Company fit first
Start with who should buy. Then layer in why-now signals, buyer roles, and exclusions. Reversing that order usually creates noisy output.
Use observable signals
Prefer requirements that can be verified from the open web, public filings, careers pages, or product activity. If a requirement cannot be checked, it will not score consistently.
Include exclusions
Strong briefs say where not to spend time. Geography, vertical, stack, budget profile, or firm size exclusions reduce wasted research.