How Do You Define Scoring Criteria for Accounts?
Account scoring turns messy buying signals into a repeatable, auditable way to prioritize the right accounts, align Sales + Marketing, and trigger the next best action across ABM plays—without guessing.
Define account scoring criteria by combining Fit (who the account is), Intent (what they are researching), and Engagement (how they interact with you) into a single, governed model that produces clear outcomes: prioritize accounts, route them to the right team, and trigger ABM plays and follow-up SLAs. The strongest models use weighted signals, apply minimum thresholds (e.g., ICP + committee coverage), and include decay and recency so yesterday’s activity doesn’t outrank today’s buying motion.
The 6 Signal Categories That Make Account Scoring Work
A Practical Framework to Define Account Scoring Criteria
Use this sequence to build a scoring model that Sales trusts, Marketing can activate, and RevOps can govern. The output should be one score plus a reason code (why the account scored that way).
Define → Weight → Threshold → Test → Operationalize → Govern
- Define the decision your score powers: “Which accounts get 1:1 outreach this week?” “Which accounts enter a 1:few play?” “Which accounts get recycled?”
- Choose your pillars: Fit + Intent + Engagement (recommended) and optionally add Pipeline/Expansion for existing customers or active opps.
- Set minimum thresholds (gates): e.g., ICP fit must be “A or B” and at least 2 committee roles identified before the account can become “Tier 1.”
- Weight signals by revenue outcomes: Give more points to signals that correlate with stage progression and wins (not vanity activity).
- Apply recency & decay: A pricing-page visit last week should outscore five blog reads from six months ago.
- Attach actions to bands: e.g., 80–100 = Sales + ABM 1:1 play; 60–79 = 1:few play; 40–59 = nurture; <40 = monitor.
- Test with closed-won/closed-lost: Back-test the model on historical accounts and adjust weights until it separates winners from noise.
- Operationalize in workflow: routing, SLAs, alerts, tasks, and play triggers. If the score doesn’t change behavior, it’s not a scoring model—it’s a report.
- Govern monthly: track score-to-meeting rate, stage velocity lift, and win-rate lift; tune thresholds each quarter.
Account Scoring Criteria Matrix (Example)
| Signal Area | What to Measure | How to Score | Common Pitfall | Action Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICP Fit | Industry, size, region, tech stack, constraints | Tier A/B/C with weights; exclude non-ICP | Too broad ICP | Tier A = eligible for 1:1/1:few |
| Committee Coverage | Engaged roles, missing roles, champion strength | Points per role engaged; bonus for EB + champion | Scoring only one contact | Missing EB = enablement + targeted content |
| Intent | Category/competitor topics, surges, urgency | High points for late-stage topics; recency multiplier | Treating all intent equally | Surge = ABM activation + SDR alert |
| Engagement | Pricing/demo/RFP, webinars, product docs | Weight high-value assets > low-value content | Overweighting clicks | Demo intent = meeting SLA |
| Pipeline | Open opp stage, velocity, stall risk | Add “pipeline boost” + stall penalty | Double-counting signals | Stall risk = exec touch + nurture |
| Expansion | Product usage, adoption, renewal timing | Renewal window + adoption + intent topics | Ignoring CS data | 90 days to renewal = expansion play |
Operational Reality Check: The Score Must Trigger Work
The highest-performing teams pair account scoring with clear tiers, routing rules, and play activation. If Sales can’t see why an account scored high, adoption drops—and so does ROI. Build “reason codes” like: High Intent + Tier A Fit, Committee Engaged + Pricing Activity, or Renewal Window + Usage Dip.
To keep scoring aligned with buyer reality, map your criteria to a consistent journey model and revisit weights as markets shift. A guided framework helps teams keep signals, plays, and handoffs coordinated across functions.
Frequently Asked Questions about Account Scoring Criteria
Make Account Scoring Actionable, Not Theoretical
We’ll define scoring criteria, align tiers to ABM plays, and operationalize routing + SLAs so your teams act on the score—every time.
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