Module 7: What to do with each signal by contact type
Last updated: July 8, 2026
Not every signal calls for the same action. What you do depends on who the contact is relative to your pipeline. A prospect you’ve never spoken to needs a different response than a champion in an open deal or an existing customer.
Here’s the complete matrix:
Content intent
Contact type | What the signal means | What you do |
Prospect (no opp) | They’re researching a topic you can help with. Early buying stage. | KPICC email about the topic. Lead with expertise. CTA = call to agreement (“Is this on your radar?”). Add to signal-triggered sequence. |
Open opportunity | Your champion or a buying group member is doing homework mid-deal. Could be building an internal case or validating their choice. | Share the signal with your AE. Send a relevant resource that helps them build their business case internally. Don’t start a new sequence — weave it into the existing conversation. |
Customer | They’re exploring a topic adjacent to what they already bought. Potential expansion — or they’re evaluating alternatives. | Flag to CS/AM immediately. If the topic aligns with an upsell, share a relevant case study. If it looks like competitor research, escalate as a retention risk. |
Search intent
Contact type | What the signal means | What you do |
Prospect (no opp) | Actively searching for a solution or comparing vendors. Highest-urgency signal for new pipeline. | Act same business day. KPICC email addressing the problem behind the search. If they searched a competitor name, position your differentiation without bashing. Add to signal-triggered sequence. |
Open opportunity | Champion or stakeholder is searching for competitors or specific features mid-deal. Could be due diligence or a red flag. | Alert your AE immediately with the exact search term. If competitor name: prep competitive battle card talking points for the next call. If feature-related: send a resource that addresses it proactively. |
Customer | Searching for competitor names or categories they already own from you. This is a churn risk signal. | Escalate to CS/AM same day. Don’t reach out yourself — the relationship owner should handle it. Provide them the signal context so they can have the right conversation. |
Social intent
Contact type | What the signal means | What you do |
Prospect (no opp) | Publicly expressing a challenge or interest relevant to your product. They’re thinking about it but not necessarily buying. | Engage with the post first (thoughtful comment). Wait 24–48 hours, then follow up with a message that references their words. Remember KD’s rule: intent ≠ interest. Don’t pitch too fast. |
Open opportunity | A deal contact is publicly discussing a problem you solve. Good sign — they’re thinking about it outside of your conversations. | Share the post with your AE as context for the next meeting. Engage with the post to build familiarity. Use their language in upcoming deal materials. |
Customer | Posting about a challenge your product should be solving, or asking their network for recommendations in your category. | Flag to CS/AM. If it’s a problem your product solves: CS should reach out to help them get more value. If they’re asking for alternatives: retention risk — escalate. |
Engagement intent (ad click)
Contact type | What the signal means | What you do |
Prospect (no opp) | Clicked your ad. They know your brand and a specific value prop resonated. Warmest prospecting signal. | Act same business day. Mirror the ad’s value prop in your email. This is the one signal where a meeting CTA can work on the first touch if the ad was bottom-funnel. Add to signal-triggered sequence. |
Open opportunity | A buying group member (maybe not your main contact) engaged with an ad. Could be the CFO, IT, or another stakeholder doing their own research. | Tell your AE who clicked and which ad. This reveals which value prop matters to that stakeholder. AE can tailor the next meeting to address their specific angle. Great multithreading opportunity. |
Customer | Clicking on ads about features or use cases they don’t currently use. Expansion signal. | Flag to CS/AM as an upsell opportunity. Provide the specific ad topic so they can open the expansion conversation with relevant context. |
Impressions only (no click)
Contact type | What the signal means | What you do |
Prospect (no opp) | They’ve seen your brand multiple times but haven’t engaged. Awareness is building. | Add to warm-up sequence (lighter touches). Don’t use signal-triggered sequence — that’s for active engagement. Focus on providing value and building familiarity. |
Open opportunity | Buying group members are being exposed to your messaging. Good — it means marketing is supporting the deal. | No direct action needed from you. This is marketing doing its job. Mention to your AE that the buying group is being warmed up — it’s useful context. |
Customer | Seeing ads but not engaging. Normal for existing customers unless ad topics suggest exploration. | No action unless combined with other signals (search, content). If patterns emerge, flag to CS. |
The quick rule of thumb: Prospect: You own the action. Act fast, build the relationship. Open opportunity: You’re the intel source. Share the signal with your AE immediately. Support the deal with context. Customer: You’re the early warning system. Flag to CS/AM with the signal context. Don’t reach out directly unless you own the relationship. |
When a new signal arrives mid-sequence
You’ve got someone on Day 5 of a sequence, and a fresh signal comes in — they searched for a competitor, clicked a new ad, or posted about a related challenge. What do you do?
Rule 1: A fresh signal always takes priority over the next scheduled step. The sequence is a framework, not a prison.
Rule 2: Pivot the thread, don’t restart the sequence. Adjust the next touchpoint to the new signal’s topic:
Situation | What to do |
Same topic as original | Stay on sequence. |
Different topic | Pivot next touch to new topic. Fresher = more relevant. |
Competitor search | Urgent. Skip to call or email same day. Position differentiation. |
Different person at same account | Multithread. Keep original sequence. Start new one. |
Contact was going silent | New signal = they’re alive. Use as fresh opening. |
Think of your sequence as a GPS, not a train track. The destination is the same (booked meeting), but when a new signal gives you a faster route, take it. Signal always wins.
What's Next
Continue to the next module to keep progressing through the Signal-Selling Playbook! Or, return to the previous module to review.
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