Most B2B SaaS teams have a lead scoring problem that masquerades as a lead generation problem. They're getting leads — they just can't tell which ones are worth pursuing, so reps waste time on low-probability deals while high-intent buyers slip through.
Here's the qualification framework that actually works:
Build your ICP filter before you score anything. Lead scoring is only useful if you know what a good lead looks like first. For B2B SaaS, your tier-1 ICP typically has: company size in your sweet spot, a specific tech stack or workflow that makes them a natural fit, a trigger event (funding, headcount growth, new leadership), and budget authority in the room. Without this defined, scoring becomes noise.
Use a two-layer qualification system. Layer one is fit — does this company match your ICP profile? Score on firmographics: industry, company size, revenue, tech stack. Layer two is intent — are they showing buying behavior? Score on engagement: pages visited, time on site, content downloaded, email opens, demo requests. Fit without intent is a slow deal. Intent without fit is a bad customer.
For scoring mechanics, keep it simple to start. Assign point values to your highest-signal behaviors — pricing page visit (20 pts), demo request (50 pts), opened 3+ emails in a week (15 pts), matches ICP firmographics (25 pts). Set a threshold that triggers a sales follow-up within the same business day. Speed to lead on high-intent signals is where most SaaS teams leak deals.
On the tech side, HubSpot or Salesforce with a tool like Clearbit or Apollo enriching the data automatically handles the heavy lifting. The system should surface qualified leads to reps without manual research — if your reps are spending more than 5 minutes researching a lead before outreach, the system isn't working.
The most overlooked piece: define what disqualifies a lead as clearly as what qualifies one. A DQ criteria list that reps can reference in the first 2 minutes of a discovery call saves more revenue than any scoring model.
If you want to walk through how to build this specific to your SaaS motion — ICP definition, scoring model, and CRM setup — happy to get into it on a call.

The honest answer most people won't give you: commission-only reps at zero revenue is one of the hardest things to execute well, and most agencies get it wrong before they even post the job.
Here's why — good salespeople have options. They go where there's a proven offer, existing pipeline, and a clear path to income. When you have zero revenue, you're asking them to take all the risk while you take all the upside. That's a hard sell.
That said, here's how to actually make it work:
Hire for hunger, not experience. At zero revenue you can't attract top closers. Look for people early in their career with high coachability, competitive backgrounds, and the financial runway to survive a ramp period. Athletes, former military, and people coming out of structured environments tend to be your best bets.
Your offer to them has to be compelling on paper. Commission structure needs to be aggressive — 15-25% on closed deals minimum. Give them a clear picture of what realistic earnings look like at different volume levels. If you can't paint that picture, you'll keep losing candidates.
You need to be the first closer. Before you hire anyone, close your first 3-5 clients yourself. This gives you a repeatable sales story, objection handling experience, and proof it works — which becomes your training material.
Management at this stage is really coaching. Daily standups, weekly call reviews, and clear activity KPIs (dials, conversations, proposals sent) matter more than quota at the start. You're building the system while running it.
The biggest mistake: hiring before your sales motion is proven. Close first, then hire to scale what you already know works.
Happy to walk through how to build the hiring profile and onboarding structure for your specific situation on a call.

Asset-backed lending prospecting has a specific dynamic most sales coaches miss — the trust barrier is higher than almost any other financial product because you're asking people to put up collateral. Generic prospecting advice won't work here.
Here's what actually moves the needle from the ground up:
Start with your ICP before touching any outreach channel. In asset-backed lending, your best prospects are business owners with hard assets (equipment, real estate, receivables) who are cash-constrained but asset-rich. Get that profile locked before you build any list.
For prospecting with no background, prioritize warm referral channels first — CPAs, business attorneys, and commercial brokers already have relationships with your exact buyer and are actively looking for lending solutions to refer. One good referral partner outperforms 500 cold calls.
For outbound, LinkedIn + personalized video (Loom) works exceptionally well in financial services because it humanizes the ask and breaks through the noise. Lead with their situation, not your product.
The biggest mistake beginners make is pitching the loan before establishing the problem. Your first conversation should be entirely diagnostic — understand their capital gap, timeline, and what they've already tried. The product sells itself once the pain is clear.
If you want hands-on coaching that walks through your specific prospecting motion, call tracking, and objection handling — happy to get into the details on a call.