How much time has your Marketing or Sales team spent chasing prospects who aren’t ready to buy? They’ve sent countless cold emails into the void in hopes that someone will show interest, but the timing is wrong.  

In reality companies rarely make big purchasing decisions without a pressing reason. When your message has no urgency, it’s just background noise. But when an urgent event happens (e.g. leadership change, expansion, new funding), companies will suddenly start searching for solutions. Now, if you miss that signal, you’ll be back to chasing cold leads.  

By recognising and acting on these buying triggers, you can enter the conversation when your solution is most needed, start meaningful conversations and improve your close rates. In this blog, you’ll learn how to identify buying triggers, and use them to incorporate into your marketing strategy, and avoid the common mistakes.

‍

What are Event-Based Buying Triggers?

Event-based buying triggers show specific moments when businesses are ready to make a purchasing decision.  

There are a few trigger events to identify:

• Situational: entering a new market, funding announcements, or an expansion.  

• Emotional: feeling anxious or overwhelmed, pressure from competitors, or frustration with current tools, processes or results.  

• Social: client testimonials and success stories, invitations to speak at events, or positive media coverage.  

• Biological: improving workplace safety, implementing new and improved tools or employee wellbeing.  

‍

These are the moments when your prospects identifies a need for a solution because they’re struggling. They could have noticed a lack of knowledge or tools. At this point, your prospect moves from being uninterested in your solution to being in market for it. For you, this means that they’re more likely to interact with your content and convert into a paying customer.  

‍

‍

How They Differ from Traditional Sales Signals  

Did you know that only 5% of your target audience is ready to buy at any given moment? Event-based buying triggers help you find this small group of prospects.

Traditional signals on the other hand rely on static data (e.g. company size or industry) and shallow engagement metrics (e.g. email opens, which doesn’t reveal real buying intent).

‍

Why Timing is Everything in Sales?

You’re far more likely to reach a lead if you call within five minutes of their first show of interest.  

Let’s imagine you finally reach a CFO on the last Friday of the fiscal quarter. Even if they downloaded your pricing guide that morning, they’re prioritising in finalising budgets. Reconciling numbers and signing off on reports. They’re likely mentally locked into closing the quarter.  

Your call will almost certainly get a polite “send me an email” and be forgotten. The longer you wait, the less relevant you become to the trigger that caught their attention in the first place.  

‍

‍

The 6 Most Powerful Event-Based Buying Triggers for Your Business

Let’s go through six powerful sales trigger events that can create perfect chances for outreach.  

‍

New Executive Appointments  

A new executive joining a company, especially a C-level executive, creates an opportunity for your Sales team to connect. These new leaders seek quick, effective changes and typically review their vendors and solutions within their first few months.  

Research by Harvard Business Review shows that 20% of new executives are more likely to look for external advice and services. They're often more open to new ideas than their long-term counterparts.  

New executives want to make a positive impression through strategic changes quickly.  

Tip: Focus on how your solution fits in their strategic goals and don’t list specific features. Sales teams see better conversion rates when they connect with new executives early in their role.

‍

Company Funding Announcements

Companies with funding are 20-25% more likely to survive. These organisations are also most likely to grow their team by 75 or more employees, or make a purchase after completing a funding round.  

When companies get new funding, they often want to invest in new growth, meaning they want to buy new tools, services or solutions.  

You can use this to your advantage and show value by reaching out right after funding announcements with knowledge of their growth path.  

Remember, these companies have both drive and money to invest in solutions that help them further expand.  

‍

‍

Mergers & Acquisition

Around 56% of CEOs have pursued M&A in 2025. M&A activities are excellent buying opportunities as companies review vendors, upgrade their systems and look for new solutions.  

Companies going through mergers need to blend different systems, restructure operations, and find operational efficiencies. PwC data shows that 65% of mergers fail due to bad integration planning. This highlights the need for external support for these companies.  

Two organisations coming together actually create a perfect chance for you to earn add-on revenue.

‍

Product or Service Launches  

Companies need extra support when they launch new products or services and enter unknown territory. These new product announcements show their intention to meet customer needs and lead their industry.  

According to Nielsen, nearly one-third of companies lack marketing support when launching new products or services. This is your chance to step in and show them why your solutions are important to their launch success.  

Regulatory or Compliance Changes

Businesses face urgent challenges when new compliance requirements need to be met. The UK's Product Regulation and Metrology Bill (PRAM) brings the most significant changes to UK product safety regulation in forty years.

The Home Office will enforce a new failure to prevent fraud offence from September 1, 2025. Organisations could face unlimited fines if convicted, and must comply with these standards.

Your solutions should be positioned as essential for B2B companies to avoid costly mistakes and ensure compliance.  

‍

Hiring Surges or Layoffs  

Staff level changes often point to a bigger strategic shift. Hiring surges suggest growth and a possible need for new systems. Layoffs might signal cost-cutting or restructuring, creating a different opportunity.  

Sadly, it's predicted that 45% of companies are likely to lay off employees in 2025. But this way you can offer solutions that boost efficiency with fewer people.  

The main reasons for layoffs include:  

• Economic downturn (52%).

• Industry-specific challenges (48%).  

• AI automation (32%).  

B2B teams can identify new sales opportunities by understanding what’s changing and what their prospects need, whether companies are hiring or laying people off.  

‍

How to Detect & Track Trigger Events

Finding sales opportunities before your competitors requires a well-planned monitoring system. Let’s look at the best tools that can help you track triggers events and signal buying opportunities.  

‍

‍

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn Sales Navigator can be a powerful prospecting tool for identifying trigger events within your target accounts. The platform’s advanced search capabilities let you filter leads based on role changes, company growth, and other criteria that point to buying opportunities.  

You’ll receive timely alerts when leads change jobs, get promotions, or participate in content that’s related to your solutions. Focus on setting up alerts for target accounts to stay updated about the most important developments.  

‍

Setting up Google Alerts  

Google Alerts tracks:  

• Online mentions of prospects.  

• Competitors

• Industry developments.

This tool works best when you set up alerts for company names, executive names, and industry-specific keywords.  

Before creating alerts, you might want to add search terms such as "company plans to expand" or "announces new office" to catch expansion-related trigger events.  

The process is simple: visit Google Alerts, type your search terms, choose notification frequency, and click "Create Alert". You'll then get emails whenever Google finds matching content across the web.

‍

Monitoring Industry News & Press Releases  

Your sales process can benefit from tracking industry publications and press releases that reveal valuable trigger events.  

Media monitoring tools capture mentions of:  

• Brands.

• Competitors.

• Industry trends.

The best way to monitor regulatory changes is to follow trusted sources like the Information Commissioner's Office (UK), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (US), and relevant industry-specific regulatory bodies.

‍

Exploiting CRM & Intent Data Tools

Intent data tools can automatically identify companies showing buying signals.  

• UserGems captures over 700 unique buying signals, including hiring trends, funding events, and leadership changes.

• 6sense takes your website’s engagement data and combines it smoothly with information from B2B publications and review sites.  

• Cognism combines third-party intent signals with contact data, enabling you to filter prospects based on both demographic criteria and active buying signals.

Use these tools to help you identify and prioritise accounts that are actively researching solutions like yours.  

‍

‍

Building a Trigger Event Selling Strategy  

Success comes from positioning yourself as the solution provider and having a clear approach to turning insights into action.

Identify your ICP  

Did you know that 68% of B2B companies attribute their success to having a well-defined ICP? It’s the foundation of effective trigger-based selling.  

Your ICP should include both simple firmographics and deeper insights:  

• Industry and company size.

• Revenue range and growth patterns.

• Technology adoption priorities.

• Geographic location and business model.

• Pain points and purchasing behaviours.

Tip: Analyse your most successful customers - that way you can find the characteristics that make them the ideal target.  

‍

‍

Creating Trigger-Specific Messaging

Generic messages generally underperform compared to trigger-specific outreach. Personalised content performs 178% better than sending the same thing to everyone.

Let’s see how you can create captivating messages:  

• Study job descriptions to understand KPIs for new executives.  

• Get into hiring patterns to identify business goals.  

• Include specific-trigger event details to demonstrate awareness.  

‍

Timing Your Outreach for Maximum Impact  

The first seller who contacts a decision maker following a trigger event is more likely to secure the sale. Data shows that emails sent at 1:00 PM and 11:00 AM receive the highest response rates. Automated trigger detection helps you capitalise on speed.

‍

Conclusion  

Event-based buying triggers are transforming how Sales and Marketing teams connect with prospects. Unlike cold outreach, this targeted approach reaches buyers when they are actively seeking your solution. Success comes from identifying and monitoring the right triggers and acting fast (remember: timing is everything).  

Match each trigger to the buyer’s stage, personalise your message, and respond within 24 hours. Avoid missed timing, and poor follow-ups, because they waste valuable opportunities.  

When done right, event-based selling turns cold calls into warm conversations and positions your brand as a thought leader.  

‍

How MyOutreach Helps with Event-Based Buying Trigger Business  

At MyOutreach, we help you identify, track and act on event-based buying triggers with precision. Our platform monitors trigger events in real time, delivers actionable insights, and enables personalised and perfectly timed outreach. We help you connect with prospects at the exact moment they're trying to engage.  

No more missed opportunities, let’s talk and create stronger relationships and higher conversion rates.  

‍

Other blogs that might interest you:  

📖 Firmographic Data 101: What It Is and How to Use It for Smarter B2B Sales

📖 Navigating The Post-Cookie Era: Strategies For B2B Businesses In The Age Of Enhanced Data Privacy

📖 Testimonials And Case Studies: What Are They, And Why Are They A Valuable Asset?

‍

FAQs

Q1. What exactly are event-based buying triggers in sales?  

Event-based buying triggers are specific occurrences that signal when a company is more likely to make a purchase. These can include organisational changes, such as new executive appointments, or external events, such as regulatory changes, creating opportunities for targeted sales approaches.

Q2. How do event-based triggers differ from traditional sales methods?  

Unlike traditional methods that rely on general demographics or basic engagement metrics, event-based triggers focus on specific actions that demonstrate genuine interest and readiness to buy. This approach allows sales teams to engage prospects at the exact moment when they're experiencing a real need.

Q3. What are some common examples of sales trigger events?

Key sales trigger events include new executive appointments, company funding announcements, mergers and acquisitions, product or service launches, regulatory changes, and significant hiring or layoff activities. These events often indicate a company is ready for new solutions or services.

‍