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Lead scoring for email checklist for 2026

Short answer

A complete lead scoring for email checklist has 4 setup items and 2 things to audit against. Work through setup in order, then schedule a quarterly review.

Setup checklist#

  • ☐ Define fit criteria with sales and assign static points.
  • ☐ Assign behavior points with decay so old activity fades.
  • ☐ Set thresholds that trigger handoff, nurture, or suppression.
  • ☐ Review score accuracy against closed deals quarterly.

Audit checklist#

  • ☐ Confirm you are not: scoring opens after Mail Privacy Protection.
  • ☐ Confirm you are not: never decaying scores, so everyone eventually looks hot.

Ongoing monitoring#

  • ☐ Weekly: review provider dashboards (Postmaster Tools, SNDS) and bounce logs
  • ☐ Monthly: re-run the setup verification after any vendor or DNS change
  • ☐ Quarterly: full audit against this checklist

Frequently asked questions#

Should lead scoring include email opens?

Give opens little or no weight. Clicks, replies, and site visits are far more reliable.

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