How to Build a Lead Scoring Model in HubSpot

If your growth-focused team is using HubSpot, you may have wondered at some point: how can we distinguish prospects from buyers? That's where lead scoring comes into play.

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of building a lead scoring model in HubSpot. This model will help your team prioritize high-quality leads and close more deals. Whether you are a sales automation agency, a HubSpot consulting firm, or a growing business refining your B2B sales funnel, this process will align your efforts and drive increased revenue.

What Is Lead Scoring?

Lead scoring is the process of assigning points to leads based on how likely they are to convert. This score is based on:

• Demographic/firmographic data (e.g., job title, company size)
  
• Behavioral data (e.g., email opens, demo requests, website activity, form submissions)
  

Done right, a lead scoring model helps your SDR team prioritize leads, deliver better outreach, and move prospects through the funnel faster.

Why Build a Lead Scoring Model in HubSpot?

HubSpot simplifies the setup and refinement of lead scoring. The real power is unlocked when you combine scoring with tools that supercharge your marketing engine.

1. 6sense: Feed 6sense intent signals into your lead scoring model to give high scores to leads from accounts actively researching your solution.
2. Qualified: Qualified tracks high-intent website visitors and lets your sales team instantly engage them through live chat or chatbots.

Intent data won’t fix a broken process. But with a solid lead scoring model in place, they can supercharge your pipeline by adding intent and real-time engagement where it matters most.

Step-by-Step: Building Your Lead Scoring Model in HubSpot

1. Define What a Qualified Lead Looks Like

Before assigning scores, align your sales and marketing teams on what makes a lead "qualified." Consider:

• Industry
• Role (Are they a decision-maker?)
• Company size
• Technology stack
• Job Title
  

Your Marketing Operations team (or your internal RevOps team) should be heavily involved here.

2. Utilize HubSpot Properties to Score Leads 

You’ll want to use contact properties that reflect the traits and behaviors you care about.

Example fields:

• Visited pricing page
• Requested a demo
• Opened 3+ emails
• Registered for an event/webinar
• Attended an event/webinar
• Viewed 5+ pages
  

3. Use HubSpot’s Predictive Lead Scoring (Optional)

If you’re using HubSpot Professional or Enterprise, you can tap into their predictive lead scoring tool, which uses AI to identify patterns and score leads for you.

Otherwise, create your own manual scoring system based on the data you trust.

4. Assign Points Strategically

Start simple:

• +100 for a demo request
• +50 for a UTM parameter that includes a high-intent paid campaign
• +30 for a VP, C-Level, or Director-level job title
• +15 points for viewing the pricing page
• +5 points for opening a marketing emai
  

And remember: not all actions are equal. Someone attending a webinar is more intent than someone who just opened or clicked an email.

5. Lead Score Decay: Why It Matters

Not all leads stay hot forever. Lead scoring decay is the practice of gradually reducing a lead’s score over time if they stop engaging. It keeps your database clean and ensures sales focuses on leads who are more engaged. Set smart decay rules in HubSpot to reflect natural buyer behavior and keep your scoring model realistic.

Start simple:

• -500 for a competitor domain
• - 500 Junk Job Title (janitor, delivery driver etc.)
• -500 for an embargoed country
• -50 email open is > 365 days
• -40 email open is > 180 days
• -30 email open is > 90 days

6. Build Smart Lists and Automations

Once leads reach a certain score, trigger automations:

• Alert your sales team via a lead lifecycle workflow
• Enroll them in a targeted automated outbound sequence from the contact owner.
• Enroll them in an audience list to conduct a re-targeting campaign and keep your company top of mind.
  

This is where HubSpot services shine, especially when backed by a team that understands sales automation and marketing ops.

Optimize Over Time

Lead scoring isn’t a “set it and forget it” task. Review your model every 6 months or as business needs change:

• Are high-scoring leads actually converting?
  
• Are low scorers getting ignored, but still converting?
  

It’s a great opportunity to bring in your marketing automation professional services partner or speak with a Hubspot consultant to make data-backed improvements.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a lean team or partnering with a marketing automation consultant, building a smart lead scoring model in HubSpot will help you close deals faster and smarter. It’s not just about lead volume, it’s about lead quality.

At Moplsy, we specialize in helping B2B teams streamline their tech stack, align sales and marketing, and scale faster using proven systems. From marketing operations as a service to HubSpot consulting, we help teams like yours unlock growth.

Want help building or refining your lead scoring model? Let’s chat.