How to know which accounts to hit (and when)

Most outbound teams have the same problem...

Hugo Estrella
March 10, 2026

Most outbound teams have the same problem:

They don’t know who to focus on today. So reps default to the easiest option:

SEND MORE EMAILS.

The real fix isn’t more activity. It’s better prioritization.

Here’s the framework we use for proactive outbound:

Define your TAM: Start with every account you could ever sell to.
Score and tier them: Not every account deserves the same effort.
Match signal monitoring to the tier: Top accounts get deeper signal tracking.
Enrich the right contacts: Tier 1 = full buying committee. Lower tiers = key decision makers.
Track buying signals: Hiring, funding, tech changes, leadership moves.
Calculate propensity: Which accounts are likely to buy this month?
Route to the right play: Match account tier + signals to your best outreach motion.
Surface everything in CRM: So reps know exactly where to focus.

Good outbound isn’t random.

Every account should have:
• A score.
• A signal.
• And a clear reason to reach out.

Otherwise, you're just guessing.

After you know who to target.

This is where most outbound programs fall apart. Because knowing who to hit isn’t enough.

You also need to know what to do next. That’s where Plays come in. A Play is a defined outreach motion triggered when a condition is met.

Not random sequences. Not “send a few emails and see what happens.”

A real play has:

• A trigger (signal or inferred intent).
• A target tier (which accounts it applies to).
• A channel mix (email, phone, LinkedIn, events, gifts, etc.)
• A step sequence.
• A cost.
• A cooldown period.

This is how outbound becomes systematic.