Timing is Everything: 24 Sales Lead Gen Triggers

If I was to offer you a 3-course meal after you had just eaten, you’d probably refuse it. However, if I was to offer you the same meal when you were extremely hungry, you’d more than likely accept; and scoff it down. As with most things in life, timing is key. This goes for eating, as well as B2B lead generation.

If you reach out to a prospect right after they have bought a competitor's product, it's more likely that they are not going to bite off your plate. Whereas, if you were to get wind that they’re in the market for a new product or service, and reached out before they actually began to research the solution, your message will be received with much more interest.

An event that provides an opening for a sales opportunity is called a trigger event, but most aren’t as obvious as a social media posting, or press release announcing that your prospect is in the market for a new product. The best performing salespeople will tune in to the right channels to detect company/individual shifts that can provide an element of warmth to a seemingly cold pitch - a prime example of working smarter, not harder.

Considering that people rarely announce when they’re ready to buy, (and in some cases might not even be aware of what solution fits their need), what do sales triggers look like? Here are 24 examples of such triggers, as well as the best practice in tracking them.

1) New Executives

A fresh addition to the C-suite has enough authority, and desire, to make changes. Since they haven’t established traditions in their new company, and are looking to improve results quickly, they’re more open to new ideas than most business leaders. This is a perfect time to reach out to them.

You can track this type of event with: Google Alerts for the company name, the company’s press releases page and LinkedIn

2) New Job/Role for Current Contact

If an existing contact or customer takes on a new role in their company, or moves to a new business, it is an ideal time to reach out to them, and see if they’d be interested in taking your product/service with them. If your offering added value in their previous role, they’ll be keen to implement it in their new one.

You can track this event with: LinkedIn

3) Large Customer Announcement

If one of your target companies has just added a new account to their portfolio, they’re more than likely going to have much more revenue coming in. Reach out with a suggestion that suits their new acquisition.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, press release page and industry news

4) Company Expansion

A new office indicates company growth, along with the potential of new products and services. Depending on your offering, this can be a great opportunity to introduce yourself, or make an upsell if they’re an existing customer.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts and press release pages

5) Company Relocation

A relocated office is essentially a new office. As above.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts and press release pages

6) New Product/Service Announcement

By releasing a new product or service, a company is giving off signs of moving into unknown territories. The unknown may call for a new/different type of support, and potentially a new vendor.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, press release pages, industry news and social media

7) Competitive Product/Service Announcement

If your prospect's competitor has made a new announcement, and seems to be taking the limelight within the industry, your prospect will more than likely be looking to make a bold response to refocus attention on them. If you can be instrumental in their plan, your message will be well received.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, press release pages, industry news and social media

8) Major Competitive Move

With any activity that falls outside a new product launch, such as a new marketing campaign, piece of advertising, customer acquisition, or leadership change, competitors won’t be far behind.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, press release pages, industry news and social media

9) Dissatisfaction with Current Vendor

If your ideal buyers voices a derogatory opinion of their current provider, jump on the opportunity. Social media is a great place to look, but the signs could be more subtle - maybe legal action being taken, or a news article.

You can track this event with: industry news and social media

10) Bad Quarter

Is the company losing money? Do you provide a product/service that could resolve this? Reach out!

You can track this event with: DueDil, earnings calls and industry news

11) Good Quarter

Is the company raking in money? They’ll probably be more open-minded to projects that could help them continue their growth, or even accelerate it. This is a great time to introduce yourself.

You can track this even with: DueDil, earnings calls, industry news

12) Mergers and Acquisitions

If two companies come together and one of the involved parties is already a customer, this is a great opportunity to gain additional revenue through spreading your product/service.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, press release pages and industry news

13) Legal Problems

If a company is penalised for compliance breaches, they may be looking for a new service that can streamline their compliance processes, and keep them out of trouble. Being able to offer a relevant solution in a company's time of need will go down very well.

You can track this event with: industry news

14) Significant Changes in Hiring Velocity

If a company is recruiting heavily, or making redundancies, it could be a worthy trigger event - depending on your product/service.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, industry news and press release pages

15) Major Industry Development

A shift across your prospect's industry will instrument the need for the entire vertical to take action in order to capitalise on an opportunity, or mitigate risk. If you can help with a company's goals, you should reach out.

You can track this event with: industry news

16) New Organisational Strategy/Initiatives

It’s hard to gain insight to the inner workings of a company to see which projects are getting funded, and which are being set aside for another time, or even cancelled completely. But if you can derive such insights from changes in social media behaviour and position your service accordingly, buyers will be impressed by your knowledge of seemingly well informed insight.

You can track this event with: social media and insider correspondence.

17) Buyer Opens Your Email

When a prospect is looking at an email you’ve sent them, you’re going to be top of mind. Even though this isn’t a trigger regarding their company, it’s still a great opportunity to hold their attention while you already have it.

You can track this event with: HubSpot Sales Tool and Sidekick

18) Change in Price/Availability of Essential Resources/Materials

If a product at the core of an organisation’s business model becomes more expensive, or disappears, that prospect will more than likely be looking for an alternative.

You can track this event with: industry news

19) Awards

Recognition within a prospect’s industry feels great. So, what better time to reach out than while they’re still in the clouds? Inform them of how you can help them continue to top their competition.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, industry news and press release pages

20) Evidence of Interest

If you sell a piece of ERP software, and a prospect posts an article on social media about the benefits of such a platform, they’re displaying interest publically. By carefully monitoring what your prospects are posting, sharing and liking, when a topic coincides with what you sell, you’re best placed to introduce yourself, and your offering.

You can track this event with: social media

21) Entering Into a New Market

When entering into a new market,  there are always going to be new problems to contend with. With new problems, comes a new need, a new budget and a new timeline - making for the perfect atmosphere for a sales opportunity.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts, industry news, press release pages and social media

22) Event Announcement

If your prospect is putting on a conference or exhibition, they’ll probably need some form of assistance. If your product can facilitate the smooth-running of such an event, then this is a great time to offer some assistance.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts and press release pages

23) New Critical Positions Created

By paying attention to new roles that signal new strategies - as opposed to just focusing on executive leadership shifts - you’ll be able to begin your prospecting on the ground floor, and work your way up.

You can track this event with: press release pages and social media

24) Press Coverage

Whether it be positive or negative, an article from a third party source will cast light on a company. If you can help an organisation hold down a positive perception, or turn around a damaging one, then your introduction will be well received.

You can track this event with: Google Alerts and news

The very first step to take towards building a strong B2B lead generation strategy is to optimise your website and ensure it delivers the number and quality of leads that you need it to.