How To Build A Lead List Using Technographic Data

You know the phrase “too much information”? Well, it doesn’t apply when you’re prospecting. 

The more you know about the companies you’re checking out, the better decisions you’ll be able to make. And more often than not, targeting based on less common insights will give you an edge. 

A lot of sales pros go after businesses based on factors like location, revenue, and headcount. These are all well and good, but there are other filters that will make your lead list even more specific. 

Analyzing technographic data, for example, is a great way to figure out whether a business could be right for you – but lots of sales pros skip this bit, and miss out on high-value clients as a result. 

Here at Surfe, we wanted to make it easier for prospects to use technographic data to find companies based on their tech stack. And – spoiler alert – we’ve done it, with our new Company Search feature: 

• What Is Technographic Data and Why It Matters in Sales?
• Understanding Surfe’s Technologies Filter
• Step-By-Step Guide to Finding Companies Based on Their Tech Stack Using Surfe
• Real-World Use Cases for Technographic Data in Prospecting

By the time you’ve finished reading (so in, like, five minutes at a push), you’ll be ready to go out and prospect using technographic data – and saying hello to more qualified prospects as a result. Let’s go:  

What Is Technographic Data and Why Does it Matter in Sales?

Technographic data is information on what technologies a business uses – in other words, what their tech stack looks like. 

If your customers tend to use similar tech products to yours, or you’re in a market with lots of competitors, building a lead list based on technographic data could be for you. 

Benefits of using technographic data to prospect include: 

• Improved targeting and personalization 
• Shortened sales cycles, as you’re focussing on companies already using complementary tools 
• Better alignment with your product’s value proposition

Everyone wants these benefits, sure – but it’s always been pretty difficult targeting companies based on their tech stack. Until now, that is 😉

Understanding Surfe’s Technologies Filter

Introducing Company Search, which is home to a very, very special filter: Surfe’s Technologies filter. 

Company Search helps you to build hyper-targeted lead lists, using a magical combination of advanced filters. 

One of these filters is ‘Technologies’ – it’s created especially for those who want to build a list using technographic data. You simply add in the tool you want to search for (Hubspot CRM, for example) and it will pull up companies that use it. Combine the Technologies filter with others (like Industry, Company revenue, Head office location, and Employee count, to name just a few), and you’ll have a list of companies that exactly match your ICP. 

Key capabilities of the Surfe’s Company Search feature: 

• Access to a database of 450M+ company profiles with daily updates 
• The ability to search for companies using CRMs, email finders, marketing tools, and more

Sounds good so far, right? Let’s take a look at a workflow for building a target lead list using technographic data. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Finding Companies Based on Their Tech Stack Using Surfe

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

First things first, you want to identify your ideal customer. If you’re in a well-established business, this information might live in your sales playbook. If you’re more early-stage, you might need to figure this out yourself. CRM data of your current customers (for example, who’s stuck around for longest or who’s signed the biggest deals) is a good place to start, along with market research and customer interviews. 

Next up, identify the technologies your best customers are using. For example – do they use HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, or something entirely different for their CRM? 

You should at this point have a pretty good idea of how their tech stack aligns with your solution. Maybe it integrates perfectly and improves their workflows elsewhere, for example. 

Step 2: Access Surfe’s Technologies Filter

Now you know what type of technology your ideal customer is likely to have. Next up: find these customers using technographic data. 

Start by logging into Surfe and navigating to the Company Search feature. You’ll then want to use the Technologies filter to narrow your search. To take an example, if you wanted to find businesses that use HubSpot or Salesforce, then you’d apply HubSpot and Salesforce filters here. Simples! 

Step 3: Refine Your Search with Additional Filters

Ok, we know what you’re thinking: aren’t there a lot of companies in the world that use HubSpot or Salesforce? 

You’re correct: which is why we’d recommend combining the Technology filter with others like Industry, Revenue, and Location to build a lead list that’s as close to your ICP as possible. 

Step 4: Analyze and Prioritize Your Results

Take a look at your list: which businesses look good? Are there any you might want to take off the list (maybe your colleague’s already in conversation with them, for example). 

We’d also recommend seeing what you can do to segment your list here. To carry on with our Hubspot-Salesforce example, perhaps you could divide your list up into Hubspot users and Salesforce users (rocket science, we know) and send more personalized outreach to both. 

Step 5: Enrich Your Results for Complete Contact Information

Now you’ve used technographic data to build a beautifully segmented list of potential customers, your work is over.

Joking! 

You still need to reach out to all of these people, don’t you? Surfe can seriously cut down on the time and effort it takes to find contact details. Its waterfall enrichment technology aggregates several contact databases to find accurate, verified email addresses and phone numbers every time. 

The best bit? It only takes 1 click from you – that’s dramatically reducing the time you have to spend trawling through LinkedIn profiles or the internet to find contact details that may or may not be right. 

Step 6: Sync the Results to Your CRM

Hands up who loves manual data entry? Anyone? 

We all know manually inputting new contacts and their details is a pain in the proverbial – so we made sure you said you can say goodbye to it with Surfe. In just 1 click, you can add all your new data to your CRM of choice, seriously streamlining your workflow and reducing room for human error. 

Real-World Use Cases for Technographic Data in Prospecting

Ok, so you know why you should be using technographic data to build your lead lists and how you should be doing it. But what does this actually look like in the real world? 

Let’s take a look at a few examples. 

Michael finds companies using a direct competitor. He knows this competitor is weak in a certain area, so jumps in with a pitch agitating this exact pain point. 

Mary works for a lead generation product, so builds a list of companies using email finders or automation tools. Her bet is that if they’re already using tools like these, they’ll be interested in a tool like hers. 

Marty works in a pretty old-school industry, where most businesses are still catching up technology-wise. He identifies companies using outdated technologies and positions his product as an upgrade. Pretty clever, right? 

Let’s Wrap It Up!

Too much information? No such thing – the smartest salespeople know that every little piece of data can be used to their advantage when prospecting. 

Use Surfe to build a lead list based on technographic data, and you’re using a lesser-known technique that’ll give you an edge over your competitors – and gain unique insights into your prospects to boot. Star prospector of the year, here you come. 

FAQs About Building A Lead List Using Technographic Data 

What Is Technographic Data and How Can It Be Used in Sales?

Technographic data is information about the technologies and tools that companies use – in other words, their tech stack. This data can help you identify businesses that already use tools complementary to your product, making them more likely to be interested in what you offer.

By understanding a company’s tech stack, you can improve your targeting, personalize your outreach, and shorten sales cycles. For example, if your product integrates with HubSpot CRM, you could use technographic data to find businesses already using HubSpot, making your pitch more relevant. Using tools like Surfe, you can easily access and filter this information to create a highly qualified lead list.

How Do You Collect Technographic Data on Potential Leads?

Collecting technographic data often involves using specialized tools and databases, such as Surfe’s Company Search feature, which aggregates information on companies’ tech stacks. 

With Surfe you can search for companies based on specific technologies, like CRMs, email finders, or marketing automation tools. You can also combine this filter with other criteria – such as industry, location, or revenue – to create a more targeted lead list that aligns with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

Why Should You Use Technographic Data for Lead Generation?

Using technographic data allows you to build lead lists that are more accurate and aligned with your product or service offering. This approach has several benefits, including:

• Improved personalization: you can tailor your messaging based on the tools a company already uses.
• Shortened sales cycles: focus on prospects that already use complementary technologies, and you’re talking to prospects more likely to be interested in what you’re stilling. 
• Laser-focussed targeting: you can filter out companies unlikely to benefit from your product.

By leveraging technographic data, you can uncover high-value opportunities that competitors might miss and get ahead in your outreach efforts.

What Tools Are Best for Building a Lead List with Technographic Data?

We’d recommend Surfe’s Company Search 😉 Here’s what makes it so good:

• Search for companies based on specific technologies (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce, or Slack).
• Combine its Technology filter with other parameters like Industry, Revenue, and Employee count.
• Enrich your lead list with accurate, verified contact information – and transfer it over to your CRM of choice in just one click. 

Using a tool like Surfe streamlines the prospecting process, saving time while making sure your lead list is targeted and actionable.

What Are Some Real-World Use Cases for Technographic Data in Prospecting?

Technographic data can be applied in various prospecting strategies, depending on your goals. For example:

• Competitor targeting: identify companies using a competitor’s technology and position your product as a better alternative.
• Complementary tools: find businesses using tools that integrate well with your solution, making adoption seamless.
• Upgrade opportunities: spot companies using outdated technologies and pitch your product as a modern upgrade.

These use cases show how technographic data can give your outreach a competitive edge, helping you connect with prospects who are more likely to convert.