Targeting tells you who to contact. Signals tell you when. In most B2B categories the second question is worth more than the first, and the answers are sitting in public data nobody reads.
The signals worth watching
New incorporations (a company that did not exist last month buys everything), director and officer changes (new decision-makers rebuild their stack), address changes and new premises, filing events, licence and permit grants, and local news about openings, expansions and funding.
Each one marks a moment when an existing supplier relationship is genuinely up for review.
Turn a signal into a reason to call
A signal is only useful if it produces a specific opening line. 'I saw you registered a second site in Cork last month' outperforms any personalisation token, because it demonstrates you looked.
Map each signal type to an offer. Relocation maps to logistics, facilities and connectivity; new directors map to tooling and audit; permits map to construction and compliance services.
Operationalise it
Signals decay fast — most are worthless after 30 days. Deliver them as a daily or weekly queue into the CRM with a due date, not as a monthly report.
Measure signal-sourced pipeline separately. It usually shows a materially higher reply and conversion rate, which is the argument for funding the data.
Frequently asked questions
Where do public buying signals come from?
Company registers, filing and licence systems, property and land registries, and local news coverage — all of which Drimble aggregates per company and per place.
How quickly should I act on a signal?
Within days. Response rates fall sharply once the event is more than a month old and competitors have already made contact.
