In our last blog we talked about what makes an account “working”: activity, engagement, multi-threading, and persistence. But let’s zoom out for a second: before your team starts working an account, how do they know which ones are worth working in the first place?
That’s where account prioritization and tiering come in. The best sales teams aren’t just working hard, they’re working smart, aligning effort with the accounts most likely to convert. Here’s how to get your reps focused on the right targets, without burning out on dead ends.
Tiering 101: Group your accounts by value and fit
Not all accounts are created equal. That’s why most outbound teams segment accounts into tiers; usually Tier 1, 2, and 3 based on factors like company size, industry, buying potential, and how well they match your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
- Tier 1: Your dream accounts, high value, great ICP fit, and strong intent signals. These deserve high-touch, personalized outreach.
- Tier 2: Solid targets with potential, but maybe missing a few ideal criteria. Still worth working with some automation.
- Tier 3: Long shots, lower value, or weak fit, best approached with light, scalable outreach or reserved for nurture.
This structure helps reps know where to go deep and where to go wide.
Use data to rank accounts that matter
Effective prioritization means going beyond gut feeling. Start layering in real data to help rank your accounts by relevance and readiness. Some key signals to use:
- Firmographics: Company size, industry, region, revenue, growth stage. Is this account in your sweet spot?
- Technographics: What tools are they using? Are they a fit with your ecosystem or using a competitor?
- Intent Data: Are they researching your category, visiting your site, or engaging with similar solutions?
- Engagement signals: Has someone from the account opened an email, clicked an ad, or attended a webinar?
Want to take it a step further? Gradient Works can integrate firmographics, intent data, and engagement signals to score and route accounts in real time, so reps are always working the highest-potential targets, without waiting on manual list updates.
Prioritization with Gradient Works
After defining your tiers, you need a way to turn that strategy into action, Gradient Works makes it automatic. It dynamically assigns accounts to reps based on your tiering logic, intent signals, and rep capacity, all within Salesforce. No more static lists or stale assignments, reps always have fresh, high-priority accounts, and ops teams stay out of manual routing. With Gradient Works, prioritization becomes a living system reps can trust and leaders can track.
Align rep time with tiered focus
With priorities in place, coach your reps to spend their time accordingly:
- Tier 1: Research, personalize, and multi-thread. Fewer accounts, more depth.
- Tier 2: Use a mix of manual and automated outreach. Stay visible, but don’t over-invest.
- Tier 3: Automate where possible or park for nurture. Focus here only if Tier 1/2 are fully worked.
Consider setting time-based targets e.g., “Spend 50% of your outbound hours on Tier 1,” or “Every Tier 1 account should have at least 3 contacts engaged.” Make the math work in your team’s favor.
Track the right metrics
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. To see if your account prioritization is paying off, track:
- Meetings booked by tier – Are Tier 1s converting better?
- Coverage per rep – Are reps engaging enough contacts in high-priority accounts?
- Activity per tier – Are reps spending time where it matters?
These insights tell you whether your team is focusing on high-opportunity accounts or spinning wheels on low-fit ones.
Focus drives revenue
Prioritizing accounts isn’t just a RevOps exercise, it’s a performance lever. When reps are clear on who to target, why they matter, and how to approach them, they’ll generate better conversations and more pipeline.
So define your tiers, feed them into your tools, coach reps to align effort with value and watch your outbound machine get sharper, faster, and more effective.
