Why timing beats volume
The same message lands very differently a week after someone starts a new role than six months later. Signals tell you when to write and give you the reason to put in the first line, which is most of what makes cold outreach feel warm.
People signals
New role or promotion
New leaders review tools and processes in their first months.
Post about the problem you solve
The strongest signal there is: they've said it out loud.
Engaging with your content
Comments, reposts and profile views mean they already know your name.
Engaging with a competitor
Comments on a competitor's posts show interest in the category.
Asking for recommendations
"Can anyone recommend a…" posts are open requests for help.
Company signals
Hiring for a related role
Job posts reveal priorities, team growth and even the tools they use.
Funding announced
New money usually means new hires, new targets and new tools.
Product or service launch
Launches create new work in marketing, sales and support.
New office or market
Expansion brings new processes and people to coordinate.
Leadership change
A new head of a department often resets priorities.
Website or pricing change
A redesign or new pricing page can signal a new go-to-market push.
Context signals
Event attendance or speaking
Shared events are a natural reason to connect.
A deadline in their industry
Regulation, tax dates or seasonal peaks create urgency.
A former customer changes job
Someone who already likes your product joins a new company.
Visiting your site
If your analytics or forms show a company visiting key pages, follow up with relevant content.
Turning a signal into a message
| Signal | First line |
|---|---|
| New role | "Congratulations on the move to {company}; the first months in a {role} role are usually about {priority}." |
| Hiring | "Saw you're hiring a {role}, which usually means {work} is piling up." |
| Post about the problem | "Your post on {topic} described exactly what we hear from {customer type}." |
| Former customer moved | "Good to see you at {new company}. Enjoyed working together at {old company}." |
More openers are in our cold email opening lines. Act within a few days: signals go stale quickly.
Tracking signals without paying
- LinkedIn notifications and alerts for people and companies on your list: job changes, posts, company news.
- Job alerts on job boards for roles that signal need at target companies.
- News alerts for target company names plus words like "funding", "launch" or "expands".
- Your own analytics and notifications: who engaged with your posts, who viewed your profile, which companies visited key pages.
- A weekly 20-minute sweep to turn the week's signals into a contact list with a reason for each.
Do you need paid intent data?
Paid intent data can show which companies are researching a topic across the web. It's useful at scale, but for a small team the free signals above usually produce more contacts than you can work. Start free; pay when you can't keep up with the free signals any more.
Mistakes with signals
- Being creepy. "I saw you visited our pricing page" makes people uncomfortable. Mention public signals, offer help on private ones without naming them.
- Acting too late. A congratulation three months after a new role reads as automated.
- Treating weak signals as strong. A single like isn't buying intent; a post about the problem is.
- Using the signal and nothing else. The signal earns attention; the message still needs a relevant problem and proof.
Frequently asked questions
What are buying signals in sales?
Events that make someone more likely to need your product now, such as a new role, hiring, funding, a launch, a post about the problem or engagement with you or a competitor.
How do I find buying signals for free?
Watch LinkedIn and X for job changes, posts and engagement, check job boards and company careers pages for hiring, and follow industry news for funding, launches and expansions.
What is the strongest buying signal?
A person publicly describing the problem you solve, or asking for recommendations, followed by engagement with your own content.
How quickly should I act on a buying signal?
Within a few days. Signals go stale fast, and the reason in your first line only works while it's recent.