What it means
Scores come from two kinds of signals. Fit signals describe the person or company, such as job title, company size and industry. Behavior signals describe actions, such as opening emails or visiting a pricing page. Some tools also offer predictive scoring, where a model estimates conversion likelihood from past deals. Lead scoring differs from lead qualification, which is a human judgment about whether a lead is worth pursuing.
Why it matters when you buy software
Lead scoring usually sits in CRM and email marketing platforms, and the plan tier often decides whether you get it. Basic plans may offer only manual point rules, while predictive scoring tends to appear on higher tiers. Check whether rules can combine fit and behavior, whether scores can trigger alerts or routing, and whether reps can see how a score changed.
How it works in practice
A team might add 10 points for a director title, add 5 points for each pricing page visit and subtract 10 points for a personal email address. When a lead passes a set threshold, such as 50 points, the CRM flags it for a sales rep. Teams revise the rules as closed deals show which signals matter.
See also: Sales automation, Sales pipeline and the glossary index.