Signal-Led Sales: How to Use Buyer Signals for Better Outreach

Sales isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of blasting out cold emails and hoping for the best. Today, we need to be more strategic—especially with so many tools like AI and automation changing the game. 

That’s where signal-led sales comes in. This new approach helps sales teams reach the right buyers at the right time, based on what they’re actually doing.

In this blog, we’ll break down key lessons from a recent webinar with Heath Barnett, VP of Revenue at Mixmax, and Adam Robinson, CEO of RB2B. 

They share how signal-led sales and warm outbound strategies can help sales teams connect with buyers in a smarter way. 

Interested in watching the full webinar recording? Click the image above ⬆️

Let’s dive into the actionable tips they shared, plus some insights you can use to improve your outreach.

What is signal-led sales?

Signal-led sales means paying attention to what your prospects are doing—like visiting your website, engaging on social media, or changing jobs—and using that information to guide your outreach. Instead of guessing which buyers might be interested, you can track buyer signals to know when to reach out.

As Heath put it, “Signals help us meet our buyers where they’re at.” 

The idea is simple: stop wasting time on cold outreach and focus on people who are showing interest or signs of being ready to engage.

Types of signals

Here are some of the different types of buyer signals you can use. You can combine these for "signal stacking" to strengthen your outreach strategy (more on that later).

• Product usage signals (e.g. feature adoption, usage frequency)
• Email engagement (opens, clicks, downloads)
• Website activity (e.g. pricing page visits, content downloads)
• Technographic changes (e.g. adopting complementary tools)
• Job changes and hiring patterns
• Social media engagement
• Legislative/regulatory changes affecting the prospect's industry

The modern buyer’s journey has changed

Today’s buyers don’t follow the same buying path they used to. In fact, as Heath mentioned during the webinar, “70% of buyers do their own research before ever talking to a salesperson.” 

Traditional linear path of the buyer journey

This means buyers are more independent, using websites, social media, and other tools to gather information before making a decision.

The actual buyer journey

With signal-led sales, you can track where buyers are in their journey and engage at the right time. Instead of pushing a product, you meet them where they’re already searching for answers. 

Signals give you a clearer idea of what they need and when to reach out.

How to stack signals for stronger outreach

A single signal, like a website visit, might not be enough to act on. But when you combine signals—like noticing that a buyer visited your site multiple times, checked out your "You vs. Competitor" page, and interacted with your social media—you have a stronger case for outreach. 

This is what we call signal stacking.

This is where signal stacking becomes useful—it helps you better understand where the buyer is in their journey.

Actionable tips for using signal-led sales

Here are a few ways you can start using signal-led sales in your outreach:

• Track key signals: Start by tracking simple first-party signals like website visits, email opens, or form submissions. Then layer in third-party signals like social media engagement or competitor research. “Website visits are a good signal, but if they visit multiple pages, especially your pricing or ‘you vs. competitor’ pages, that’s when you should act,” Heath advised.
• Segment your prospects based on signal strength: Not every signal needs an immediate follow-up. Use the strength of the signal to categorize your prospects—high-priority signals (like someone visiting your pricing page + other pages) might mean it’s time for personalized outreach, while weaker signals might just call for a nurturing email.
• Avoid being creepy with outreach: It’s important not to make your outreach too obvious. Phrases like “I saw you were on our pricing page” can feel invasive. Instead, focus on the problem the buyer might be researching. Personalization should be about adding value, not spying on them.
• Use the SMART framework: Heath shared his method for crafting personalized outreach that feels relevant and helpful:
  • Show me you know me: Demonstrate that you understand the prospect’s needs.
  • Map the facts: Tie their problem to your solution.
  • Acknowledge the cracks: Point out where your solution can help.
  • Recognize the impact: Explain how your solution delivers value.
  • Take action: End with a clear and helpful call to action.

Warm outbound: What it is (and what it isn’t)

Warm outbound is about reaching out to people who are already showing interest in your product. Instead of cold emailing thousands of random people, you focus on buyers who are already doing their own research or engaging with your brand.

As Adam pointed out, “Warm outbound is about providing value, not creeping out your prospects.” When you use buyer signals to guide your outreach, it feels more natural and relevant.

Heath added, “Don’t make the mistake of assuming one signal means they’re ready to buy. Look for multiple signals, like visiting your pricing page and checking out your competitors.”

How to build a targeted list using buyer signals

Here’s a simple process for building a targeted outreach list using signals:

1. Identify your ideal customer profile (ICP): This is your foundation. Make sure you know the key traits of your target buyers—company size, role, industry, etc. “Nailing down your ICP is the first step,” Heath stressed.
2. Build processes around your signals: Don’t just collect signals—build processes to know what actions to take. What should happen when a prospect visits your website? What if they check out your “You vs. Competitor” page? Mapping out these processes is crucial for success
   

    

   💡With tools like Mixmax, you can automate parts of this process. For example, Mixmax’s integration with RB2B lets sales reps automatically enroll specific website visitors into tailored email sequences based on the signals they generate—like visiting a “You vs. Competitor” page or engaging with your content multiple times. This helps ensure that your outreach is timely and relevant, without the need for manual tracking.

    

3. Segment and prioritize: Based on your ICP, segment your prospects into high, medium, and low-priority lists. High-priority prospects should get personalized, high-touch outreach, while lower-priority ones can go into automated nurturing campaigns.

Real-world example: How signal-led sales closed a 100k deal in 45 days

Heath shared a success story during the webinar that shows how effective signal-led sales can be.

“We noticed that several people from the same company visited our website and checked out our competitor pages. That was our signal to reach out. We personalized the outreach and closed the deal in 45 days—half the time of our typical sales cycle.”

Real example of a prospect Mixmax’s sales team captured with RB2B

RB2B & Mixmax integration to auto-enrol prospects who show interest in a custom sequence

By focusing on the right signals, the Mixmax team knew exactly when and how to engage the prospect, leading to a faster deal.

Final thoughts: Meeting buyers where they are

Signal-led sales helps sales teams engage buyers at the right time, with the right message. It’s not about guessing who might be interested; it’s about paying attention to buyer behavior and meeting them where they are in their journey.

As Adam summed it up, “Signals help us navigate the modern buyer’s journey by stacking the right clues together. It’s not about spamming your prospect list—it’s about knowing when the timing is right to engage and provide value.”

By using buyer signals and warm outbound strategies, your sales team can connect with the right prospects, increase response rates, and close deals faster.