Date-a-vendor Modelling Playbook: Matching Data With Your SDR Team

In outbound prospecting, more often than not, it can feel like your SDR team is stuck in a cycle of cringe blind dates, chasing leads that aren’t a fit, getting ghosted after the first touch, or maybe even investing time into conversations that go absolutely nowhere.

And in case you’re reading this and thinking, “I need to evaluate my options first!”, look no further. Check out the first of our Evaluation playbooks here!

But for now, back to modelling.

It’s not that your SDRs aren’t charming or that their messaging is wrong. It’s more that they’re trying to fall in love with the right leads without the magic of modern matchmaking: data.

Enter you, the RevOps romantic, the behind-the-scenes strategist. The one who not only helps your team find leads, but supports them in finding ‘the one’.

This isn’t just about numbers and filters; it’s about building a system that sparks real connections. It’s about data modelling: structuring, enriching, and activating the kind of insight that turns cold outreach into much more meaningful conversations.

Think of it as managing a prospecting love story, where SDRs stop chasing and start building chemistry with the right people, at the right time, through the right channels.

In this guide, we’re going to take you on a journey through that love story. You’ll learn how to:

• Define your Ideal Customer Profile (like building the perfect dating profile).
• Use intent signals to spot who’s ready to commit.
• Deliver irresistible first messages through personalisation.
• And maintain CRM hygiene like the communication pro you are.

Because when the data’s right, and the process is strong, prospecting stops being a numbers game, and starts looking a lot more like destiny.

Ready to play Cupid with your pipeline?

Let’s start at the beginning: crafting the perfect profile... 👇

Crafting the Perfect Dating Profile – Defining Your ICP 💁‍♀️

Many great love stories begin with knowing what (and who) you’re looking for.

When it comes to SDR prospecting, that means building a solid Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Imagine you’re crafting the ultimate dating profile, not just listing preferences, but deeply understanding who you’re compatible with and why.

If you’re the RevOps pro in your organisation, you’re the matchmaker behind the scenes, helping SDRs stop swiping right on the wrong prospects. The goal?

Ensure that every outreach starts with the potential for long-term compatibility and not just a one-time conversion.

Why the ICP Matters (So You Don’t End Up on a Bad Date)

Without a clear ICP, your SDRs are shooting in the dark, spending time and energy on companies that will never buy, or worse, ones that churn quickly after closing.

A top ICP makes sure every prospecting motion is guided by:

• Relevance: Reps are engaging companies with a true need for your solution.
• Efficiency: No wasted energy on leads that aren’t in-market.
• Alignment: Marketing, Sales, and RevOps teams all operate from the same love language.

Building the Right ICP (Swipe Left on Vagueness) 🧱

Crafting a high-converting ICP isn’t supposed to be guesswork; it’s a data-driven process that leverages historical success, market trends, and team insights.

Here’s how you can build a winning profile:

1. Analyse Your Top Customers

Start by identifying patterns among your happiest customers and fastest deals.

Look for the following traits:

2. Collaborate Cross-Functionally

Loop in sales, marketing, and customer success to refine your ICP together.

Sales may see real-time objections, marketing may have persona data, and CS can identify who’s actually going to stick around.

It’s like asking friends for dating advice; each one has insight that makes your profile stronger.

3. Get Granular with Segmentation

Now that you’ve defined who your best prospects are, break them down into specific segments:

• Geos and territories: Does your solution resonate better in Europe?
• Industries or verticals: Are SaaS companies your sweethearts, or do you have better luck with manufacturing?
• Buying stages: Who’s ready to commit now, and who just needs a little nurturing?

Each segment can have tailored messaging, cadences, and outreach strategies.

Because just like dating, a CMO in fintech expects a different kind of attention than a VP of Sales in logistics.

4. Validate and Iterate

An ICP isn’t static; it evolves with your market.

Regularly review win/loss data, churn reasons, and engagement metrics to fine-tune your ICP over time.

Treat it like updating your dating profile as you grow. What worked last year might not work now.

Antoine Cornet, Cognism’s Head of Revenue Operations, defines an ICP as:

“The accounts that will yield the best long-term result for the company. So I put every stage through the funnel, accounts to meetings booked, meetings to opportunities, win rates, average order value, net dollar retention, and look for the firmographic traits that predict repeat success.”

💡 Top Tip:

Want to make this even easier? Here’s Antoine’s template for account scoring, which you can steal and tweak to define your ICP with your own team.

Your SDR Team’s Next Move

With a defined ICP, your SDRs aren’t just throwing pickup lines into the void. They’re engaging prospects who are aligned, interested, and more likely to convert. Every outbound effort becomes intentional, targeted, and built on shared values (or at least shared KPIs).

Next, let’s explore how to spot the real signals of interest. Because even the best profile needs the right timing to make magic happen.

Reading the Signs – Using Intent Data to Know Who’s Ready to Commit 💍

Now that you’ve nailed down your ideal customer profile, it’s time to figure out which prospects are actually interested and aren’t just silently ghosting you.

Enter: intent data, the secret weapon that helps you read between the lines and spot when someone’s thinking about you before they even slide into your DMs, or reply to your cold email.

For SDRs, acting on intent data is like spotting someone eyeing you across the room. They haven’t spoken yet, but the buying signals are loud and clear.

For RevOps, it’s often about orchestrating this encounter, making sure reps focus their charm on those most likely to say “yes” to that first meeting.

What is Intent Data, Really? 🤔

Intent data captures the digital breadcrumbs companies leave when researching products, services, or pain points related to what you offer.

It could include:

• Content consumption on third-party sites.
• Topic searches.
• Competitor comparisons.
• Engagement with industry keywords.

Think of it as catching someone Googling “best B2B lead generation tools” or bingeing blog posts on outbound strategy. They’re clearly in-market, so why wait for them to find you when your SDRs can make the first move?

First-Party vs Third-Party Intent: The Signal Spectrum

There are two kinds of signals you’ll want to track:

1. First-Party Intent

These are signals from your own platforms. Think website visits, form fills, webinar sign-ups, or email clicks.

These are warm leads already in your world, and they’re dropping hints.

🔍 Example:

Someone downloads your “2025 Prospecting Playbook”? They’re not doing that for fun, they’ve got prospecting pain.

2. Third-Party Intent

This is where the magic happens.

Tools like Bombora surface insights from outside your own assets, telling you when a company is actively researching solutions in your space before they ever land on your site.

💘 It’s like your SDRs getting a nudge: “Hey, this account has been reading up on topics you solve; they’re flirting from afar.”

How You Can Turn Signals Into Strategy

Intent data alone doesn’t necessarily drive revenue, but combined with a solid ICP, it becomes the fuel for precise prospecting.

Here’s a way to structure it:

Align Intent Topics to ICP Segments 📍

Map key topics to each ICP segment you’ve defined. For example:

• Fintech prospects showing interest in “data compliance” 👉 priority outreach.
• SaaS accounts diving into “sales automation” 👉 signal to engage now.

This gives SDRs clear direction on who to chase and why now.

Score and Prioritise Based on Intent Strength 🎯

Not all signals are created equally. Someone skimming one blog post could be considered lukewarm.

But someone visiting five competitor pages, comparing pricing, and reading up on integrations? That’s a hot lead.

Use scoring models to rank accounts based on:

This way, your SDRs aren’t just working a list, but they’re chasing momentum.

On the role intent data plays, Antoine said:

“Defining fit is step one; timing is step two. You might have a hundred ICP-matched accounts, but you can only work a handful. So I refine that list with in-market signals, funding rounds, hiring spikes, to focus reps on who’s truly ready to say ‘yes.’”

Modelling the Perfect Match – How to Score Leads Like a RevOps Pro 💎

Okay, so you’ve built your ideal dating profile (ICP), and you’re spotting the signs (intent signals).

Now it’s time for the real Cupid move: scoring prospects so your SDRs know exactly who’s ready for a relationship, and who’s just window-shopping.

Think of it like setting up your own matchmaking algorithm. Instead of guessing, you create a simple points-based system that tells your team who’s hottest, who’s lukewarm, and who needs more time.

Here’s an example:

🔥 60+ points = Hot prospect – immediate outreach.
👀 30–60 points = Lukewarm – nurture and monitor.
🚫 <30 points = Low priority (for now).

⚡ Important!

Certain high-intent actions, like demo requests or contact us form submissions, should always trigger immediate outreach, even if the account doesn’t match your full ICP. Someone actively asking to speak with you should never be left waiting.

You can prioritise them separately from scored leads to make sure no real opportunities slip through.

🛠️ Pro Tip:

Build this score directly into your CRM or sales engagement tool so SDRs see it instantly, no guesswork, just clear green lights.

Because real RevOps matchmaking isn’t just about finding the perfect lead, it’s about moving fast when the right signals flash.

Integrate Signals Into Workflows 🧩

Intent data shouldn’t live in a silo. Pull it into your CRM, sales enablement platforms, and dashboards so SDRs can act fast:

• Set triggers for real-time notifications.
• Surface talking points in your sales tools.
• Automate intent-based cadences.

Because trust us, nothing kills a spark faster than a late reply.

The Real-World Impact: When the Timing’s Right

Imagine two accounts, both matching your ICP perfectly. One has been researching your industry heavily over the past two weeks. The other hasn’t interacted with any relevant content in months.

Which one do you want your SDR calling first?

Intent data answers that very question, helping your team catch the buyer in the moment, when curiosity is highest and friction is lowest. That’s the sweet spot where cold outreach becomes a warm hello.

When SDRs Follow the Signals, It’s a Match Made in Pipeline

As a RevOps pro, your job is likely to be translating data into timing, so your SDRs show up with the right message at the right moment.

Intent is what takes prospecting from a numbers game to a strategic love story, where outreach feels less like interruption and more like perfect timing.

🚨 With your ICP defined and your intent signals pulsing, it’s time for the next phase: making it personal.

Woo With Meaning – Personalising Outreach That Actually Lands 💌

So, let’s say you’ve identified your perfect match (ICP). You’ve spotted the signs they’re into you (intent signals).

Now comes the most crucial part of any promising future relationship: the first move.

Too often, we see poorly designed cold email templates and robotic LinkedIn DMs, therefore, personalisation is the diamond in the rough.

For SDRs, it’s what turns a generic “Hey there” into a thoughtful “I saw you were exploring revenue tools for scaling teams. Here’s something that might help.”

And if you’re a RevOps pro, it’s often your job to make this level of relevance repeatable, scalable, and smart.

Let’s break down how data modelling lays the groundwork for outreach that doesn’t just land, but creates the perfect honeymoon phase.

Personalisation Starts With Understanding the Persona ✍️

Before your SDRs hit send, they need to know who they’re talking to and exactly why it matters. That’s where persona management comes into play.

RevOps teams can use persona data to build filters and workflows that ensure every rep is armed with:

• The role they’re targeting (such as Head of Sales vs. RevOps Manager).
• Common pain points (scaling teams, data quality, compliance).
• Typical goals (increased pipeline velocity, better lead conversion).
• Relevant talking points (industry trends, tech stack insights).

This creates a structured yet flexible way to serve messaging that feels natural and fluent rather than starting from scratch every time.

💡 Pro tip:

Use your CRM and enrichment tools to surface this data in your reps’ dashboards. Make it smarter, not harder.

On where his RevOps role ends and the SDRs roles begin, Antoine said:

“I don’t craft the emails myself, but my job is to equip SDRs with the enriched signals, buying triggers, intent waves, recent behaviours, so they have the context to write something that truly feels one-to-one.”

Craft Messaging That Hits Home 💌

Now that your SDR knows who they’re reaching out to, it’s time to tailor the message.

Here’s where data turns into copy that converts:

Use Firmographic & Technographic Cues 🎯

• “Saw your team just grew by 30%. Is outbound top of mind as you scale?”
• “Noticed you’re using [specific tool]. We often help teams integrate better with it.”

When your SDRs lead with relevance, prospects are far more likely to listen.

Reference Real Behaviour 🔍

Leverage intent signals and recent activity:

• “I saw your company was exploring sales automation tools last month, curious if that’s still a focus?”
• “We’ve been speaking with a lot of [industry] teams trying to tighten compliance. Sound familiar?”

This moves outreach from “cold pitch” to “I see you, and I get it.”

Include Content That Converts 📁

Equip your SDRs with a content library mapped to each persona and buying stage:

• Case studies for analytical decision-makers.
• ROI breakdowns for budget-conscious teams.

And remember, always make it feel curated, not copy-pasted.

Make Personalisation Scalable 🪜

Personalisation doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel.

With the right systems in place, RevOps can empower SDRs to do it at scale:

• Templates by persona & segment: Pre-build outreach frameworks that reps can tailor, rather than writing from scratch.
• CRM enrichment: Automatically pull in job titles, tech stack, and recent activity.
• Snippets & merge tags: Make messages dynamic, not generic.

The key? Give your team tools that make personalisation feel human, even when it’s partly automated.

🧠 Remember:

It’s not just about using a prospect’s name. It’s about showing them you’ve done your homework.

Why This Matters for the Long Game

When done right, personalised outreach makes prospects feel understood.

While features and pricing matter, people often buy from those who “get” them; those who speak to their goals, challenges, and their world.

That’s why RevOps-driven personalisation is more than just a tactic. It’s saying: “You’re not just a number. You’re the one we’ve been waiting for.”

The Matchmaker’s Toolkit: Tools, Enrichment, and Channels That Seal the Deal 📞

Every matchmaker needs their secret weapons. Cyrano had his words. Jane Austen had her wit.

And your SDR team? They’ve got you! RevOps, armed with a toolkit that turns raw data into relationship-ready insights.

This chapter is your behind-the-scenes look at the systems that make great prospecting possible.

From verified contact info to dynamic outreach workflows, RevOps lays the foundation for efficient, compliant outreach that actually leads somewhere.

The Tools That Make the Magic Happen

Modern prospecting isn’t guesswork; it’s engineered. Like any good relationship, it takes effort behind the scenes.

Here are some non-negotiables to consider for your RevOps tech stack:

Verified Contact Data 📱

Without verified, GDPR-compliant phone numbers and accurate email addresses, your SDRs are sending love letters into the void—SDR heartbreak 101.

• Verified mobile numbers = faster speed-to-connect.
• Accurate emails = fewer bounces, more engagement.
• Clean data = less time researching, more time selling.

CRM Enrichment & Sync 🔄

Out-of-date CRM entries? Duplicate contacts? You deserve better.

Your CRM should be the single source of truth. That means enrichment tools that auto-update:

• Titles and job changes.
• Tech stack shifts.
• Company growth signals.

No more guessing. No more digging. Just SDRs working with intel that’s real and relevant.

Intent Signals & Buying Triggers 🔥

The difference between “Hi, just checking in…” and “I saw you were researching outbound tech, can I help?” is timing.

Intent data is a subtle signal that a prospect is ready for love (or at least a pitch).

This data can be fed directly into lead scoring models, priority workflows, and even trigger sequences that put SDRs at the right place at the right time.

RevOps-Led Workflows: Shaping the Spark

Your SDRs shouldn’t have to build the process, they should just have to follow the path.

Here’s how you can guide them toward success:

Lead Routing Based on ICP & Persona Matching 🧭

Once your ICP is modelled and scored, you can route leads based on:

• Region or territory.
• Industry vertical.
• Persona fit.
• Intent level.

This will ensure each rep focuses only on the prospects they’re best suited to win.

Dashboards That Drive Action 📊

Don’t just track activity; drive it. Build dashboards that surface:

• Top prospects showing intent this week.
• Accounts with incomplete data.
• Reps’ conversion metrics by persona.

Make your team’s next best action obvious rather than optional.

Multi-Channel Outreach: Show Up Where It Matters

Your prospect isn’t just on email, and your SDRs shouldn’t be either.

A strong data model powers coordinated, cross-channel touchpoints that actually get seen.

Cold Calling (with verified numbers) 📞

Make cold calling warm by using recent data:

“I saw your company just scaled your SDR team. How’s that going?”

Email (with personalised context) ✉️

Include insights based on firmographics, technographics, and recent behaviour. No more templates that scream “mass send.”

LinkedIn (with Sales Companion-style assist) 💬

Enable SDRs with relevant talking points and recent company news before they slide into DMs. This isn’t Tinder, it’s tailored.

Test, Tweak, Repeat: Continuous Optimisation

RevOps is never done, just like no perfect couple stops working on the relationship.

Make testing and optimisation a part of your workflow:

• A/B test messaging by persona.
• Monitor which signals best predict conversion.
• Adjust scoring based on real results, not assumptions.

Keep the love story evolving as your prospects and market change.

The Matchmaker’s Toolkit – Tools & Techniques for Smarter Prospecting 💜

Your SDRs have the spark. Now give them the science.

Just like a matchmaker knows when two people are meant to be, RevOps needs to equip SDRs with the tools that make prospecting feel like destiny instead of guesswork.

At the heart of that is a centralised command centre. When RevOps has a hub for prospecting workflows; assigning accounts, tracking KPIs, and managing territory segmentation, there’s less chaos and more cohesion.

Everyone’s speaking the same love language: clean data, clear targets, and measurable progress.

But tools are only as powerful as the data that feeds them.

That’s why automated CRM enrichment is a non-negotiable. Without it, SDRs are stuck speed-dating with ghosts, bad numbers, old job titles and companies that no longer exist. Enriched, up-to-date records give them something real to work with.

Then comes intent data, the modern-day wingman. It whispers in your SDR’s ear: “Hey, this account? They’ve been looking at solutions just like yours.” That kind of insight turns cold calls into warm intros and cold leads into potential soulmates.

And of course, no modern prospecting stack is complete without multi-channel capability.

Whether it’s phone, email, or LinkedIn, having the data and tools to confidently meet your prospect where they are is what makes the difference between being left on read... and getting a second date ❣️

Overcoming Challenges in Data Modelling

Even the strongest couples have their rough patches. So does data.

In the movies, every great love story has conflict, and RevOps’ journey with data modelling is no different.

Data quality remains the biggest blocker. If what you’re feeding your team is stale, inaccurate, or non-compliant, the whole prospecting engine sputters. It's garbage in, ghosted out.

Next is compliance. Love may be free, but GDPR fines definitely aren’t. Ensuring your data sources align with global standards protects your team, your brand, and your ability to scale without legal heartbreak.

Lastly: adaptability. The market changes. Personas shift. The companies that stay in the honeymoon phase the longest are the ones who revisit and refine their data models regularly.

Great relationships and great prospecting strategies are built on intentional evolution.

Happily Ever After – Scaling Success with RevOps & SDRs Aligned 🤗

You matched. You messaged. You booked the meeting. But the real love story? It’s just beginning.

When RevOps and SDRs work together with the right data, the right structure, and the right mindset, prospecting transforms from a numbers game into a strategic, human-first process that drives revenue.

It’s not just about filling the funnel; it’s about doing it with precision, personality, and purpose. That’s what happens when you treat your data not just as a contact list, but as the DNA of your GTM strategy.

So, here’s your happy ending and your invitation to keep refining it:

• Define your ICP like you’re writing a dating profile that actually works.
• Feed your SDRs enriched, real-time, verified data.
• Use intent signals to be in the right place, at the right time.
• Personalise outreach like it matters (because it does).
• Review, refresh, and revise your model often.

And remember… the best matches are made when both sides feel seen, understood, and supported. RevOps can make it possible. Data modelling makes it scalable.

And your SDRs? They make it personal. 💞