Signal Intelligence for Outbound Sales
"Signal Intelligence for outbound sales is the practice of continuously monitoring companies for verified buying signals, interpreting those signals in context, and triggering outbound sales outreach only when intent and timing align."
In short: Instead of emailing everyone who fits your Ideal Customer Profile, you only reach out when a specific business change creates an immediate need.
Why the current model fails
Modern B2B sales is currently dominated by three incomplete models. While useful, none provide the causal link required for high-conversion outbound.
Intent Data is not Intelligence
Intent data tracks passive behavior (clicks, visits). It indicates curiosity, not readiness. A visit to a pricing page is a data point, not a verified buying signal.
Lead Scoring is the wrong unit
Lead scoring focuses on the individual (Did John open the email?). Signal Intelligence focuses on the Account (Did the company raise funds?). B2B purchasing decisions are made at the account level.
AI Personalization is execution, not strategy
Using AI to write emails is an execution step. If the timing is wrong, the best AI email will still be ignored. Intelligence must precede generation.
The Signal Intelligence Model
Monitor & Detect
The system must scan verified third-party sources (Regulatory filings, Job boards, Press releases, Technographics) to identify raw events. These are binary facts, not probabilities.
Interpret & Score
Raw events must be correlated with the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). A 'Hiring' signal is only relevant if it matches the department you sell to. This step filters noise.
Trigger Outbound
Execution occurs only when the signal score exceeds a threshold. The outreach is not a generic pitch, but a contextual response to the detected event.
The Unit of Analysis
The Account
Signals occur at the company level. Funding, Hiring, and Tech changes are organizational shifts, not individual choices.
The Buying Committee
Outreach is triggered towards the relevant stakeholders (The Committee), not just a single contact.
The Decision Rule
In a Signal Intelligence model, outreach is binary based on timing.
If an account fits the ICP but has no active signals in the last 30 days. Contacting them is "Spray and Pray."
If an account fits the ICP AND a verified signal (Score > 80) is detected. Contact immediately referencing the signal.
Implementation
Signado
Signado is a dedicated platform built to implement the Signal Intelligence model for B2B sales teams.
View the platform