Move away Intent: It’s time for Pre-intent
Let’s uncover the power of pre-intent signals for building long-lasting relationships with prospects even in highly competitive environments.
Hey, Welcome to this week’s edition of “Future of Prospecting” Newsletter by “Evabot”.
We have been researching Generative AI Technology for the last 18 months and have been astounded by the use cases it brings in Prospecting through Hyper Targeting and Personalisation. For Sales leaders and Revenue leaders, the main challenge with AI-led Prospecting is “How and What not?”
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Last month, we started identifying a set of signals from 10K Reports, Quarterly Filing reports, News and social media posts of more than 500 companies. Surprisingly, we saw a pattern as early buying signals with our product / service context.
We call these signals “pre-intent” as the buyer has started feeling a pain but hasn't started actively looking out for a solution.
At this time, the buyer can not clearly describe a problem but feels the pain. Timing is everything at this point. If you can reach out with concern, they will immediately trust you.
And when they start their formal vendor approval process, you will (most likely) be the "preferred" vendor. No matter who the top players are in the space.
Cool, but how can we do this? Sounds impossible to solve.
So we look for signals from all the publicly available data and these signals are able to tell you when a team/ICP starts feeling a pain that your product can solve for.
For example, a company has a new initiative to switch from marketing-led to sales-led motion and as soon as they hire the leadership they will look for tools that can help with that. And you sell a full-stack outbound product.
Our goal is to capture this information as “Early-buying signals” or “Pre-Intent signals” and do the outreach well before they are in the market looking at your competitor.
Have you ever tried capturing "pre-intent" signals?
How is it different from intent signals?
Let's break it down: what's the real difference between pre-intent and intent signals?
Imagine you're in a race, and intent data is like knowing the race has already started.
The buyers? They are warm, on the move, digging deep into solutions, and maybe even thinking of finalizing a deal with a vendor in mind. By now, they are way past just feeling the pain— they are actively seeking the solution.
- Intent Signals: Buyer's deep in the search and implement game.
- Your Spot as a Vendor? Outside the top 3? Tough luck.
What if you could start your outreach *before* the buyers start looking for a solution?
Try catching “pre-intent signals”.
This is where you get the buyer’s attention and build a relationship before they even try looking for solutions.
- Pre-Intent: Be the early guide.
- The Advantage? You're not just a vendor; you're a trusted advisor.
If you’re targeting the mid-market or enterprise sectors, missing out on this pre-intent phase means you’ve skipped the crucial step of shaping their journey.
Why wait in line when you can be the first they turn to?
Let’s chat about how the market’s shifting and why pre-intent could be your next big play.
How intent is measured vs pre-intent is measured?
Knowing the “how” behind measuring intent signals and pre-intent signals would be crucial for getting terrific outcomes from your sales process.
“Intent Measurement* is all about catching those moments signaling a buyer is ready to jump into action. Think about it:
- A job change pops up.
- Acquisition news breaks.
- Investment posts go live.
- Someone's searching on G2 or using 6sense.
These are your clues. They're highly transactional, a sign someone is moving towards a purchase.
But here's a question for you: Is catching them at this stage always enough?
Pre-Intent Measurement plays a different trust game. It's like being a researcher, looking for hints of growth or expansion in:
- 10K Reports.
- Quarterly filings.
- The latest news.
- Official company posts.
It’s about spotting the strategic moves before they even start looking for solutions. This phase is highly strategic. Why? Because the pain is there. They're not just looking for a solution; they're looking for a partner to help elevate that pain.
So, which approach feels more like your style? Chasing the transaction, or building a strategic partnership right from the get-go? Let’s think strategically and stay a step ahead.
Examples:
What to do once you have pre-intent signals?
Now, let’s say you have a list of pre-intent signals… But, what do you do with it?
Context and Priority:
First, assess the situation. How does this signal align with what you're offering? Is it a fleeting interest or a deep-seated need?
Hyper-Personalization:
Utilize communication frameworks like PSA, OPPS, etc., created by experts, to elicit a response.
Ever received an email and felt it was made just for you? How did that make you feel?
Omni-Channel Approach:
Combine emails, calls, and social media outreach with pre-intent signals.
The goal? To initiate a conversation that feels welcoming and understanding of their pain, focusing on building trust before they even start looking for solutions.
Insight Enrichment:
For pipeline prospects, Use pre-intent insights to:
- Enhance your call preparations.
- Tailor your follow-ups.
- Modify your approach based on feedback.
Can enriching insights before a call transform your sales strategy?
How has AI enabled a way to get “live” pre-intent signals at scale?
How can we catch these pre-intent signals as they happen?
Answer: AI
Thanks to models like GPT-4 and Claude 3, Pre-intent signals are now a reality:
- Massive Data, No Problem: These LLMs (Large Language Models) are analyzing vast oceans of data in context i.e. 10K Reports, Quarterly filings, The latest news, Official company posts etc.
- Customized for You: No generic insights. AI tailors its analysis based on the unique pain points related to what you sell. The result? Highly personalized and contextual insights.
- Fresh Insights, Always: It never sleeps. This means continuous analysis across all accounts, ensuring you're always armed with the latest data.
🤔 Think About It: How could "live" pre-intent signals transform your approach to sales?
AI isn't just changing the game; it's reshaping it.
Are you ready to leverage pre-intent insights and stay a step ahead?
Want to experience pre-intent signals in action?
Send us a list of 5 accounts, and we'll show you the pre-intent signals. It's our gift to you, the power of pre-intent signals in outreach.