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Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Buying signals are behaviors or statements that indicate a prospect is considering a purchase. Regardless of what sales methodology<\/a> (or combination of methodologies) you adhere to, buying signals help salespeople understand where a buyer is in the decision process, what matters most in a purchase, and when the seller should take action.<\/p>\n According to data from Lantern<\/a>, effective use of buying signals can create 10-20% more sales opportunities and reduce a company\u2019s customer acquisition cost (CAC) by up to 30%. Why the stark improvements? Buying signals help you differentiate between casual interest and true intent, ensuring you spend time on the highest-quality deals with the best chance of closing.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Buying signals come in a few different flavors. Here are some common types, each of which signals prospect interest from a slightly different angle. Under each type, I\u2019ll give a quick \u201cpro tip\u201d or explain what scenario it\u2019s best for, so you know how to leverage that signal in your sales efforts.<\/p>\n Verbal buying signals are the spoken or written clues the prospect shares. These are often the easiest to catch \u2014 after all, you can literally hear or read them \u2014 but they can sometimes be hidden in plain sight. In my early days, I would often be too busy thinking about the next point in my presentation and miss cues from the prospect. Don\u2019t let that happen to you! Here are a few examples of verbal signals:<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Practice active listening<\/a>. It sounds obvious, but it\u2019s easy to slip up and find yourself planning for the next part of your pitch. Slow down and truly listen to what\u2019s being said. I guarantee your prospect would rather you listen closely, even if it means you\u2019ll need a short pause to collect your thoughts before responding to what they\u2019ve said.<\/p>\n Have you ever sent an email that you thought couldn\u2019t be any clearer only to have the recipient completely miss the point? People make mistakes, of course, but it\u2019s also true that human beings communicate a lot without words \u2014 and sometimes more than we mean to. In sales, especially in face-to-face meetings or video calls, pay close attention to these signals.<\/p>\n On the flip side, beware of closed-off body language. If the prospect is looking at their watch or phone or maybe responding to Slack messages during the demo, you might as well take a leap to re-engage them \u2014 because you\u2019re either losing them fast or they\u2019re already gone.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> You\u2019ll need to give prospects space to talk in order to pick up on tonal cues. Of course, you\u2019re doing that anyway, right?<\/p>\n Buying signals aren\u2019t just happening during conversations. They\u2019re also happening online, often before a prospect ever talks to you or in the days or weeks between your live conversations. I like to call these digital buying signals, and they include a prospect\u2019s interactions with your company\u2019s website, content, emails, and more. Here are some common digital signals that someone is interested:<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Digital signals happen behind the scenes, but they\u2019re important enough to be brought to your attention. I generally loathe browser notifications (we have enough notifications in our lives), but I have one exception \u2014 any time a prospect clicks a link in my email, I have HubSpot alert me. It\u2019s a much stronger signal than a mere email open, and worth interrupting my concentration just a little to know about it.<\/p>\n The last type of buying signal I\u2019ll cover isn\u2019t about the prospect\u2019s behavior toward you, but rather external events or situational changes that signal a potential buying opportunity might arise. These are often called trigger events in sales. Savvy salespeople watch for these because they can open a window to reach out or advance a conversation that may have stalled out in the past. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Situational signals definitely require you to have a pulse on the prospect\u2019s world beyond what you might be picking up in your direct interactions. Set up Google Alerts, follow their company on LinkedIn, use sales intelligence tools \u2014 whatever helps you catch wind of these trigger events. A little bit of research and news tracking goes a long way.<\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve covered the gamut of buying signal types, let\u2019s talk about how to actually identify these signals in practice. It\u2019s one thing to know the theory; it\u2019s another to consistently spot the signals in the wild.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Identifying buying signals is a skill that you can develop with practice. Early in my career, I honestly didn\u2019t know what I was looking for \u2014 it was like trying to tune a radio without knowing the station frequency. Over time, I picked up some habits that made catching signals easier.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how you can hone your senses to spot those crucial cues.<\/p>\n In my opinion, listening more than you talk is the most important part of any sales interaction. When the prospect is speaking, really hear them \u2014 not just the words, but the intent behind the words. Do they sound excited? Concerned? Confused? Those emotional tones might tell you something, but don\u2019t assume your inference is correct. Paraphrase and confirm your interpretation: \u201cIt sounds like you\u2019re really interested in that integration to increase your team\u2019s efficiency, did I get that right?\u201d<\/p>\n Also, observe the prospect\u2019s demeanor. If you\u2019re face-to-face, things like nodding or smiling while they say \u201cThat could be useful for us\u201d amplify the signal. If you\u2019re on a call, listen for subtle verbal cues like a change in tone or the pace of the conversation. Essentially, keep your antenna up for any change in the prospect\u2019s engagement level.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to draw out buying signals is to ask questions that encourage the prospect to talk. Questions like \u201cWhat are your thoughts so far on what we\u2019ve shown?\u201d or \u201cHow does this compare to what you\u2019re doing today?\u201d invite them to reveal their feelings and intentions.<\/p>\n Their answers can be a treasure trove of signals. If they respond with enthusiasm and start explaining how they\u2019d implement your solution, you\u2019ve got a positive signal. If they hesitate or bring up a concern, that\u2019s useful too \u2014 it might be an objection you need to address.<\/p>\n I touched on this in the digital signals section, but use technology to help you. Set up notifications for key prospect activities like email opens, link clicks, and content downloads. If your sales process<\/a> doesn\u2019t already have it, I would strongly recommend incorporating a lead scoring system that assigns a value to these activities and more, helping you prioritize the most engaged prospects. Did a potential buyer just visit your pricing page? Reach out asap.<\/p>\n Make buying signals a part of your sales training and team conversations. If you\u2019re new, ask veteran reps what signals they look for that indicate a deal will close. It might be their language, when they start using phrases like \u201cwhen we implement\u201d \u2014 or it might be when they invite a technical lead to the next call. The more familiar you are with the most important signals, the more they\u2019ll pop out at you in real life. I keep a list in my notebook of top buying signals as a reminder before I go into a meeting, because it mentally primes me to watch for them.<\/p>\n In short, identifying buying signals comes down to being attentive, curious, and prepared<\/strong>. When you make a habit of actively listening and observing, asking good questions, and using the tools at your disposal to bring signals to the forefront, you gain valuable insights that help you close deals, provided you respond to them correctly.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n So you\u2019ve spotted a buying signal. Now what? The whole point of recognizing these cues is to respond in a way that moves the sale forward and supports the buyer\u2019s journey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Handled well, your response to a signal can propel a deal to a rapid close. Handled poorly, you could set things back or even squander a deal entirely.<\/p>\n Timing is everything, and you should jump on signals when you see them. For example, say a prospect has posted about an issue they\u2019re having on social media. That means they\u2019re likely in the awareness phase, and they\u2019ll soon be gathering information on possible solutions. Wait too long and you\u2019ll be compared against the entire market of possible solutions, or worse, they will have made a decision without even considering you as an option.<\/p>\n Some signals are opportunities to learn more about a prospect\u2019s needs. For example, whenever I was asked if my company\u2019s software integrated with another vendor, I\u2019d take advantage of that glimpse into the prospect\u2019s broader tech stack and use it to infer what high-level problems they were hoping to solve. Do they want better results? Increased efficiency? More agility? Use the clues you\u2019re given and ask for more information.<\/p>\n Buying signals often reveal a prospect\u2019s top priorities. For example, when asked how quickly they could complete onboarding and implementation, I\u2019d safely assume they were looking to move fast. Knowing this, I would reiterate that yes, they could get onboarded quickly, and also explain that I would accelerate things where possible.<\/p>\n For example, marking their contract redlines with high priority for the legal team might shave an additional 3-5 days off the implementation timeline. Show prospects you know what they value, and that you\u2019ll make it a top priority as well.<\/p>\n\n
What are buying signals in sales?<\/h2>\n
Types of Buying Signals<\/h2>\n
Verbal Buying Signals<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Non-Verbal Buying Signals<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Digital Buying Signals<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Situational Buying Signals (Trigger Events)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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1. Be an active listener (and observer).<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Ask open-ended questions.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Leverage your CRM and sales tools.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Educate yourself and your team on common signals.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How to Respond to Buying Signals<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n1. Act quickly.<\/h3>\n
2. Dig deeper.<\/h3>\n
3. Reiterate value.<\/h3>\n
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