Signals · Tailored

Tailored signals

Signals you design around what you sell. Harder to find, and your competitors will not have them.

9 signalsReview monthly

What are tailored signals?

Tailored signals are the ones you design from your own product: a company paying consultants for what you automate, a board pressing for results, a leader talking about your problem on a podcast. No tool sells these off the shelf. They take more work to find, which is exactly why they give you an edge over competitors using the same lists.

How to use them

Four rules for tailored signals

Start from your product: what would a company be doing if it badly needed you? Write that down as a signal.
Define it precisely, then let an AI check each match for relevance before it counts.
Use the finding as the insight in your first message. It is a real observation about their situation.
Review these monthly and drop the ones that never lead to meetings.

At a glance

All 9 tailored signals

Signal	What it means	Lasts
GaGitHub activity	Repository activity around your category or product.	Useful for about six weeks
KeKeyword engagement	Engagement with posts containing your chosen keywords.	Useful for about six weeks
ToTopic engagement	Engagement with a topic you define.	Useful for about six weeks
ErEarnings call/10-K release	Public filings state priorities you can match.	Useful for about six weeks
PgPodcast guest appearance	A buyer talks publicly about their priorities.	Useful for about six weeks
SaSocial post	A buyer posts about a problem you solve.	Useful for about six weeks
BpBoard or peer underperformance pressure	Results lag peers and leadership must show a response.	Useful for about six weeks
ExExternal spend on the problem	The account pays consultants or agencies for what you automate.	Useful for about six weeks
PbPublishing on the problem	The account publishes reports or talks on your problem space.	Useful for about six weeks

Signal by signal

What each one means and what to do

03Ga

What is the “GitHub activity” signal?

Repository activity around your category or product.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Useful
Buyer stage: Comparing options
Where to spot it: GitHub activity
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

56Ke

What is the “Keyword engagement” signal?

Engagement with posts containing your chosen keywords.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Weak alone
Buyer stage: Early research
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

57To

What is the “Topic engagement” signal?

Engagement with a topic you define.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Weak alone
Buyer stage: Early research
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

65Er

What is the “Earnings call/10-K release” signal?

Public filings state priorities you can match.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Weak alone
Buyer stage: Early research
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

72Pg

What is the “Podcast guest appearance” signal?

A buyer talks publicly about their priorities.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Weak alone
Buyer stage: Early research
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

106Bp

What is the “Board or peer underperformance pressure” signal?

Results lag peers and leadership must show a response.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Useful
Buyer stage: Early research
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

107Ex

What is the “External spend on the problem” signal?

The account pays consultants or agencies for what you automate.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Useful
Buyer stage: Comparing options
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

108Pb

What is the “Publishing on the problem” signal?

The account publishes reports or talks on your problem space.

How long it lasts: Useful for about six weeks
How strong: Useful
Buyer stage: Early research
Where to spot it: company-watch tools such as Clay, news and job ads, LinkedIn
Check before acting: Define the rule precisely and let an AI check each match is relevant before it counts.
What to do: Use it as the insight in your first message: a real observation about their situation.

Time windows are starting points, not benchmarks. Tune them to what actually turns into meetings for you. Signal names adapted from Common Room’s signal library.

Other groups

Combine groups to find the right moment

The best openings come from mixing groups: a good-fit company, plus an act-now event, plus some warming-up interest.

Act now

Something just changed at the company. The door is open, but not for long.

40 signals

Warming up

Interest is building. One on its own means little. Two or three together mean it is time.

47 signals

Good fit

Facts about the company that make it worth watching in the first place.

16 signals

Questions people ask

What is a custom buying signal?

A custom signal is one you design from what you sell, such as a company spending on consultants for a task your product automates. It is specific to your market, so competitors rarely track it.

How do I find custom signals without a data team?

Describe the signal in plain words and let an AI agent search news, filings, job ads and posts for it, then check each match. You can start with a list of 50 companies by hand.