Guide · Signals
Prospecting with buying signals
A buying signal does not mean a company will buy. It means it now has one more reason to listen. Used well, it changes the timing, the recipient and the first message.
Updated 2026-10-05
In short
Prospecting with buying signals means contacting a company in your target when an event makes your offer relevant: a new executive, hiring, a funding round, a public tender, an expansion. You pick two or three signals tied to your offer, act fast, write to the person concerned and open the message on the signal without overplaying it.
Why timing matters
Most companies in your target have no project underway on your topic. Writing to them at a random moment is hoping to hit the right period. A signal shrinks that lottery: a new executive often reviews tools and suppliers, a company hiring ten salespeople has a pipeline problem, a funding round pays for announced projects.
The signal also serves the message. “I saw you’ve taken over finance at [Company]” is a reason to write that the person recognises immediately, unlike “I’m reaching out to introduce…”.
The main signals and what they suggest
| Signal | What it suggests | Who to contact | Indicative window |
|---|---|---|---|
| New decision-maker | A review of tools, suppliers and priorities | The person arriving | The first months in the role |
| Hiring | A growing team, a need for tooling or method | The manager of the hiring team | While the roles are open |
| Fundraising | Budget available, a growth plan to execute | The founder or the owner of the funded project | The weeks after the announcement |
| Public tender | A formal need with a timeline | The buyer, or bidders if you are a subcontractor | Before the response deadline |
| Expansion, new site | Needs for equipment, hiring, local services | The project owner | Before opening |
| LinkedIn post | A topic the person champions publicly | The author | A few days |
Windows are rules of thumb from practice, not laws: test them on your market.
The method in five steps
1. Tie each signal to your offer
Write one sentence on why this signal makes your offer more relevant. If you can’t, the signal is not for you, however popular it is.
2. Filter by your ICP
An off-target signal stays off-target. Hiring at a five-person company or in an industry you don’t serve is not an opportunity. Always apply your ICP criteria before the signal.
3. Find the right person
A signal is often about a company; the message goes to a person. For hiring, that is the future manager of the team, not the recruiter. For a funding round, the founder or the owner of the funded project.
4. Act within the window
Signals age fast. A note about a role change from a year ago falls flat. Organise yourself to process signals weekly, not quarterly.
5. Open on the signal, then talk about them
One sentence for the signal, one for what it often implies, one for your proposal, one question. The signal opens the door; the rest of the message is about their situation, not about you.
First-message templates
New decision-maker: “Hi [First name], congratulations on taking over [function] at [Company]. The first months are often when people sort out [area]. We help [type of company] [outcome]. Is that something you plan to look at?”
Hiring: “Hi [First name], I see [Company] is hiring [number] [roles]. Getting a team up to speed quickly often raises the question of [problem]. We helped [comparable company] with exactly that. Is it a topic for you?”
Fundraising: “Hi [First name], congratulations on the round announced [period]. You mentioned [publicly stated goal]; that is often where [problem] shows up. Happy to show you how [comparable company] handled it.”
Public tender: “Hi [First name], notice [reference] on [subject] requires [requirement]. We support bidders on this kind of lot. Would a partnership to respond be of interest?”
Mistakes to avoid
- Overplaying the signal: “Congratulations on your incredible raise!” rings hollow. Stay factual and sober.
- Too much about the person: quoting their private life or three of their posts feels like surveillance.
- Every signal, every target: collecting thousands of signals without an ICP filter drowns the team and dilutes the messages.
- A stale signal: check the date before writing.
- Forgetting what comes next: the signal opens the first message; follow-ups must bring something other than a reminder of it (see the sequence guide).
Organise signal processing
Signals are only worth something if they are handled quickly and regularly. A simple routine is enough: each week, one person reviews new signals, discards those outside the ICP, identifies the right contact for the rest and approves the prospects entering the sequence. The rest of the week, the sequence runs on its own.
Set a volume you can handle carefully. Ten prospects a week with an accurate first message beat a hundred with a pasted-on opener. If signals arrive faster than you can process them, tighten the criteria rather than lower the quality.
Measure what signals bring
- Compare the positive reply rate of prospects contacted on a signal with a no-signal campaign on the same target.
- Measure it signal by signal: some types will perform clearly better than others in your market.
- Record the delay between the signal and the first message, and check whether it affects replies.
- Track the share of prospects rejected at approval: if it is high, the signal is poorly tied to your ICP.
What The Sales Engine does
The platform watches buying signals across your target (new decision-maker, hiring, fundraising, public tenders, expansion, posts), ties each company signal to the person to contact, and drafts a first message anchored on that signal. You approve every prospect before sending, and you pay for the contacts delivered, not for the signals being watched.
Frequently asked questions
How many signals should I track to start?
Two or three, directly tied to your offer. Processing every relevant signal of one type each week beats skimming ten types.
Is a signal enough to qualify a prospect?
No. It points to a favourable moment, not a confirmed need. Qualification happens in the conversation: budget, timeline, decision-makers, real problem.
Should the signal be in the email subject line?
It doesn’t need to be. A short, neutral subject and the signal in the first sentence works well and avoids the “automated message” feel.
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