Signals are valuable. A new leader, a first-of-its-kind hire or a new market all say something about what a company may need. Used badly, they also make people feel watched. The difference is in how you use them.
Treat a signal as a question, not a verdict
A signal does not prove a need. It is a reason to think carefully. Ask what it could mean, what else would need to be true, and whether it connects to a problem you genuinely help with.
Four tests before you act
- Relevance. Does it connect to a problem you actually solve?
- Recency. Is it recent enough to be live?
- Reachability. Is there a sensible person to speak to, and a respectful way to do it?
- Reason. Can you say, in one honest sentence, why you are getting in touch because of this?
Rules that keep you on the right side
- Use public information only, and be willing to say where you saw it.
- Do not imply you know more than you do. "I saw your job post" is honest. "I know your team is struggling" is not.
- Do not over-personalise. A detail that proves you have researched someone's family or weekend is too much.
- Give them an easy way out. A respectful message makes it simple to say not now.
- Follow the rules. If you contact people in the UK, UK GDPR, PECR and TPS rules still apply. Check the details with your own adviser.
The best reason to get in touch is one you would happily explain to the person you are writing to.
The 25 Buying Signals guide names the signal types and how to check them carefully, and the 25 Pre-Send Tests help you check the message itself.