Key takeaways
- Fit tells you who could buy; signals tell you who might buy now.
- Triggers such as new leaders, hiring and expansion create timing.
- People describe their problems in public posts, job adverts and talks.
- Your own website and content show who is already looking.
- Ask early whether there is a real reason to talk, and move on if not.
Which signals show a prospect is interested
The signals that show interest are recent actions linked to the problem you solve.
- A new leader in the role that buys from you, often keen to make changes.
- Job adverts for the team your product supports.
- Expansion into a new market, product line or office.
- Public posts or talks in which someone describes the problem you solve.
- Visits to your pricing page, replies to your content or questions at your events.
- A contract with a competitor coming up for renewal, when you learn it fairly.
Where do you look for these signals
Look in public sources the prospect controls and in your own channels.
Company news pages, job boards and professional profiles show change. Your website analytics, event lists and newsletter replies show attention to you. Bring both into one view per account, so a seller sees the whole picture before writing.
How do you check interest without wasting time
Check interest early with a short, direct question about the problem, not a request for a long meeting.
For example: "You are hiring three account managers in Leeds; is getting them up to speed quickly on your list this quarter?" A yes, a no or a referral all tell you something. Silence after a couple of relevant touches is also an answer, and the account goes back to nurture rather than receiving a fourth email.
Why do fit-only lists get so few replies
Fit-only lists get few replies because a perfect-fit company with no current need has no reason to answer.
Fit is still the first filter: a signal from the wrong kind of company is a distraction. The aim is the overlap, accounts that fit your ideal customer and show a reason to act now. That overlap is smaller, which is the point, because it lets each message be specific.
How to find interested prospects, step by step
Start from fit, then filter for timing.
- Build a list of accounts that fit your ideal customer profile.
- Choose the two or three triggers that most often come before a purchase of your product.
- Check each account for those triggers in its news, job adverts and public posts.
- Add anyone who has engaged with your website, content or events.
- Write to the overlap first, naming the signal and asking one direct question about the problem.
Where Pebbles Ai fits
- CapabilityResearch & analysisAsk an assistant to read a prospect's website and public sources for recent changes, such as new markets or new hires, with numbered citations you can check.
- CapabilityProspecting & customer recordsEach lead from a lead search comes with personalisation angles drawn from their public LinkedIn posts, falling back to their role and company.
- CapabilityOutreach contentIn chat, an assistant can check whether an incoming message is worth answering and write the reply.
Common questions
What is intent data?
Intent data is information suggesting a company is researching a topic, such as the content its people read. Treat it as a hint to research further, not proof of a buying decision.
Does an opened email mean a prospect is interested?
Not necessarily. Opens are unreliable because of privacy features and previews; a reply, a click to a specific page or a forwarded message says more.
How recent does a trigger need to be?
Recent enough that the change is still being worked on, usually weeks rather than years. A new leader's first months are often a good time to reach them.
About this page. Written by the Pebbles Ai team for people who run sales, marketing and growth. Last updated .
