Understanding Lead Quality: How Verified Occupier Signals Are Reshaping Demand in Commercial Property

24 Oct

In commercial property, lead volume alone no longer defines success. What truly matters is lead quality - and the ability to identify occupiers who are not just browsing, but ready to move.

As market dynamics shift and space becomes increasingly competitive, landlords and asset managers are moving away from generic outreach models and embracing data-driven approaches that prioritise verified intent. This is where occupier signals come into play.

Whether it's a lease event, a surge in headcount, or sector-specific activity, these verified indicators are now informing how campaigns are run, how space is positioned, and ultimately, how quickly it lets.

1. Why lead quality now matters more than ever

Traditional lead generation tactics often rely on passive interest; such as form fills or ad clicks. But with occupier expectations rising and search cycles shortening, landlords need more than vanity metrics.

They need:

Decision-makers, not browsers
Relevant requirements, not second guessed interest
Warm introductions, not cold enquiries

High-quality leads not only convert faster, but also reduce resource strain on agents and enable more accurate forecasting across portfolios.

2. What are verified occupier signals?

Verified signals are real indicators that suggest a business is in the market for space. These signals move beyond web analytics or ad impressions - and instead reflect actual business activity.

Examples include:

Lease events (upcoming expiries, break clauses)
Rapid headcount growth (from public hiring data or internal moves)
New funding rounds or acquisitions
Sector shifts (e.g. lab demand in science hubs, or hybrid uptake in creative industries)
Geographic changes (relocations, regional expansion)

Propaign aggregates these signals to surface genuinely high-intent prospects ensuring each outreach is timely, relevant, and informed.

3. Targeting based on fit - not just location

Historically, most marketing in commercial property has started with location: “Who wants space here?” But high-quality lead generation now flips that model: “Who needs space - and where do they fit best?”

This approach allows landlords and asset managers to target:

Companies growing in size that match the available space of the scheme
Businesses in adjacent markets with expansion potential
Occupiers showing hybrid, ESG, or transport priorities that align with the schemes offer

By focusing on the occupier first, campaigns become sharper and leads become significantly more valuable.

4. Signals in action: A smarter marketing funnel

When signals are applied to prospecting and outreach, the entire funnel becomes more efficient:

Top of funnel: Only verified businesses are targeted
Mid funnel: Outreach is personalised to the company’s trigger event (e.g. “We saw you’re growing your London team…”)
Bottom of funnel: Leads are passed through to agents with context - not just contact info

This results in:

Lower drop-off rates
Higher conversion to viewings
Faster decision-making

For asset managers, this also means stronger visibility on what’s driving leasing outcomes.

5. Lead quality metrics that matter

With verified targeting in place, it becomes easier to define and measure lead quality beyond just volume.

Key metrics include:

Response rate to outreach (versus passive enquiries)
Time-to-response from occupier
Conversion from lead to viewing
Sector relevance and fit to scheme
Engagement depth (multiple touchpoints, content viewed, follow-up behaviour)

Propaign captures and surfaces these insights in real time — allowing you to track, analyse, and optimise across every campaign.

Demand is changing - and so is how we see it

High-intent occupiers are no longer waiting to find you - they’re signalling. The question is whether your current strategy is set up to listen.

By shifting focus from lead quantity to lead quality, and by tapping into verified occupier signals, asset managers can move faster, let space more efficiently, and align leasing strategy with real market movement.

This approach sits at the core of how we operate; delivering leads that are data-backed, timing-driven, and relevant from day one.