passed: Contract details, use case, key contacts, why they bought
⚠️ Document Everything
Handoffs are where leads die. Create templates and checklists to ensure consistent information transfer.
Lead Lifecycle
Leads don't just move forward. Manage the full lifecycle:
- Recycling: SQLs that aren't ready → back to nurture
- Re-engagement: Cold leads that warm up again
- Disqualification: Bad fits removed from pipeline
- Reactivation: Lost deals that come back
Lead Management Checklist
- ☑️ Lead scoring model built (fit + engagement)
- ☑️ MQL threshold defined
- ☑️ Routing rules configured
- ☑️ Response time SLAs in place
- ☑️ Handoff templates created
- ☑️ Recycling process defined
- ☑️ Lead lifecycle documented