Highlights from Harnessing Intent Data: Strategies for Seamless Integration

Intent data is everywhere. Platforms promise a peek into the “dark funnel,” but most go-to-market (GTM) teams are still struggling to turn signals into sales. It’s becoming clear that just because you know someone’s browsing behavior doesn’t mean you should enlist your messaging (or your tech stack) to act on it.

That’s exactly what Harnessing Intent Data: Strategies for Seamless Integration tackles head on—how B2B teams can stop drowning in intent data and instead use it to understand anonymous buying behavior, prioritize smarter, and predict pipeline.

Let’s get into what stood out in this Demand XChange session.

Connecting the signals for smarter GTM with Everett Berry

During the session, Everett Berry, Head of GTM Engineering at Clay, lays out a tactical blueprint for modern GTM teams: Don’t rely on a single source. Build a signal stack.

By layering insights from TrustRadius (buyer intent and peer research), HG Insights (technographics and revenue trends), and Crunchbase (growth and funding), teams can spot accounts that are in-market—not just ones that look good on paper.

Everett pulls in firmographics, filters, and behavioral signals from all three platforms to create a single, enriched lead list ready for outreach.

It’s time to stitch together intent data

Collecting intent data isn’t the problem—it’s knowing how to connect the dots. Everett makes the case for stitching signals together across sources to see the full story.

A buyer might be researching solutions on TrustRadius, raising a new funding round on Crunchbase, and signaling tech adoption through HG Insights—all at once. If you’re only tracking one of those, you’re essentially flying blind.

With a unified signal stack, GTM teams shift from reactive guesswork to proactive precision—mapping intent to funnel stages and reaching buyers before they raise their hand.

Key takeaways:

• One signal gives you a glimpse. A stack gives you the full picture.
• Clay unifies TrustRadius, HG Insights, and Crunchbase into one actionable workflow.
• Growth signals like fundraising or tech changes equal early buying intent.
• A coordinated signal stack helps teams engage smarter and faster than the competition.

Shining a light on the dark funnel with Victoria Albert

Victoria Albert, Chief Marketing Officer at INFUSE, gets right to the heart of a major B2B challenge: Most of the buying process happens in the dark. 

By the time a buyer fills out a form or responds to outreach, they’re already 70–80% through the decision-making process. The decisions are happening in Slack chats, peer meetups, private forums, and anonymous research—none of which show up in your CRM.

To stay competitive, marketers need real-time visibility into what buyers are reading, questioning, and comparing—before they raise their hand. That means investing in intent intelligence that catches early signals and gives GTM teams a chance to engage while influence is still possible—not after decisions are made.

It’s time to rethink traditional ABM

Static ABM lists are overhyped and outdated. As Victoria puts it later in the session, they’re often based on “Bob in sales selling 50 accounts five years ago and golfing with someone there.” Not exactly a data-driven strategy.

Instead, she challenges teams to embrace a dynamic ABM approach—one powered by real-time signals and honest assessments of who’s actually in-market. But that only works when sales and marketing are beyond aligned—they’re in friend mode. That means transparency, trust, and shared accountability.

Key takeaways:

• 70-80% of the buyer journey happens before vendors see a signal.
• Buyers rely on private channels, peer reviews, and anonymous research.
• Dynamic ABM works only when signals are real-time and trust is mutual.
• Sales and marketing must be tight-knit and flexible to pivot quickly.

Targeting smarter with Shekar Hariharan

Shekar Hariharan, SVP of Marketing at HG Insights, brings a pragmatic lens to the conversation: Intent data only matters if you can use it to prioritize effectively.

Whether you’re a RevOps lead building a territory plan or a CRO allocating quarterly resources, success hinges on identifying the right accounts—and understanding what different buyers care about.

Shekar challenges teams to ditch one-size-fits-all targeting. Instead, anchor your GTM motion in buyer reality—tailoring use cases by role, not just company. That could mean helping a RevOps leader map territories or giving a CRO the account scoring they need to plan a strong quarter. Role-specific intel means higher relevance—and more conversions.

A GTM strategy grounded in buyer reality

Shekar’s message is simple: Stop flooding the funnel and start sharpening the spear.

One-size-fits-all campaigns don’t cut it anymore. Today’s GTM teams need flexible, quarter-by-quarter strategies that adapt to buyer behavior—not just static firmographics or gut feel. Meeting buyers where they are—on timing, pain points, and priorities—is what turns intent into revenue.

Key takeaways:

• Identify what each buyer role actually needs (e.g., RevOps vs. CRO vs. sales).
• Build plans that flex with in-market signals, not fixed assumptions.
• Score and sequence accounts based on live signals, not legacy data.
• Use intent insights to guide strategy across every quarter—not just one launch.

Predicting pipeline with Ann Davis

Ann Davis, SVP of Sales at Crunchbase, delivers a wake-up call to GTM teams stuck in the past: Stop driving with your eyes on the rearview mirror. Relying on static, historical data means you’re already late to the game.

Instead, Ann pushes marketers and sales leaders to prioritize forward-looking signals—those that reveal which companies are ready to grow and which are quietly fading away. If you’re hunting pipeline, knowing who’s about to raise, scale, or pivot is far more actionable than last year’s winners.

From hindsight to foresight

Ann puts it simply: In today’s market, time is too precious to waste chasing companies that won’t—or can’t—buy.

Crunchbase blends deep historical data with real-time behavior and user activity to predict where momentum is heading next. That shift from hindsight to foresight can completely reshape how GTM teams prioritize and engage accounts. 

Key takeaways:

• Use data to predict growth, not just report on past performance.
• Focus outreach on companies likely to raise, scale, or enter new buying cycles.
• Avoid wasting resources on accounts showing signs of decline or stagnation.
• Shift from reactive prospecting to proactive, predictive engagement.

From intent to revenue

If there’s one thing I want you to take away, it’s this: Intent data only matters if your team can act on it.

Every day, I see marketers drowning in noise—too many vendors, too many signals, and no clear plan for what to do next. That’s why I urge customers to pause, zoom out, and ask the right questions before diving into action.

Where are your funnel gaps? Which vendors actually fill those gaps—and at what stage? What does each intent signal really mean and how should it guide your outreach?

Intent data isn’t a box to check. It’s a signal you should confidently hand off to sales—one that moves the needle. But getting there requires partnership—between marketing, sales, and RevOps internally, and with vendors who care about your success, not just their contract.

Push for clarity. Push for ROI. And above all, don’t settle for signals that won’t help you hit your numbers.

Ready to Boost Your GTM with Intent Data?