You’ve likely heard the buzz about intent signals in the sales world, but understanding them can be tough. What exactly are intent signals? Why are they important? And most importantly, how can you use them for top-notch B2B demand generation?
What Are Intent Signals?
Intent signals are actions or behaviors that show a company or its employees might need your product or service. They come in various forms and can be grouped into five main types:
Engagement: Actions like likes, comments, downloads, or event participation.
Research: Activities like reading blogs or searching for specific information.
Hiring: Job postings and recruitment activities.
Technographic: Changes in the technology a company uses.
Company Events: Newsworthy activities like funding rounds or new office openings.
Why Are Intent Signals Important?
These signals give valuable insights into a potential buyer’s journey. They help you tailor your marketing and sales strategies. By understanding and acting on these signals, you can engage prospects more effectively and close deals faster.
Types of Intent Signals
Engagement Intent Signals Engagement signals show potential buyers' interest in your brand or product. They are divided into two categories:For example, if a prospect downloads your eBook and attends your webinar, these actions signal strong interest. This lets you create a personalized follow-up strategy.
Public: Actions visible to everyone, like likes or comments on social media.
Private: Actions like downloading a whitepaper or attending a webinar.
Research Intent Signals These signals come from activities like browsing blogs or searching for information. They help you understand what topics buyers are interested in and where they are in their buying journey. For instance, if someone searches for "best CRM," they are likely in the consideration stage, making them a prime target for your marketing & sales efforts.
Hiring Intent Signals Job postings indicate a company’s growth and potential needs. For example, hiring for tech positions might signal the need for new technology solutions. Monitoring these signals can help you identify and engage with growing companies.
Technographic Intent Signals Tracking the technologies a company adopts or drops can reveal their current needs. For example, if a company starts using Salesforce, it may be a good time to pitch your Salesforce-compatible solutions.
Company Activity Intent Signals Significant company events, like opening new offices or securing funding, can signal potential purchasing needs. These events often indicate that a company is ready to invest in new solutions.
Complete List of Intent Signals
Engaged: Commented, liked, or shared specific content
Self-Authored Content: Posted on LinkedIn, ran a webinar/podcast
Courses / Publications: Participation in courses or being published
Stock Price Change: Fluctuations in stock price
Email Engagement: Opening your email multiple times, engaging through multiple channels
Promotion / Step Down: Changes in job position
Retirement: Announced retirements
Summary / Specific Keywords: Self-attributed traits
KDM Moves to Another Company: Key decision-makers changing companies
Analyst Reports: Mentioned in analyst reports
Events: Attending or organizing an event
Asset Purchases: Buys more assets (e.g., property)
Ad Budget Changes: Changes in ad budget
Closed Lost Deals: Deals that were not closed successfully
IPO: Initial public offering
Conferences & Events: Participation in significant events
Cybersecurity Issues: Security incidents
Headcount Changes: Increase or decrease in headcount within 6 months
Competitor Dissatisfaction: Dissatisfaction with competitors
Content Interaction: Downloaded content, visited specific landing pages
Expansion Plans: Plans to expand
Connections: Finding new connections
Hiring Surges: Significant growth in headcount
Expense Changes: Increase in expenses
Tech Spend Changes: Increase in technology spending
Customer Base Changes: Increase or decrease in customers
Review Changes: Increase or decrease in reviews
Sales Changes: Increase or decrease in sales
Social Media Changes: Increase or decrease in social followers
Competitor Technologies: Installed competitor technologies
Mergers & Acquisitions: M&A activities
Job Losses: Layoffs
Site Keywords: Keywords on their site
Legal Disputes: Legal issues
Page Speed: Low page speed
Industry Developments: Major industry news
Management Changes: New management or board members
New Customers: Signing new flagship customers
New Competitors: Emerging competitors
New Executives: New key decision-makers or executives
Legislation Changes: New laws affecting the industry
New Logos: New logos on a prospect’s website
New Offices: New office locations
New Partnerships: Forming new partnerships
New Products: Launching new products or services
New Service Locations: New service areas
Tool Adoption: Adopting new tools or services
Website Updates: Launching new websites
PR Changes: Positive or negative public relations
Awards: Receiving awards or recognition
Funding: Receiving new funding
Category Research: Researching your product category
Ad Scaling: Increasing ad spend
Inbound Activity: High website traffic
Strategy Shifts: Changes in go-to-market strategies
Repo Activity: Activity in specific repositories
Website Traffic: Changes in website traffic
Job Openings: New job postings
Product Usage: High or low product usage
How to Use Intent Signals
Weigh and Score Signals Appropriately Not all signals are equal. Assign scores to each signal based on its relevance and context. The combined score helps you understand a prospect’s position in the buying journey and tailor your approach.
Adopt a 360-Degree View Capture and contextualize various intent signals to create a full view of the buyer’s journey. This helps you understand when and how to engage with prospects most effectively. For instance, a prospect reading blogs may not be ready for a sales call, but increased engagement over time can indicate the right moment for direct outreach.
Conclusion
Intent signals are invaluable for understanding and improving the buyer’s journey. By categorizing, scoring, and contextualizing these signals, you can engage prospects with precision and increase your chances of closing deals. In a perfect world, you could provide the exact information prospects need at the right time, eliminating guesswork and enhancing your sales strategy.
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