Buyer Intent Data vs. Lead Lists: Which Drives Better ROI?

Introduction: The End of Static Lead Lists

For years, B2B sales teams relied on purchased lead lists—databases of names, emails, and phone numbers. The logic was simple: more contacts = more opportunities.

But in 2025, that model is broken. Cold emails get deleted, phone calls get blocked, and static lists grow stale the second you download them.

Instead, high-performing teams are turning to buyer intent data: dynamic, behavior-driven signals that tell you who’s ready to buy right now.

So, which delivers better ROI: lead lists or buyer intent data? Let’s break it down.

What Are Lead Lists?

A lead list is essentially a spreadsheet of contacts, often purchased from data providers.

Pros of lead lists:

• Quick way to get names and emails.

• Useful for broad awareness campaigns.

• Cheap upfront cost.

Cons of lead lists:

• Data decays fast (people change jobs every 1.5–2 years on average).

• No context on buying stage.

• High bounce rates → hurts domain reputation.

• Low conversion → wasted SDR time.

Think of lead lists as fuel with no ignition. You can blast thousands of emails, but most won’t catch fire.

What Is Buyer Intent Data?

Buyer intent data goes beyond names. It shows you who is in-market right now based on behavior.

Examples of signals:

• Searching for competitor keywords.

• Reading articles about your category.

• Company just raised funding.

• Surge in hiring SDRs or IT staff.

Providers like Bombora, 6sense, Demandbase, and Artikle collect and analyze these signals so you can prioritize the right accounts.

ROI Comparison: Lead Lists vs. Buyer Intent

FactorLead ListsBuyer Intent DataFreshnessStatic, decays fastDynamic, real-timeContextJust a name/emailSignals show why nowConversion rate0.5%–2% typical5%–15% typical (Forrester)CostLow upfront, high wasteHigher upfront, but efficientRep productivitySDRs waste timeSDRs focus only on in-market

👉 Verdict: Intent data drives far higher ROI because it reduces wasted effort and accelerates pipeline.

Competitor Landscape: Who Does What

• Bombora → best known for content consumption intent across its publisher co-op.

• 6sense → combines intent + predictive analytics for ABM.

• Demandbase → strong for ads + account-based marketing powered by intent.

• ZoomInfo → massive database, layering intent on top of contact info.

• Artikle → unique focus on real-time, AI-powered signal delivery. Instead of waiting for weekly “surge reports,” you get Slack/HubSpot/WhatsApp alerts instantly.

Case Study: The Cost of Bad Leads

A fintech company bought a 20,000-contact lead list for $15,000. Within weeks:

• 30% bounced emails.

• Reps spent 80% of their time chasing uninterested contacts.

• Result: only 4 deals → CAC skyrocketed.

Then they switched to Bombora + Artikle:

• Bombora flagged accounts consuming “payment security” content.

• Artikle delivered real-time alerts when those accounts raised Series A funding.

• Reps focused on 100 high-intent accounts.

• Result: 22 deals closed in 90 days → CAC dropped 50%.

Why Buyer Intent Data Wins for SDR Productivity

SDRs are the most expensive part of outbound sales. Wasting their time on bad data kills ROI.

With intent data:

• Instead of “spray and pray,” reps focus on warm signals.

• Outreach is contextual (“Saw you’re hiring data engineers—are you exploring analytics platforms?”).

• Conversion rates skyrocket, meaning fewer dials = more pipeline.

Common Objections (and Responses)

“Lead lists are cheaper.”
➡ Cheap upfront, expensive long-term (low conversion, wasted time).

“We don’t trust the signals.”
➡ Use providers with transparent sourcing (Bombora, Artikle). Artikle shows why a signal triggered so reps believe it.

“We already have ZoomInfo.”
➡ Great—layer intent signals on top of ZoomInfo’s contact data. That’s how you turn names into ready-to-buy accounts.

Future Outlook: Lists vs Signals

By 2027, it’s likely that lead lists as we know them will disappear. Data decays too fast and spam filters too strong. Intent will be the default GTM motion.

Expect evolution toward:

• More granular intent (topic-level, not just categories).

• Real-time triggers (funding → hiring → buying).

• Integrated delivery (alerts directly in Slack/CRM).

Conclusion

Lead lists represent the old way: spray, pray, and waste time. Buyer intent data represents the new way: precision, timing, and context.

Providers like Bombora, 6sense, Demandbase, and ZoomInfo helped establish the intent movement. Now, Artikle takes it further with real-time delivery that transforms intent into instant action.

👉 Key takeaway: Stop buying static names. Start investing in signals. ROI follows the intent.