Trigger Events 101: How to Know When Your Prospects Are Ready to Buy
Timing beats talent in sales. Here’s how to know when to strike.
Not all leads are created equal. Some are just browsing. Others are actively looking for a solution—but only for a short window of time. The secret to higher reply rates and faster conversions? Reaching out at the right moment.
That’s where trigger events come in.
In this post, we’ll break down what they are, why they matter, and how Leads That Work helps you use them to start more meaningful conversations and close more deals.
What Are Trigger Events?
A trigger event is a signal that a prospect or company is entering a buying cycle. These events create urgency and context—two ingredients that make outreach feel timely and relevant.
Common B2B trigger events include:
🚀 A recent promotion or new job role
💰 Funding announcements (Seed, Series A, B, etc.)
📢 A hiring spree for specific departments
💼 New tool implementations or tech stack changes
🧩 Engaging with competitor content or industry trends
📈 Rapid company growth or expansion into new markets
Think of them as digital buying signals—clues that it’s time to start a conversation.
Why Trigger Events Matter
Most sales teams send cold messages into the void. But by identifying trigger events, you gain 3 key advantages:
Timing – You catch leads right when they’re thinking about solving a problem.
Relevance – You tailor your outreach based on what’s actually happening.
Conversion – Messages based on real events feel less cold—and more human.
In short: Trigger events move you from random cold outreach to strategic sales engagement.
How Leads That Work Tracks Trigger Events
We use real-time social listening on LinkedIn to surface trigger events automatically—so you don’t have to dig through posts or alerts.
✅ What We Track:
Using Generative AI technology we generate a list of keywords that match your business ICP. Then, our AI filters out low quality leads giving you high quality leads in your inbox. With our AI Agents can you track the following:
New job roles or promotions
Posts about challenges or changes in strategy
Engagement with thought leaders, tools, or competitors
Company-level changes (funding, hiring, growth, etc.)
🔁 Always Up-to-Date:
Our AI constantly refreshes your lead feed with new intent-rich contacts, filtered by your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and aligned with the right buying signals.
Example: Trigger Event in Action
Let’s say you’re selling a B2B marketing automation tool.
Trigger Event: A VP of Marketing just posted:
“Excited to be hiring 3 new content marketers this quarter!”
Perfect Outreach Message:
“Congrats on the expansion! Sounds like you’re doubling down on content—are you exploring tools to streamline lead flow or analytics for your new team?”
That's not a cold pitch. That’s a contextual, personalized opening.
Pro Tips for Using Trigger Events
Be fast: The first rep to reach out often wins the deal.
Be relevant: Don’t just mention the event—connect it to the problem you solve.
Be human: Use their language, tone, and goals to guide your message.
Start Surfacing Buying Signals That Actually Matter
Stop guessing. Stop chasing cold leads. Start showing up at the exact right moment—when your prospect is already open to a conversation.