Every marketing operations professional knows the frustration: promising leads that once showed interest have gone silent, sitting dormant in your CRM. These aren't just names in a database—they represent real revenue opportunities that slipped through the cracks due to timing, lack of follow-up, or simply getting lost in the shuffle.
For HubSpot users and marketing operations teams —the challenge remains the same: how do you systematically identify and re-engage these cold leads before they're lost forever?
In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the exact process of creating smart lists in HubSpot to identify cold leads and implement automated re-engagement strategies that convert forgotten contacts into marketing qualified leads (MQLs) and sales qualified leads (SQLs).
What Are Cold Leads and Why Do They Matter?
Cold leads are contacts in your HubSpot CRM who haven't been contacted or engaged with your business for an extended period. These contacts typically fall into three categories:
For marketing operations teams managing HubSpot instances, these cold leads represent a significant untapped resource. Research shows that 80% of leads never convert on the first interaction, making re-engagement campaigns critical for maximizing ROI from your lead generation efforts.
The Cost of Ignoring Cold Leads
When marketing and sales teams lose track of unresponsive contacts, they're essentially throwing away investment in:
This is particularly crucial for businesses using HubSpot in competitive markets like San Francisco, Boston, or Austin, where customer acquisition costs continue to rise.
Let's dive into the practical process of building a smart list to identify your cold leads. This approach works whether you're a HubSpot administrator in Dallas, a marketing operations manager in Seattle, or running campaigns from anywhere else.
Step 1: Navigate to Your Lists Section
Step 2: Set Up Your List Parameters
Step 3: Configure Your Filter Criteria
This is where the magic happens. You'll need to set up two critical filters:
Filter 1: Last Contacted Date
Filter 2: Lifecycle Stage
Click Add another filter
Again select Contact properties
Search for "Lifecycle stage"
Choose "is any of"
Select the relevant stages: (Lead, MQL, SQL)
Step 4: Review and Save Your List
Before saving, ensure your filters are set to "AND" logic, meaning contacts must meet both criteria to be included. This ensures you're only capturing truly cold leads who are still in active lifecycle stages.
Segmentation Best Practices
Once you've created your basic cold lead list, consider creating more sophisticated segments based on:
Creating Time-Based Segments
For more nuanced marketing operations, create multiple lists based on different time frames:
Email Sequences for Cold Leads
Once you've identified your cold leads, the next step is creating targeted sequences:
Personalization Tactics
Leverage HubSpot's personalization tokens and smart content to make your re-engagement feel less automated:
Measuring Success and Optimization
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Track these metrics to measure your cold lead re-engagement success:
A/B Testing Strategies
Continuously optimize your approach by testing:
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Over-Automation
While automation is powerful, avoid:
Not all cold leads are worth pursuing:
Q: How often should I review my cold lead lists?
A: Most marketing operations teams benefit from monthly reviews, though this can vary based on your sales cycle and lead volume. High-velocity businesses might review weekly, while enterprise B2B companies might opt for quarterly reviews.
Q: What's the ideal time frame to consider a lead "cold"?
A: This varies by industry, but generally:
Q: Should I delete cold leads from my CRM?
A: Not immediately. Try 2-3 re-engagement campaigns over 6-12 months before considering deletion. Always maintain records for compliance and historical analysis, or you could simply convert them to non-marketing contacts so that they stay in the system but we do not reach out to them
Q: How do I prevent leads from going cold in the first place?
A: Implement lead nurturing workflows, maintain consistent communication cadences, use lead scoring to prioritize follow-up, and ensure smooth handoffs between marketing and sales teams.
Q: What's the typical success rate for cold lead re-engagement?
A: Success rates vary widely but expect:
Q: Can I use the same approach for B2B and B2C cold leads?
A: While the technical process is similar, B2B re-engagement typically requires more educational content and longer sequences, while B2C benefits from urgency, offers, and shorter engagement windows.
Take Action: Transform Your Cold Leads into Revenue
Don't let valuable opportunities languish in your CRM any longer. By implementing these HubSpot list-building strategies and re-engagement campaigns, you can systematically revive cold leads and drive meaningful revenue growth for your organization.
Ready to Maximize Your HubSpot Investment?
If you're looking to implement advanced marketing operations strategies, optimize your HubSpot instance, or develop sophisticated re-engagement campaigns, I'm here to help. I've helped businesses across the country—from startups in Silicon Valley to enterprises in New York—transform their marketing operations and drive measurable growth.
Book a meeting for a free consultation and discover how we can help you:
Don't leave money on the table with cold leads. Let's work together to build a marketing operations engine that consistently converts forgotten contacts into valuable customers.