Targeting Hypothesis Sign-Off (Onboarding)

Targeting Hypothesis Sign-Off (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Write the targeting hypothesis as a falsifiable sentence before any list gets built

   Format it as: we reach [role] at [company shape] within [window] because [trigger]. If the sentence cannot be proven wrong by campaign data, it is a wish, not a hypothesis.

2. 02

   Name the trigger event and its recency window

   Funding rounds, job postings, leadership changes, and site-visit spikes decay fast. A 90-day-old funding signal behaves differently from a 14-day-old one, so state the window explicitly.

3. 03

   Map each filter in the tool to a clause in the hypothesis

   Firmographic filters, intent signals, and contact-data fields should each trace back to a reason the prospect would buy now. Filters that exist because the interface offers them are noise.

4. 04

   Define the disqualification rules with the client in writing

   Competitors, existing customers, agencies, and sub-threshold headcount belong on a shared exclusion list. Disqualifiers agreed upfront prevent arguments about lead quality in month two.

5. 05

   Set the qualification score before the first export

   Agree on what counts as a qualified conversation versus a raw reply, then decide which fields (title seniority, company size, trigger match) feed that score. Scoring defined after the list ships becomes retrofitted justification.

6. 06

   Run a 50-record sample through the full enrichment and scoring path

   Pull a small batch from a service such as Origami or Leadinfo, enrich it, score it, and read the output by hand. Sample review catches broken field mappings before they contaminate a full campaign.

7. 07

   Record the hypothesis, filters, and score in one client-facing document

   The document is the deliverable that separates a strategy retainer from a tool resale. It also gives the delivery team a reference when a client asks why a specific company appeared on the list.

8. 08

   Schedule the hypothesis review date at kickoff

   Book the 30-day checkpoint in the same meeting where the hypothesis is approved. A review that is not calendared does not happen.