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Strategy

Nov 29, 2025

Stop Guessing: How to Use "Intent Data" to Find Companies Actively Buying Your Service

Most cold outreach fails because it targets the wrong people. Learn how to use "Hiring Signals" and "Technographics" to find the 3% of the market ready to buy right now.

3D isometric render showing a single glowing avatar being targeted among a vast grey crowd, symbolizing high-intent B2B lead generation and sniper targeting.
3D isometric render showing a single glowing avatar being targeted among a vast grey crowd, symbolizing high-intent B2B lead generation and sniper targeting.
3D isometric render showing a single glowing avatar being targeted among a vast grey crowd, symbolizing high-intent B2B lead generation and sniper targeting.

Cold outreach has a bad reputation.

We have all received them: Generic spam emails pitching SEO services or web design to a company that just launched a new website yesterday.

It’s lazy. It’s annoying. And it doesn't work.

But there is a different way to do outbound. It’s called Sniper Targeting, and it relies on Intent Data.

What is Intent Data?

Intent data is digital body language. It is the trail of breadcrumbs companies leave behind that signals they are about to make a purchase.

At Swestun, we don't just download a list of "CEOs in London." We look for specific triggers that prove a company has a Bleeding Neck Problem.

The "Vacancy Pivot"

This is our favorite strategy for B2B service providers.

The Logic: If a company is trying to hire someone to do a job, they have two things:

  1. A Problem: They need work done.

  2. A Budget: They have approved a salary.

If you sell a service that solves that problem, you shouldn't be pitching random companies. You should be pitching companies that are failing to hire.

Examples:

  • You run a Dev Agency: Target Startups hiring "Senior Engineers." Pitch "Staff Augmentation" as a faster alternative to hiring.

  • You run a Marketing Agency: Target companies hiring a "Marketing Manager." Pitch your agency as a "Full Team for the price of one hire."

  • You run a Recruitment Firm: Target companies hiring "Sales Reps." Pitch your candidate sourcing.

The "Technographic" Filter

Another powerful intent signal is the software a company uses.

If you sell Snowflake Consulting, don't email every data company. Use tools like Apollo or BuiltWith to find companies that actually installed Snowflake in the last 6 months.

Why this changes everything

When you use Intent Data, you aren't "Selling." You are Solving.

You aren't interrupting their day to pitch a random idea. You are interrupting their day to say: "I see you are trying to solve X. I can help you solve X faster."

That is how you get a reply. That is how you get a meeting.

Want to know who is searching for your service right now? We build custom Intent-Based lead lists for agencies. Get your Free Data Audit

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Book your Infrastructure Audit here