The Dark Funnel weighs an account's significance based on which three factors?

• A. Persona, recency, and frequency
• B. Budget, authority, need
• C. Geography, industry, size
• D. Product interest, discount, risk

Answer: (A)

Dark Funnel prioritizes accounts by how well they fit with the right buyers and how engaged they are over time. The three weights—who the account’s buyers are (persona), how recently they’ve interacted (recency), and how often they engage (frequency)—together signal current and meaningful interest.

Persona ensures you focus on the decision-makers and roles that actually influence buying, so accounts with the right buyer profiles get higher priority. Recency matters because recent activity shows there’s active consideration right now, not just historical interest. Frequency adds depth by indicating sustained curiosity or intent through repeated interactions, which strengthens the likelihood of progression.

The other options don’t capture this combination as effectively. Budget, authority, and need are traditional sales qualifiers that don’t reflect ongoing engagement signals. Geography, industry, and size are static firmographic traits that help segmentation but miss momentum. Product interest, discount, and risk are directional signals but don’t jointly convey fit, fresh engagement, and repeated interest in the same way.